Listen. Last week was kind of stressful.
We evacuated from Hurricane Ida and got home last Wednesday. All was well at our house overall, and we were extremely blessed.

With that said, a lot was going on: trapped in a hotel room with Hallmark channel, there was a sale at Walgreens, and I spent much time making art and ordering mugs for my future coffee bar. This was after we survived the Bates Motel, but I went for a walk before the adventure and made it back without being kidnapped. I wrote a blog about finding a man who loves me like my dad loved my mom and then the next day signed up for match.com.

It just kind of happened. I had a bit of a life crisis, and an ad popped up on Facebook for Match. I’ve always been against online dating and called Emily to talk me out of it, but she did not respond. Unfortunately, I was left to my own devices. She called back after signing up and was concerned for my mental health because of how anti-online dating I am adding, “But, it’s you, and you do random things”.

I was struggling with what I already knew and had to talk to my dad about it. I’ll summarize with how I broke the news to my dad a week later:
“During evacuation life crisis, I signed up for Match.com, and this guy with a handlebar mustache messaged me. I thought, ‘Yes, he could be the one for me’. It’s been a week, and I couldn’t take it anymore, so I asked God about it.

His response was like any concerned dad’s would be: “Oh, God, Aimee! Was this before or after the mugs?”

I am trying to be unlike myself where I do not set people on fire with scriptures. I’m taking the “normal” approach and allowing them to live their lives and respond with “I see” or “that’s nice” or “Hmm”. Life is a lot more peaceful since learning this method of living. Anyway, I am still me and have been talking to this guy for a week. I was correct in my assessment that if someone has a handlebar mustache in their online dating profile, then they have to have a sense of humor, and I was right. We seem to have a quirky sense of humor and hit it off well, but we have not mentioned God much, and it was killing me. The way He was brought up was by him asking if I went to church, and I responded, “No, I do not go to A church but believe we are the church.” He did and answered that it was mind-blowing that a Christian did not go to church.

Keep that nugget in mind.

He does not know about this blog, and I do not have expectations, but “You have a chance to run now”, if he sees this blog. Or as one of my best friends calls him, “Handles” (because I NEEDED HELP!).

So, a week later, our “meet” was canceled because both of us worked and I could not take it anymore. So, I texted a friend to ask a rational way to bring up God before I imploded. I mean, I’m good at bringing Him up, but I also am good at truth bombs that herd out the weak. I said, “I have a question. What is your prayer lifelike. How important is it to you?”

I also asked, “Do you read your bible?” and “Would it be something you’d be interested in?”.

I added that I asked because it is extremely important to me and something I’d like to share with someone else. I wouldn’t want to waste anyone’s time and was being honest. I told him my relationship with God comes first before anything and that I cannot breathe without Him. He has flipped my life upside down and inside out and done amazing things, and that I cannot breathe without Him. I need Him, and everything you may wonder about He has an answer for in His word.

They responded they don’t pray ‘enough’ and do not read their bible, adding it would not be fair to me. However, they said “it wouldn’t hurt” to reading the bible more.

My response to bring it full circle was, “It is mind-blowing that a Christian doesn’t read their bible”. Cue snarky emoji face here, and when I told my dad that, he did not say anything, but had a proud look on his face. 🙂

This is the picture of American Christianity. This is the picture of the prosperity teachings. This is the picture of a false Jesus and living for self. I am not judging him as he answered me when I asked what God has done in their lives, which seems to be tremendous. Everyone is at different places in their lives, and everyone goes at their own pace.

The problem is when lukewarm Christians choose to remain lukewarm. The problem is when people go to church and submit to a worldly pastor and play religion as if that means anything instead of surrendering to God. The problem is when carnal men want the title of “pastor” over the true gift of “pastoring” for if they had the true gift of “pastoring” they wouldn’t need a title. The problem is when people listen to a man preach what God can do for them instead of opening up their bibles to read what the Almighty God wants of them which is their heart. The Creator of the Universe wrote an instruction book for life and His gift/plan for salvation, and everyone is too busy and smart to read it.

The guy seems exceptionally nice, and I understand what God has taught me. The following day I prayed that God would either not let him text me again or he would if he did or did not want him in my life.

I did not expect him to ever talk to me again, but received a “Good morning” a little while later, but earlier than usual. I will remain exactly how I am in Christ, but will also give credit for a man who can spell out Good Morning because MANY are too lazy and just text “GM”. One of my closest friends and I joke about that to each other.

If a man can’t spell good morning, you need to keep moving. I don’t have expectations for “Handles” and do not know what will come of this, but do pray he comes to know the real Jesus.

I thought it was funny that I wrote a blog about my dad and then met someone right after even if it was to show me I don’t need to set anyone on fire and am ok with that life choice. It also shows me where my heart is and that I am starting to consider letting someone inside.

I am excited for what God has in store for me.

• We escaped The Bates Motel: Hurricane Ida Update. This evacuation gave me the gift of time.
  
• “What is that smell?” Sketchy Motels: Hurricane Ida Evacuation Saga Continues