I sat across from my church brother, sipping on my coffee, as he asked me about my love life. I let out a sigh and began to tell him about my struggles.
“I’ve been divorced for a few years now, and I’ve been having a hard time finding someone new,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee.
My friend nodded, understandingly, and asked if there was anyone in particular I had my eye on.
I hesitated for a moment, thinking about the woman I had met a few months back. Her name was Rachel, and we had hit it off right away. She was beautiful, funny, and had a heart for God. But just when I thought things were going well, she told me she just wanted to be friends.
It was like a punch in the gut. I had been rejected before, but this one hit differently. I had thought she was the one. I had prayed about it and felt like God was leading us together. But I guess I was wrong.
To make matters worse, I found that many women I met on Christian dating sites seemed to be turned off by my size. They would politely decline a second date, or simply stop responding to my messages altogether.
My friend gave me a sympathetic look and then reminded me of a verse from Proverbs: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
He encouraged me to keep trusting God and not to give up on finding the right person.
It was a tough pill to swallow. I knew that God loved me for who I was, but it was hard to shake the feeling that I wasn’t good enough for anyone else.
It was during one of my lowest points that I came across the verse in 1 Samuel 16:7 that reads, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
That verse gave me a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was someone out there who would look past my outward appearance and see the person I truly was.
But as the rejections continued to pile up, I began to lose hope once again. That’s when another friend of mine suggested that I try dating women from other countries – specifically, the Philippines.
At first, I was hesitant. I had heard stories of men getting scammed by women who only wanted money or a visa to come to the United States. But my friend assured me that there were plenty of genuine women out there who were looking for love, just like me.
So I took a chance and signed up for a Filipino dating site. And that’s where I met Wilona.
From the moment I saw her profile picture, I was smitten. She was beautiful – with long, dark hair and a smile that lit up the screen. But it was more than just her physical appearance that caught my attention – it was the warmth and kindness that radiated from her picture.
We began messaging each other, and soon we were talking on the phone for hours at a time. Wilona had a sweetness and gentleness about her that put me at ease. And she never once asked for money or hinted that she wanted to come to the United States.
As we got to know each other better, I began to see Wilona’s inner beauty shining through. She had a deep faith in God, and she was committed to living a life of service and love. She had a heart for children, and she was active in her church.
When I finally decided to take the plunge and fly to the Philippines to meet her in person, I was nervous. What if she wasn’t who she said she was? What if it was all a scam?
But when I saw Wilona waiting for me at the airport, all of my fears melted away. She was even more beautiful in person – with a natural grace and poise that took my breath away.
As we spent time together, I began to see more and more of her inner beauty shining through. Wilona had a quiet strength and resilience that I found incredibly inspiring. She had faced many challenges in her life, but she never lost her faith in God or her commitment to serving others.
And the more time we spent together, the more I realized that I was falling in love with her. We shared a deep connection, based on our shared faith in God and our desire to live lives of love and service.
What really impressed me was when she refused to spend the night with me in the same hotel room. After that, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Wilona. I had never felt this way before – so certain, so sure.
But there was one problem: Wilona lived in the Philippines, and I lived in the United States. How could we possibly make a long-distance relationship work?
I was hesitant at first. I had heard so many horror stories about men getting scammed by women from other countries. But Wilona was different. She never once asked for money or hinted that she wanted to come to the United States. And her sweet, gentle nature had captured my heart.
So I decided to take a chance. I flew back to the United States, and we began a long-distance relationship. It wasn’t easy – there were times when the distance felt unbearable, and we both struggled with loneliness and longing.
But through it all, we held on to our faith in God and our love for each other. We prayed together, talked on the phone every day, and sent each other care packages filled with letters, small gifts, and tokens of our love.
And finally, after months of waiting and praying, I made the decision to fly back to the Philippines to propose to Wilona. I was nervous, but also incredibly excited. I knew that she was the one for me, and I was determined to spend the rest of my life making her happy.
As I stood in front of her, holding out the ring, I felt a rush of emotion. Would she say yes? Would she be willing to take a chance on a guy like me?
But as I looked into her eyes, I saw nothing but love and devotion. And then she said yes, with tears streaming down her face.
It was one of the happiest moments of my life. And now, as we prepare to get married, I know that I am the luckiest man in the world. Wilona is not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. She has a heart of gold, and a faith in God that inspires me every day.
Through her, I have learned that true beauty is not just about physical appearance, but about character and love. And I am so grateful to God for bringing her into my life.
As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs 31:30 that says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Wilona is that woman. She is a woman who fears the Lord, who lives a life of love and service, and who has captured my heart in a way that I never thought possible.
So to all the Christian men out there who may be struggling to find a wife – don’t give up hope. Keep praying, keep trusting in God, and keep your heart open to love, no matter where it may come from. And above all, remember that true beauty is found in the heart and may be on the other side of the world!
