Sometimes, I see and hear scenario’s that I find so interesting that I turn them into blog posts so that I can get your thoughts and opinions on that particular scenario. So for this week’s blog post, let’s talk SHIP about ANSWERED PRAYERS!!
Scenario #6: Cheryl has a strong relationSHIP with GOD and considers her faith very important. She regularly attends church services and is active in several ministries. Tired of being single, Cheryl had been praying for a husband and while in line at the grocery store, she met Kenneth. As they waited in line they engaged in a witty and flirty conversation. They hit it off and exchanged numbers. Later that night, they continued their conversation and started talking and texting each other a few times every day. During these conversations, they discovered a host of shared interests. Both enjoyed working out, watching sports, cooking, traveling, and entertaining friends and family. Kenneth was handsome and very articulate. He had a nice body, a beautiful smile, and a great job. Cheryl felt giddy and told her girlfriends that Kenneth made her happy and that he may be the one.
Over the next few weeks, Cheryl and Kenneth began spending a lot of time together. They went out for dinners, worked out together, and even cooked for each other. It was clear, they were both feeling each other. As they continued to date, Cheryl believed that GOD listened and knew that Kenneth was sent as the answer to her prayers. But, when she invited him to church, he was always busy. Although Kenneth knew how important Cheryl’s faith was to her, he didn’t share that same deep faith. Initially, when they discussed spirituality, Kenneth was honest. He stated that growing up, he had a bad experience with religion and that despite growing up in the church, he hadn’t been in 20 years. He explained to Cheryl that he believed in GOD but felt he didn’t need to be in relationSHIP with HIM. Cheryl listened but believed that Kenneth’s belief in GOD and his mustard seed faith was enough to continue to build their relationSHIP. After all, he was a believer. Kenneth was relieved that she respected and accepted his religious sentiments and was still willing to move forward as a couple.
After dating for six months, Cheryl invited Kenneth to her family BBQ. A good time was had by all. They ate, drank, played dominoes, played bid whist, and danced. Kenneth was a big hit with her family. Everyone thought he was a good catch. After the BBQ, Cheryl’s father and Kenneth started talking. He asked Kenneth to tell him about himself. Kenneth responded by telling him his occupation, age, and where he was from. Cheryl’s father explained he was a retired mechanic and a deacon who loves serving GOD. Then he asked Kenneth, if he knew GOD and believed in the power of prayer? Just then, Cheryl walked up and Kenneth responded, YES and NO. He continued to explain to Cheryl’s father that he believed in GOD but believed that prayer was a waste of time. He told her father that he didn’t believe that he should pray for something he could do himself. Cheryl’s father looked at her with a confused look because he knew she had sacrificed her relationSHIP with GOD for a worldly one with Kenneth. Was she?
SHIP TALK: Was Cheryl sacrificing her relationSHIP with GOD to be in one with Kenneth? How? Was Kenneth the answer to her prayers? Would you continue to date, Kenneth? Would you have clipped Kenneth? If yes, when?
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Whew, Angie!!! I fully understand your point and noticed you put Kenneth in the maybe zone and that’s different from your first response. My faith is very solid in GOD and I am too old to think that I can change a person but Kim’s response made me reconsider my thoughts. NO ONE can ever interfere with my relationSHIP with GOD this I know. I know my experience with HIM and I am unwilling to put that on the back burner for anyone. However, we never found out what happened with his church experience. I’d have to be in that situation but if he is a good fit, I can only believe that prayer changes things. Kim’s testimony made me think, I may have been judgemental. I’m digging the dialogue. Thanks Angie for being you.
(part 2)
If I were Cheryl, I would proceed with caution, eyes WIDE open. What we don’t want is to involve ourselves with someone that tends to lean a certain way and our thought being that “they will change” or “we can change them”; nor do we want to sacrifice our relationship with God. Sometimes us as women we “think” this is the one, and it turns out to be quite the opposite. However, being a woman of a certain age and using discernment now, I’ve learned lots, seen lots, and felt lots. Maybe I put too much of myself in that scenario and with what I know now, my relationship with God is most important; therefore, it would take a LOT of prayer and listening to Him. As young girls if you looked up to your dad, you always hoped to marry someone like Daddy, especially if the relationship with Mom & Dad was a healthy one. Cheryl’s Dad was a Deacon…. I’ll leave it there. Keep up the great work that you’re doing. Very thought provoking….
Hi Val! I read your reply and Kim’s response. First, I want to give Kim HUGE props for her testimony, her unselfishness, and persistence of keeping her husband and her family in prayer. God is Good! What an amazing turnaround for her Husband, and a BIG Congratulations to them for their 40+ years of marriage! I also want to say that I too didn’t think of Cheryl and Kenneth’s relationship from the way Kim so eloquently told her story/her perspective. I took it from the perspective of Cheryl and Kenneth meeting for the first time, not knowing each other’s family or had previous history. My thinking was Cheryl really didn’t know Kenneth from “Adam” (they’d only known each other for a short time). Although Kenneth was honest in letting her know where he stood with his belief and relationship as it relates to God, he also told her father, “He doesn’t believe in prayer for something he could do himself.” To me, that’s a strong statement. A mustard seed is tiny and helpless; therefore, it must be patient and wait on God for everything. It must wait to be planted in fertile ground. It must wait to be watered by the rain. It must wait for the sun to shine upon it. In fact, it must believe that God can and will do all these things to make it big and strong. Then I understood that the mustard seed had total faith in God.
Angie, I respect your decision and for the most part agree. After reading Kim’s comment, I can see it from that perspective which I hadn’t. I certainly wouldn’t ruin my relationSHIP with GOD for anyone. But, Kim gave me a different perspective and that is what life is about…understanding others. Thanks so much for reading and responding.
AMEN!!! Kim, I write this blog so that I can get different perspectives. As long as I have known you, I never knew this nor that he is a minister now. Well, I am so proud of the family and praise GOD for that testimony. Your family is beautiful and it is true when we tired we can always seek GOD’s guidance.
It is my belief that Cheryl was sacrificing her relationship with God to be with Kenneth. It clearly states in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness (NIV)?
Although Kenneth was honest about his church experience and his comment that prayer was a waste of time. For Cheryl who is a believer, regularly attends church, and is active in several ministries, she and Kenneth are definitely not on the same page when it comes to Christianity. This could, and most likely would, pose an issue as time goes on should she/they choose to continue. In my opinion it’s best to cut your loses now while it is still early in the ‘relationship’. Most often when people are getting to know one another everything seems to be great! Lots in common and all smiles. And while everything may seem so right, once the wheels truly start turning and the “representative(s)” have long gone, you get to see the person(s) for who they truly are. Personally, I would not sacrifice my relationship with God for no one.
I don’t think Cheryl sacrificed herself or her bond with God. I’ve known my husband since I was in the 8th grade. His family and mine have known each other since I was a child. He was raised in the church. After his father was murdered when he was 15 he had issues with God. When we got married and started our family I would take our children to church and he never went. He was doing drugs and drinking. I knew that he knew the way he was living his life was contrary to what he was taught. He never went to church the first maybe 10-15 years of our marriage (which is now well into year 40). One day evidently had had enough of what his life was giving him and had a talk with GOD. He stopped using and drinking. He started going back to his church (we don’t attend the same church) , enrolled in a seminary program and is now a one of the ministers at his church. One most Sundays you can find him at the juvenile jail facilities teaching the word to those youngster lockup. So if she feels that this man was sent to her by God, maybe he was. Just think if I had given up on my husband and not turned him over to God what would life be like for the both of us and our kids. Her man knows the LORD and I believe he will see the light evidently. Just my opinion.