MY LOVE STORY: by fallon (calo) lessler
It’s hard to sit down and write a love story. It’s even harder to sit down and write your own love story. I looked to others for examples, but soon realized that everyone’s love story is different.
That is what I learned to love about love stories. God writes each one perfectly and unique for each person.
My love story is one about unexpected love.
In December 2008, I graduated college in Southern California and moved back home to Portland, Oregon.
It wasn’t a move that I wanted to make. Moving home, having a degree but no career, and leaving behind what I thought was all my independence in another state, was hard.
I was that girl who thought some boys were cute but was never really into dating. I had my first relationship when I was a sophomore in college, innocent liking, is what I would call it. It lasted a whole six months.
Two months after that, I “liked” another boy, that I called my boyfriend for about three months.
But I just wasn’t into dating. I was more comfortable around guys, having grown up with four brothers. I had lots of guy friends, but I was an independent girl, who never needed or wanted a boyfriend.
I firmly believe God was preparing my heart for what was about to happen. Never needing or wanting a boyfriend was clearly God protecting me from the heartache and pain of being in multiple relationships while in High School and College. But not only was God protecting my heart, also my purity.
In early April 2010, I went to dinner and a movie with a dear friend. It wasn’t until a couple weeks ago, when I was reflecting back on my “love story” that she reminded me what I said that evening. I told her I believed God had finally released my heart to date. I was open to the idea of having a boyfriend and falling in love. Something I had never had peace about before.
Twenty some days later, I met Alexander for the first time. He was tall, dark, and handsome. He was soft spoken, had a calm presence, and was very quiet. I chalked all that up as being boring. Dreadfully boring, or at least that was my first impression. It wasn’t love at first sight.
A week and a half later, I got invited to spend the weekend at Lincoln City with some friends. I didn’t want to go because I knew Alexander was invited, too. Since our initial meeting, many people were behind us dating. I knew the beach was part of their plan, and I wasn’t about spending an awkward weekend at the beach with a handsome guy that I wasn’t interested in.
I spent the weekend observing Alexander. Fascinated by who he was and how he interacted with others.
We had little interaction after the beach. I’d see him around church serving and loving on people. But I made no effort to talk to him. Still admiring from afar.
But something Inside of me started to change.
I wanted to be noticed. I had always thought Alexander was so handsome but I was always so drawn to how I loved watching him interact with others, especially when it came to the way he showed love to every person he came into contact with.
But I had no reason to believe he noticed me. I was always kind and warm in our few interactions and maybe sometimes, secretly looked for a detour to walk past him. But I was conflicted. Did he notice me? How do I let him know that I like him?
To my surprise, he had noticed me. He called me on Wednesday, May 19th 2010 and asked if I wanted to go on a date that Saturday.
Our first date May 22nd: we talked over Crepes, walked around Portland, picked out books at Powell’s, and had Mexican Food for dinner. Our date started at 1 p.m. and ended at 11 p.m.
It was the best date I had ever been on. I knew after that date that I was going to marry Alexander. The only problem, he didn’t.
The next couple of months were some of the longest and most life shaping months of my life. I’m not a patient person. In fact, I’m a total perfectionist, who always has a plan and wants things done accordingly.
Had God forgotten that he had released my heart back in April to dating a guy? I clearly thought this guy was Alexander. Was he not? Was I dating the wrong guy?
Thoughts and questions, like those, bombard my mind. I didn’t trust God.
It was as if I had made a plan and timeline, scanned a copy, and sent it off to God…expecting he’d forward it on to Alexander to make sure it happened.
The beauty of dating a man that trusts and follows God is that they had a plan. Just not the same plan. A little over six months from the day I went on that first date, with a tall, dark, and handsome guy, He got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.
And on May 7th, 2011 I became his wife.
This love story, written entirely by our Father, is better than any love story I could have imaged or dreamt for myself.
Fallon
Some truths to take note of:
- Fallon waited on God’s timing to ready her heart and soul for the oft times complicated venture of dating.
- First impressions are often way wrong! Fallon laughs at her embarrassingly off the mark impression of Alex.
- Alex and Fallon took some time to just watch each other from a near distance before jumping into relationship.
- Friends who loved them both were a great dating service!
- Fallon had to curb her impatience for a while… and wait for Alex to take the initiative.
- Fallon trusted Alex because she saw that Alex is “a man who trusts and follows God”.
- Fallon and Alex invited God to write their love story— and He did!