Love and Marriage Series: How David Proposed to Briana

It has been fun to hear David and Briana's Courtship Story, but, as all good things must come to an end, today is the last post about their courtship and engagement (we'll get to hear how he proposed!), but just to whet your appetites a little, we'll later be hearing couples tell about their Weddings! I'm asking them to consider posting photos, as well, which would be so fantastic!
If you're coming into this story in the middle, please go back and read "Love and Marriage Series: Courtship Stories: David and Briana (Part 1)" and "Love and Marriage Series: Courtship Stories: David and Briana (Part 2)".

Today, continuing in our Monday series on Love and Marriage, Briana will share how David proposed to her!

Briana:
As David and I shared with each other and heard both sides of our story, we were overwhelmed by God's power and guidance in our lives. One of the main reasons for this was because David was in a prior courtship and engagement. Just to clarify, I knew all about this before we got together on this day, so it wasn't something that I was just finding out. But, this was another reason for my Dad trying to convince me that David probably wouldn't come for me--after going through a break-up.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
Let me give you our definition of courtship: it is a time to get to know one another when you are old enough to get married. It is not the same as engagement and doesn't always result in marriage, but marriage is the goal you are striving for by courting, or being courted by, someone. Just because a courtship or engagement doesn't work out doesn't mean that you have missed God's best for your life.
Our Engagement:
It was Wednesday, November 2, 2005. It was a beautiful day and it was also our 5 month courtship anniversary. We usually did something special to mark the 2nd of each month, whether big or small. David was involved in AWANA and had always wanted me to come along with him and meet the kids and others he worked with. Well, the plan was that we were going to go out for an early supper and then go to AWANA. David even took off work early, this should have been my first hint, but I was totally clueless! He picked me up and told me that he had to pick up something at his brother and sister-in-laws. So we stopped there and he was just going to run grab it. He came back with a note from his sister-in-law saying she had to run out quick and would be back in a half an hour. So we had to "kill" time. He acted like he had no idea where we could go until she came back. But we just happened to be by this particular park and it just so happened that this park was the park that my parents brought me to, to tell me that David wanted to court me. I still was not suspicious of anything (I get the giggles as I write this because it seems so obvious. I can make something out of nothing! But I know that it was of the Lord that I was so clueless. It had always been my dream to be surprised and not expecting it when my man proposed to me someday.) When we got to this park, the place where David was planning to propose to me, had some biker guys there. So we just walked around and talked. I think I even said something like, did you know that this was where my parents told me that you wanted to court me (how ironic!) The biker guys finally left and we sat at "the picnic table." David said that he had to run back to the car and get something. It wasn't unusual for him to give me something on our anniversary. He came down the hill with a flower but it was wrapped so I didn't know what kind of flower it was. It had a card on it and I opened the card first. In it he told me he loved me. This was a big thing because my Dad had asked us not to tell each other that we loved each other until we were engaged. At this point I opened the paper around the flower and it was a RED rose! My first red rose from someone besides my Dad or brothers! After that David got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, to be his wife! I said, "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" We hugged (this was something that I had talked about with my parents previously. I wanted to at least give my guy a hug when he proposed. They were okay with that but we didn't hug again until our wedding day.) Well, needless to say, we did not go to AWANA that night. We went back to my parents to celebrate with both sides of the family. It was a very special and memorable time.

We appreciate having the privilege of sharing our story with you! The thing that I think is so amazing is how each story is different, God doesn't use a cookie cutter and I am grateful for that. The verse that we had on our wedding invitation and wedding programs was Psalm 118:23 "This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." And it truly was and still is today.

P.S. I noticed that someone asked Chase and Sarah how old they were when they started courting and then when they got married. I was 20 and David was almost 25 when we started courting. When we got married I was 21 and David was a month away from being 26.

Thank you, David and Briana, for sharing with us your wonderful story.  If any of you who have been following this Courtship Series have questions, please feel free to ask (my contact information is above, and you are free to remain anonymous, if you'd prefer).