Forsaking All

When we fall madly in love, sacrifices
don’t matter.

Flying home from Atlanta one evening, I
sat next to a young woman who was impeccably groomed, except for the
streaks on her cheeks were tears had removed some of her soft red
blush.

My heart went out to her, but my head
said, None of your business, Liz. Don’t interfere.

As usual, I ignored my head and went
with my heart. “What brings you to Louisville?” I asked softly.

She turned, and a fresh flow of tears
began as she moaned, “I don’t know!”

Inside, a still, small voice said,
Hush…let her talk! So I pressed my lips together, assumed my
most compassionate expression and nodded.

“I’m g-g-getting married,” she
stammered, daintily blowing her nose.

“How wonderful!” I exclaimed.

“I’m not so sure,” she said, her
voice still shaking. “My entire family and all my friends live in
Florida, plus I have a great job there. I’m leaving my whole life
behind.”

“I moved to Louisville from
far away too,” I said, trying to encourage her. “It’s a great
place to live.”

“I guess so,” she said.

Despite my efforts, I was not helping
one bit. Then, the perfect question suddenly presented itself: “Do
you love him?”

Her expression changed instantly. “Oh,
yes!” she said, then blushed at her own enthusiasm. “He’s very
kind and considerate, really intelligent, and handsome too.”

She told me all about her beloved
fiancé. I smiled, nodded and listened, knowing no further questions
would be needed.

When we landed and headed into the gate
area, I picked him out of the crowd instantly. He was obviously a
fine young man. Tall, strong, yet with a warm and gentle smile and
armed with a dozen roses that matched her red suit perfectly. When
she ran into his arms, I made myself look away (very difficult!)
rather than invade their privacy but found a few happy tears had
sneaked into my own eyes.

The truth is, when you find the One,
it’s easy to forsake all others and follow Him.

Liz Curtis Higgs is a well-known
author and speaker. This article is adapted from Reflecting His
Image by Liz Curtis Higgs, copyright 1996. Published by Thomas
Nelson Publishers. Used by permission.