02/02/2026
The baptism went well. Tears of joy for me, I was not certain this day would ever come for Lady. She was an agnostic when we got married, and I was lukewarm enough not to care. Ever since I started going back to church, my despair at her spiritual state has been at times overwhelming. My prayer every Sunday has been "If I have a spot in Heaven, give it to her." I hate stories like the one I'm about to tell, but I think it's been long enough and it's borne fruit enough that I can say it isn't some form of delusion or prelest.
The crazy part is, there was a while where I was church hopping about a year into our marriage, and my goal was to find a church that she would be willing to convert in. I fell in love with the Orthodox Church, but every day I would beg God to bring me to any church at all that she would tolerate. One Sunday I was saying my usual prayer, freestyling in the vocal booth under my breath during Liturgy, and I said to God "Anywhere she find you, I will stay." Not ten seconds later the Great Entrance began, where the priest brings the unconsecrated bread and wine through the nave like Jesus riding into Jerusalem. And as hr lifted it up, there was an overwhelming response: you have it backwards. She will follow you wherever you stay. I'm here, leave it to me." It obviously wasn't literal words, just God's intent for me made known in a way I really can't explain.
It's been about 3 years of us going here. It's been hard for her at times, she's wanted to quit, she's been angry at the expectations, even some of the physical actions were prohibitively uncomfortable for her. If there was any church she would have left, it was this one. But she didn't. God has been true to me, and to her, and I cannot express my gratitude. She's grown so much, and I'm so proud of her. Every time I think I've figured out what her limit might be she goes a little further, reminding me all over again that God is good and that I should never underestimate her. She is the greatest gift God ever sent my way in this life. I have had and will continue to have to painfully become better, because she does truly follow me. It is an honor to toil for her, and I will do it until I die.
I could say more but this is already "thing long me no read" for 90% of people on the internet.