Uniquely Yours : {Mrs.Pouget}

I love love and I love stories. So love stories are a doubly special treat to share.

I truly love MY love story and I am excited to share a shortened version with you.

In the beginning, Léo sat two seats behind me in Grade 9 Typing. Though we knew that the other existed, we didn't become friends until Grade 12 French Class.

My version of that story goes like this:

Léo is French Canadian. He didn't speak English until he was about 4 years old. He attended a French Grade School and his parents spoke French in their home. He opted to attend an English High-school and rather than take Francais for the French kids, he took Advanced French because it would be an easy credit. Monsieur Janisse insisted that only French be spoken in his class.

One day, Monsieur (in French, of course) asked us to "find a friend" and complete a conversation. Though Léo was sitting beside me, I knew he usually paired up with the guy on his other side. The girl to my right paired up with someone else so though I was embarrassed to admit it, I told the teacher (in French, of course) that I didn't have a friend. Léo said "I'll be your friend." (Je vas etre ton ami). THAT was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that would last 8 years.(Léo often protests this part of the story but since I'm doing the writing, I think my version should be the one to stand!)

Though we were both dating other people, we hung out with the same group of friends. Léo and I always seemed to have something to talk about. We were good friends but there was no pressure to date each other in high-school.

After high-school, I went away for a year of Bible School and returned to the University in the following year. We had kept in touch while I was away and continued our friendship when I returned. Though we continued to date other people, Léo and I would take time to go to dinner or the movies or visit with our friends. This was the way it was and our significant others would just have to deal with it. For the most part they did.

After Bible School, I went through a period of rebellion, where I lived a hypocritically. I was still going to church and participating in those activities but I wasn't walking with the Lord in my daily life. Léo knew I claimed to be a Christian and he knew that I wasn't living what I said I believed but, he never judged me and remained a faithful friend.

Over the years there would be times that Léo would tell me he loved me and was going to marry me one day. I would brush him off. I admit I wasn't always kind to him during these years. I was insecure and liked the attention he gave me. I enjoyed our time together and talks but I wasn't willing to date him and risk losing our friendship. However, I would let him think I might be interested because I found security in knowing he was there for me.

I told my mother "I will never date or marry Léo Pouget!"

She would respond, "Marnie, never say never!"

I would answer, "Out of the millions of men in the world I am only saying never about two - Léo and the pig farmer!" (I could not imagine myself as a farmer's wife)

When I realized that my rebellion was not satisfying and the Holy Spirit conviction was not letting up, I returned to a faithful walk with the Lord.

I began searching for a godly man to marry. For three years I was single, not necessarily by choice but I got to a place where I was okay just being me and God. I remember saying out loud "Okay God, I am good just being us so, if you want me to be married, you are going to have to dump a guy into my lap with a sign over his head that says 'Marry Him'. Otherwise I am happy staying single for the rest of my life!"

I would invite Léo to different events with my group of Christian friends. Sometimes he would come out but he was never really that interested in my faith.

One August, Léo invited me to go to his brother's wedding with him. I met him at the reception. Before I headed home, Léo decided to tell me again that he loved me and was going to marry one day. I had had enough of this and my response was "If you can't handle being just friends with me then you need to move on."

He followed me home to make sure I arrived safely and then he took off. I knew he was upset and I was sorry that I was the cause.

Let me pause for a moment.

When I was in Bible College, one of my professors told us that there is not one person chosen for you. As a Christian, you could marry any other committed growing Christian and have a wonderfully fulfilling marriage. The idea is not to find someone you can live with but to find someone you cannot live without.

Now back to my story.

As i walked into my house, I felt like I had just lost the one person I couldn't live without.

I remember saying out loud. "Okay God. I'll marry him one day. But he isn't a Christian so I can't even date him! I'm not sure how you are going to figure THAT one out!"

I am sure many of you are shaking your heads at this because, well, what a foolish thing to say to God!

About two weeks later Léo called me and told me that he needed to have a relationship with God and he wasn't finding the answers where he was. He asked for a list of churches to which he could go.

I gave him a list and told him not to show up at my church because I wanted to know that this was not about me. That Sunday he attended our "sister" church. There was an evangelist preaching that day. Through that message, Léo came to know the Lord.

We started dating shortly after that. I hid our relationship for a few weeks because I really wasn't sure how to tell people that I was dating the man about whom I said "never".

When I finally told my mother,her response was "When are you getting married?".

When we told our high-school friends they told us "it was about time".

We were engaged three months later but at the request of my parents waited for a year and a half to get married.

It still amazes me that even though Léo watched my rebellion and hypocrisy up close and personal, he still chose to walk with the Lord and even more, he chose to love me enough to marry me. He is such an example, to me, of God's grace.