HOW I MET YOU (#1) Hayley & Jason

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm...."

Hayley and Jason

Hayley’s POV

I was never inclined to participate willingly in church missions especially those that required me to abandon the comfort of my home (read bed) and especially those that forced me to make adjustments to my routine. This mindset shift was still being dealt with by the Holy Spirit and there was great resistance like a Prince of Persia was permanently stationed to keep me on the side of comfort. You might have a Pharisee spirit within you, likely judging me, while those unconcerned are celebrating the vulnerabilities and weaknesses I just shared. However, for this particular mission, it felt as though everything aligned, and all the elements fell into place: the motivation was present, time was abundant, and I was prepared to make the necessary sacrifice. I packed eager to visit this new land and actively live the Scripture that not only glorifies God but equally makes me live in purpose (Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…..”) Matthew 28:18-20 There is this concept that we casually throw around: divine placement and so often we tie our interactions based on one occurrence but divine placement is more than just a beginning but rather the succession of events with a specific end goal in mind…only known to God.

Here we find ourselves in this village, pondering just how peculiar the dynamics of these places usually are that you often find yourself preparing dishes and even doing the work you wouldn’t normally do at home. Case in point, I was on #chapati duty. I made dough, rolled it into shapes, and cooked chapati. I took long distances and my Samsung Health app affirmed me by congratulating me on goals I hadn’t even dreamt of meeting let alone exceeding expectations. 20000 steps? Unreal! I was always aiming for at least 3500-5000 on a good health day!

In our daily activities, we would often mingle and interact with people I had only ever seen in the church from a distance and perhaps exchanged a few hellos, and yet the closeness of walking in purpose together seemed to open up portals to newer and deeper connections.

“There was a man, a man in whom was found all diligence, one with a reputation so clean, with a heart for God that was visible, tangible, and equally inspirational. This man Jason was found to be great among his peers”. This is how I imagined a description would be given regarding him if the Bible were to be written in our modern-day context. I noticed his diligence and his availability in making sure things were done across all areas of work from the missioners, kitchen duties, cleaning duties, and even medical camps. Once, we were paired up (together with Mary) as we went to evangelize during our door-to-door. How he said hello to me was not the same way he said it to Mary. He would linger in conversation with me. The long walks back to the church hosting the mission were my most cherished times because we would engage in endless chit-chat. I am not one to tolerate heat and yet this time, I would have hugged the sun closer to my chest at the risk of burning if it meant just walking with him. This man could preach and he was God’s agent and I was even more scared that in that same manner, he would lure me; and capture my heart like Jesus was doing to the hearts of men in this prime mission field.

Jason’s POV

“How is she on this mission?” I asked myself

This wasn’t the sign I asked God for. I hadn’t put up a direct or verbal fleece like Gideon had yet I know that deep down I had wanted God to quiet my loud and scattered thoughts regarding this woman by giving me a sign. She intrigued me; not like other women did yet I couldn’t place my finger as to why she wasn’t just one of those I interacted with and quickly forgot. Yet here we were, on a week-long mission and we just seemed to be pulled together in the mission tasks. (Not that I was complaining.)

It had been years since I fancied someone. Years that had me wondering whether Paul knew what he was talking about in 1 Corinthians 7:7-8 and I was tempted to follow his advice. I had spotted her in ministry spaces and how she commanded the room was always intriguing. As we went on with the mission, I wondered if she could tell I kept our conversation going and how I never let it fizzle out. I would have started describing the weather seasons if it meant I would talk to her for hours on end.

I was almost like David constantly asking God “Should I pursue?”

Yet God seemed to give me a nod that seemed so far away I almost thought I was reading His lips wrong. Not because it wasn’t that answer I was waiting for but because I knew this was too divine, it scared me. Again I inquired of the Lord “Should I pursue?”

Hayley’s POV

The week felt like months yet moved so fast because I was caught in this trance. Now, don’t go ahead thinking that I was consumed the entire week. I labored in the Lord’s vineyard but for a moment or two, the Lord, through the Holy Spirit welcomed some holy distractions that came in the form of Jason and I explored this beautiful friendship that wasn’t just beginning but had been suppressed all along. I didn’t know it then but there we found love, possibly oblivious of the extent of it at the time but I was drawn to this man, beyond myself. On our way back, as God would have it, we sat next to each other on the bus and the man of God was beyond exhausted and decided to sleep with a bit of some turbulence on the road here and there, his neck was almost finding its comfortable resting place on my shoulder.

Is he literally falling for me? My brain wondered as I chuckled at my foolishness.

In the coming weeks and months, there came an entourage of admirable qualities that formed his character and it was like my Father’s sign of approval. He pursued me honorably and diligently with an iron focus on things that daily swept me away. I said YES. Years later, I still say YES.

I have watched him preach and even in our journey together, he has preached to my fickle heart and spoken life causing it to beat again. My life-changing sermons have been told to me by him and those have been a launching pad for my purpose.

NOW: Hayley and Jason

Today we are together.

We are laughing.

We are parenting little angels.

We are praying.

We are playing.

We are loving.

We are growing

Hayley: I was divinely positioned to be found by you

Jason: I am glad I found you

Proverbs 18:22  "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. "