"I've been waiting this moment for a long time that you will finally accept my love for you," I said it closer to her ear as I hugged her.
I cannot explain my joy at that time. This is the happiest moment of my life when Rachel finally admitted that she has feelings for me now.
"So, can we make this official?" I asked her.
"Sure, if Martha will approve this and also with Ian. Let's hope that we can get our blessings from them," Rachel said to me as she releases herself from my hug to her.
I can see in her face that she was so happy. I wiped away the tears of joy in her eyes.
"Let's pray together for that," I said.
So we prayed together and God gave us peace in our hearts beyond understanding as we celebrate that special moment in our lives.
"You know what Jacob, it's not easy for me to tell you this. I prayed to many times how will I say to you how I feel about you. I just made a great admission in my entire life," She laughed while she said that.
Martha and Ian gave their blessings to us. We sometimes go out the four of us together to remind and advise us as we enter another chapter in our lives. Accountability is very crucial in Christian dating to protect us from the attacks of the enemy.
I promised in front of Martha and Ian that I will protect our purity and that I will lead her to Christ every moment as we will practice more holiness right now until the day that we will get married. Both of them trusted me to entrust Rachel on my hands, but they trusted God more that the Lord will protect our relationship.
"After us, being your spiritual mentors, you must also get your blessing from your parents," Martha advised us.
So first, I introduced Rachel to my parents here in Cebu. I invited her to have lunch in Bethel mall so that my parents will get to know their potential daughter in law. My parents like her so much and they said that it's time for me to have a life of my own and have that life together with Rachel.
I am glad that my parents gave me a blessing. My next task is for me to get the blessing of her parents. So I went to her province in an island in the Visayas. I went there by myself striving the waves of the ocean as I rode in a boat.
Finally, I met her parents and I admit I was nervous. I told them my intentions for her and promised to protect her even if it cost my life. They were amused by me and finally allowed me to be in a relationship with their daughter
"Jacob, my Father called me. He was so happy that you are courageous enough to go to my home and face my parents. My mother also said that I am so blessed to have you," Rachel called on the phone while I was in the port as I go back to Cebu.
So the happiest days for the both of us with Rachel began. We had our frequent dates as we cannot afford to miss each other. We have known each other for years, but it was only later that our hearts sing now on the same tune.
I sometimes visit her in their shop so that we can spend time together at dinner. She also sometimes surprises me during my lunch break to spend also time with me and have lunch together.
I also invite her to my house to have dinner and also invited her on Christmas Eve so that my family will get to know her and also she made an effort to know them as well.
I also join with her to spend New Year's Eve in their province when she went there for a vacation. I met her family and even her whole clan. I was so glad that they accepted me.
I also accompany her on her monthly checkups as she was hospitalized months ago and I am the one reminding her to take her meds.
During the time when she sings as a worship leader in the church, I do visit her at the backstage as the guard allows me now to enter. I brought her food for her and for the rest of the worship team.
She tried to lie low in the Live Production ministry because she wants to join me in Kid's church. Rachel wants to enter the ministry because she wants to have a ministry that we could serve together especially when we become an official couple someday.
She may not like teaching kids, but she learned to love it as time goes by. She enjoyed now being with them. She acts now as the worship leader in my team.
"Rachel, someday we will serve in this ministry together with our children someday," I said to her passionately.
"Yes Jacob, I'm excited to serve God with you, to serve you as my future husband, and to serve our future children, and let's help each other raising them as godly men and women, " Rachel replied. I was so happy to hear that from her.
Every time that I speak whether in the Singles gathering or in a Wake service, she is also there supporting me. She is like a pastor's wife who supports his husband while preaching. She is the one who prays for me in the corner before I speak.
We sometimes go together in a worship service. It's really a blessing that you will worship God together with someone who you really love. As the hall is darkened, I hold my hand in her other hand, and both of us raising the other hand as we praise God.
I also encouraged her to lead her own small group and she did. I gave her tips and advice on how to handle different kinds of people. I envisioned that someday we could lead our own couples small group someday.
We also attended a pre-marital counseling seminar conducted by the church to prepare us for marriage. At the seminar, Ian was also there with his girlfriend. They will get married in a few weeks. I'm so happy that he is now also settling down and having a mentor who can give me advice on married life in the future.
**********
Days, weeks, and months went by in my relationship with Rachel and it feels like it's just yesterday.
During our sixth monthsary, I decided to bring to her to a mountain top establishment called Shekinah Glory Tops Garden so we can have a beautiful view of the city lights of Cebu so that it will be so romantic as we going to have dinner there.
When we were there, I gave her a surprise, and again it's another poem I made for her:
I have this daily prayer
To the woman who is noble in character
Blessed is the man whom you share your life forever
Joyful is he serving God with you together
A woman like you who can really find?
You're worth more than a thousand rubies combined
A godly woman like you be praised every time
Every man will pursue your heart that so fine
This is my interceding for you every day
That to guard your heart, never to let it astray
Someone who will cherish you and protect your dignity
And especially who will lead you to Jesus daily
But God knows what I am desiring
That I'll be the man that you are be needing
In silent, that is what my heart is groaning
Because a woman like you is worth pursuing
Her eyes became wet when she read my poem and got up in her seat and hugged me.
After we ate our dinner, we went to a big balcony to witness the beauty of the city lights. Many people were there because it is a tourist spot in the city.
It was a dark and romantic place. I held her hand and said, "I love you so much Ms. Sandoval, I did not expect that in front of me is an answered prayer," and I kissed her forehead.
She laughed and said, "I love you too Mr. Santillan, I also did not expect also to love this way again."
When it was too late, we decided to go down now back to the city proper. People are slowly getting fewer as they are also going down. Our motorcycle drivers are waiting for us.
"Jacob, I just go to the restroom to wash up, just wait for me here," Rachel said as she kissed my left cheek.
That was the first time that she kissed me. I thought maybe she just wants to get even when I kissed her in the forehead. But I just laughed about it
**********
Minutes and minutes passed by, still, she was not getting outside of the restroom. I wondered what is she still doing there?
Until someone shouted in the restroom "Help! someone is lying on the floor!" So I ran away and afraid because it might be her.
When I went inside, I was not wrong, it was Rachel who collapsed. "Help! someone call an ambulance! Please!" I shouted as I grabbed her and put her in my lap unconscious.