Johanna & Matt Mar 2, 2018
We wanted to share with you our story of how it all started and to thank the Lord Jesus for facilitating CDFF's platform for spiritual growth for Christians.
In an ever fast and changing world, it's never become easier for world travel and the advances in technology help facilitate long distance friendships and love. We thought of widening the pool of like minded Christians, so it wouldn't limit us to only regional people we knew.
Johanna and I started a friendship in November 2011 on CDFF. We shared thoughts, subject feelings and general Godly encouragements for a few years. Looking back; although we desired to meet one another during this period, we weren't spiritually mature in embarking the full blessing that God had intended.
There were periods in our courtship that went cold and infrequency of encouraging messages became the norm, but God had already ordained our matrimony and nothing would prevent Gods plan. Timing in our walk and patience with love was the optimum lessons God had taught us both throughout our relationship.
After 4 years communicating, building spiritual maturity and freeing ourselves from the shackles of worldly expectations with professional careers, I was able to travel to Lima, Peru. Johanna kindly let me stay within her family's home and they made me feel very welcome. I stayed for approx 3 weeks, getting to know more about her. I travelled to Peru several times afterwards and then on the 3rd trip I proposed to Johanna in July 2016. We later married in March 2017.
The moral of the story for friendship and possible relationship growth is to consistently pray about it. Ask the Lord Jesus to understand the desires of your heart and he will make your paths straight. Never force the issue of your own feelings, as God desires the love from his children feely without imposing any situation.
We are coming up to our first year of marriage and invite the Lord Jesus to rule over our marriage and household.
God Bless you all & thank you CDFF
Matt (UK) & Johanna (Peru)