Our First Three Years: A Long-Distance Relationship

Megan and I got married on July 10th, 2004. This was almost three years after our first date to Ruth's Chris Steak House, and a year after I asked Megan to marry me. I wanted to ask Megan to marry me sooner; however, I lacked some spiritual maturity and waited for a summer break to ask Megan's dad for permission to propose to her.

During our first year of courtship, Megan lived in Changchun, China, and I lived near her hometown of Frankfort, Indiana. Megan taught English to university students in a Chinese city of three million, and I taught Western Hemisphere geography to 6th graders in a small Indiana town. Our worlds were just a little bit different.

During the start of our second year as a couple, God brought me a little closer to Megan when I started teaching English at a hakwon on a Christian university campus in Cheonan, South Korea. During this time, Megan and I were able to visit each other a bit more since our flight time went from roughly 22 hours to two hours.

During our year of engagement, I found a sweet social studies job at an outstanding international school in China, and Megan accepted a new position in Beijing. We were now only 1.5 hours apart by train.

Having a long-distance relationship during our first three years together was tough, but it was good in numerous ways. I'm thankful for how God planned it out and wouldn't want it any other way.

1. We got to know each other better via email, messaging, phone calls, and letters. Megan taught me how to be a better listener (I'm still working on this) and how to ask questions (about how she felt).

2. We had a deeper appreciation for the time when we were together. We often were in two vastly different worlds so when we did get to spend time with each other, it made it that much better.

3. Being apart showed me how much I wanted us to be together. We complement one another. I'm an ISTJ, and she's the exact opposite - ENFP. Where I'm weak, Megan is strong.

4. Most importantly, Megan taught me much about myself and drew me closer to Christ. We read and discussed the same devotional books and memorized the same Bible verses. I had to pray more than ever and apply what God was teaching me. God certainly used Megan to shape me and point me in the His direction. To Him be the glory.

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

Megan, the donkey, and I took a pic at the El Sol de Tala Mexican restaurant on the east side of Indy.