I hope you all are finding some deals today if you went out black Friday shopping. I, however, have decided to stay home in a sane environment. I'm kidding! Anyway I love this story so much this week! I'm SO glad that Sharice took time to share this great story and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you so much Sharice for sharing!
There seems to be so much to say about Chris and I, but I will try not to write a novel. When I was 16, I got a job at Chuck E. Cheese. My first night on the job was August 26, 2005. Little did I know but I was about to meet the man I would spend the rest of my life with. Several boys came into CEC that night to talk to the boss. I didn’t know it at the time but these boys worked there. Anyway, Chris was one of these boys. That night began the rollercoaster of emotions that I had never felt before. There were things I did and did not like about him. I remember thinking he was so cute. He was outgoing and goofy. But he was definitely not a Christian. I did not think anything more of it that night. The next day, I had to work the morning shift. Well who was there, but this cute boy from the night before. He was working the kitchen. Inside, I was so excited that I got to work with the ‘cute’ boy. Later on that morning, I found out that he was dating the girl that trained me the night before…bummer. I only worked weekends and he only worked morning shifts. So the only time I ever worked with him was Saturday mornings. I began to really enjoy working with him. He was fun and made me laugh. About 4 months after I started working there, Chris got promoted to a manager. On Saturday mornings, our boss would buy us Starbucks. Guess who were designated to go get it. Chris and I. That is where our friendship really began to grow. We’d walk to Starbucks. We would talk about any and every thing. We would laugh. I started enjoying him and his company more and more. I found myself having a crush on him. He was unlike other boys in that he respected me and my beliefs by watching his language around me and would apologize when he slipped up. I thought “why would this 19 year old ever be interested in little ol’ me.” I knew I could not like him because he was in a relationship and was not a Christian. I determined that I would not like him but would just be friends with him. I kept it up for a while. I was good at deceiving others (and myself) into believing I did not like him. We were friends at work and that was it. Well our friendship continued to grow and on Memorial Day of 2006, he text me for the first time ever. From then on, we started talking all the time. I had to keep increasing my data plan because we text so much (This was right before they came out with unlimited). I worked on the 4th of July. Chris asked if I had any plans after work, and I said no. So he invited me over to his place to watch fireworks because he lived right by Lincoln Park. Never in a million years did I think my dad would let me but I called him and he said yes! So I went and watched fireworks with Chris, his girlfriend, and some of our coworkers. I had such a good time. One night in August, he text me and was really upset. He and his girlfriend had broken up. We talked for a while. I do not remember exactly what I said but I remember saying the words “I care about you.” I invited him to church the next day. Never did I think he would show up but he did. Not only on that Sunday but on the next Sunday as well. Over the next few months my feelings for him began to grow again. I think I felt I was allowed to like him since he no longer had a girlfriend. I knew there was still one problem: he was not a Christian. I began praying for Chris and his salvation. You might say that I prayed for him for selfish reasons; but he was my friend. Whether we ever ended up together or not, I wanted him to know the Lord. One day, I was talking with one of my coworkers. He mentioned that Chris was seeing someone. I thought it was impossible because surely he would have told me. So I text him and asked him. He told me he was not seeing anyone but was just interested in a girl at work and that they had been talking. I was so disappointed. Little did I know, he actually was very interested in me but thought I was out of his league. Well in October, he and his ex ended up getting back together. I was heartbroken but continued to be friends with him. In November, Chris came to a ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ play at my church. The message of the play worked on his heart, and he ended up getting saved that night! Over the next few weeks, his girlfriend did not like the changes Chris was going through so she broke up with him. My feelings really began to grow, but my parents did not like the situation. They wanted Chris to talk to them if he was interested in me. One night, I was just so overwhelmed with my emotions (teenagers and their emotions!) that I prayed that if Chris and I were meant to be together, that God would work it out; and if we were not supposed to be together, that He would take my feelings away. About a week later, Chris talked to my parents. That was April 30, 2007. He left for a 9 month discipleship training program in August of 2007. Our relationship grew stronger with the distance and with the trials that come with being apart. He got back home in June 2008. Later that year, on October 30, we were engaged; and about 4 months later, on March 7, 2009, we got married.
I am so happy the Lord has brought Chris into my life. He is such a wonderful man and husband. He is my best friend and has been for the last 6 years of my life. -Sharice Pena
There seems to be so much to say about Chris and I, but I will try not to write a novel. When I was 16, I got a job at Chuck E. Cheese. My first night on the job was August 26, 2005. Little did I know but I was about to meet the man I would spend the rest of my life with. Several boys came into CEC that night to talk to the boss. I didn’t know it at the time but these boys worked there. Anyway, Chris was one of these boys. That night began the rollercoaster of emotions that I had never felt before. There were things I did and did not like about him. I remember thinking he was so cute. He was outgoing and goofy. But he was definitely not a Christian. I did not think anything more of it that night. The next day, I had to work the morning shift. Well who was there, but this cute boy from the night before. He was working the kitchen. Inside, I was so excited that I got to work with the ‘cute’ boy. Later on that morning, I found out that he was dating the girl that trained me the night before…bummer. I only worked weekends and he only worked morning shifts. So the only time I ever worked with him was Saturday mornings. I began to really enjoy working with him. He was fun and made me laugh. About 4 months after I started working there, Chris got promoted to a manager. On Saturday mornings, our boss would buy us Starbucks. Guess who were designated to go get it. Chris and I. That is where our friendship really began to grow. We’d walk to Starbucks. We would talk about any and every thing. We would laugh. I started enjoying him and his company more and more. I found myself having a crush on him. He was unlike other boys in that he respected me and my beliefs by watching his language around me and would apologize when he slipped up. I thought “why would this 19 year old ever be interested in little ol’ me.” I knew I could not like him because he was in a relationship and was not a Christian. I determined that I would not like him but would just be friends with him. I kept it up for a while. I was good at deceiving others (and myself) into believing I did not like him. We were friends at work and that was it. Well our friendship continued to grow and on Memorial Day of 2006, he text me for the first time ever. From then on, we started talking all the time. I had to keep increasing my data plan because we text so much (This was right before they came out with unlimited). I worked on the 4th of July. Chris asked if I had any plans after work, and I said no. So he invited me over to his place to watch fireworks because he lived right by Lincoln Park. Never in a million years did I think my dad would let me but I called him and he said yes! So I went and watched fireworks with Chris, his girlfriend, and some of our coworkers. I had such a good time. One night in August, he text me and was really upset. He and his girlfriend had broken up. We talked for a while. I do not remember exactly what I said but I remember saying the words “I care about you.” I invited him to church the next day. Never did I think he would show up but he did. Not only on that Sunday but on the next Sunday as well. Over the next few months my feelings for him began to grow again. I think I felt I was allowed to like him since he no longer had a girlfriend. I knew there was still one problem: he was not a Christian. I began praying for Chris and his salvation. You might say that I prayed for him for selfish reasons; but he was my friend. Whether we ever ended up together or not, I wanted him to know the Lord. One day, I was talking with one of my coworkers. He mentioned that Chris was seeing someone. I thought it was impossible because surely he would have told me. So I text him and asked him. He told me he was not seeing anyone but was just interested in a girl at work and that they had been talking. I was so disappointed. Little did I know, he actually was very interested in me but thought I was out of his league. Well in October, he and his ex ended up getting back together. I was heartbroken but continued to be friends with him. In November, Chris came to a ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ play at my church. The message of the play worked on his heart, and he ended up getting saved that night! Over the next few weeks, his girlfriend did not like the changes Chris was going through so she broke up with him. My feelings really began to grow, but my parents did not like the situation. They wanted Chris to talk to them if he was interested in me. One night, I was just so overwhelmed with my emotions (teenagers and their emotions!) that I prayed that if Chris and I were meant to be together, that God would work it out; and if we were not supposed to be together, that He would take my feelings away. About a week later, Chris talked to my parents. That was April 30, 2007. He left for a 9 month discipleship training program in August of 2007. Our relationship grew stronger with the distance and with the trials that come with being apart. He got back home in June 2008. Later that year, on October 30, we were engaged; and about 4 months later, on March 7, 2009, we got married.
I am so happy the Lord has brought Chris into my life. He is such a wonderful man and husband. He is my best friend and has been for the last 6 years of my life. -Sharice Pena
Thanks for sharing this sweet and powerful story!! cybiocic
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