How to Write a Love Letter (to your future husband)chastityproject.com /2014/04/how-to-write-a- love- letter- to-your- f uture-husband/

My small hand reached across the dollar-store’s shelf . I don’t know if it was the roses or swirlyscript that caught my eye f irst . But there it was, a notebook covered in fancy, ant ique designs.My nine year old heart craved this book. Af ter all, a romant ic-looking notebook would benecessary for journaling about crushes, wedding dress designs, and ult imately, my True Love.

Lit t le did I know that this notebook would change my lif e.

With exact ly a dollar and eight cents, I acquired my prize. Soon af ter, the novelt y of owningsuch a “romant ic” notebook wore of f . And f rankly, I didn’t know what to do with it . I didn’t have a“love lif e” to write about . So, the notebook lay unused under my bed.

About four or f ive years later, I was listening to a college student talk about “saving herself ” forher future husband. She ment ioned writ ing love let ters to her future husband. She said it was agreat way to pray for him, and that it helped her to save her virginit y and physical af fect ionsfor marriage.

I pulled my “romant ic” journal out f rom under my bed. Perfect, I thought . And I began to writelet ters to my future husband. They weren’t profound or long; somet imes only an “I was thinkingabout you today,” or, “Just want to say that I love you.”

My lif e changed. Instead of thinking of my husband as a futurist ic dream, I began to see him asa real person. A living, breathing man whom I would marry. If I would be tempted by impurethoughts, I would whip out the journal. I would jot a quick note to him, apologizing for myfailures, or telling of my t riumphs. On August 10, 2013, I handed this notebook to my newhusband. He handed me a pack of let ters in return. We both were overwhelmed with the love

captured in those let ters writ ten days, months, and years before our marriage.

It was super easy, as a young teen, to be swept away in fairy-tale fantasies and crushes.Society, movies, and music equate love with sex, and make a lif et ime of breakups and brokenhearts seem “normal.” But writ ing love let ters to my husband grounded me in realit y. Eachmoment that I scribbled a note, my future husband was out there–a real man, who I wouldmarry and raise a family with.

You Can Write Love Letters to Your Future Spouse, Too!

Give yourself a second chance—We all make mistakes and mess up. Even if you’vegiven yourself in impure ways, it ’s never too late to start writ ing to your husband. Writ ingto him can mot ivate you to embrace purit y in a whole new way!

Get creative—You don’t even need a notebook. You can st ick all of your let ters in afolder. Or you can put lit t le love notes in a jar. Whatever works best for you, f igure it outand go with it !

Don’t get discouraged—Somet imes, I would be tempted to stop writ ing let ters alltogether, since I wouldn’t write for weeks or months at a t ime. It’s pathetic, I would think. Ihave so few. Don’t let that stop you! Your future spouse will love you and appreciate anynumber of let ters that you write to him/her. Just keep writ ing!

Write about anything—Tell him/her about your dreams, hopes, what you’re excited forin marriage, what prayers you’ve been praying for him/her (for example, “I said a prayerfor you while washing dishes today”).

It doesn’t end with marriage—Once you’re married, you can keep secret ly writ ing lovelet ters to your spouse. Whether you hide them around the house or give them direct ly toyour spouse, he/she will love them. One morning, my husband lef t for an out -of -statet rip ext remely early. When I woke up later, I found that he had taped love notes all overour apartment ! Small gestures like that are wonderful ways to show your love.

Above all, it ’s good to ask yourself : “How can I best love my future spouse?”

____________________________________

Anne Marie Miller studies Theology and English at Franciscan Universit y of Steubenville. Shehas a passion for the Catholic Faith, chast it y, and St . Francis of Assisi, and f rolicking aroundbarefoot . In August 2013, she was blessed to marry her incredible husband, and the two ofthem enjoy the epic adventures of married college lif e. When she’s not doing homework,housework, cooking, or playing chess, AnneMarie ref lects on her random observat ions on herblog, Sacrif ice of Love. (ht tp://marianninja.blogspot .com)