To the man I'll call mine,

First off, do you realize how excited I am at the thought of loving someone, you, for the rest of my life? At this point, you're probably already thinking "great, a cliché article about all of the characteristics my now present wife wanted me to have when she was younger." But this is a little different. I'm not here to write about the fairytale love that most people long for or to tell you exactly how I expect you to be. I'm writing this to let you know one thing: I am praying for us.

-I am praying that we will love each other with everything we have, but I'm praying we love God more.

-I do not pray for a fairytale love that can fade at the first sign of trouble. I'm praying for an everyday love that is tried and true. I'm praying for a love like our grandparents generation had. I'm praying for a love that I know can withstand the storms of life. I am praying for a 1 Corinthians 13 love.

-I am praying that no matter how impatient we may become, we allow our love story to develop in God's timing and not our own.

-I am praying that while we are dating, we never let each other's past affect our present. I pray you forgive me for the mistakes that I have made and accept me for what I am: a saved sinner who still struggles.

-I am praying that neither of us have a wandering eye, while dating or married. Just through this one simple action, our love can end up as a wrecked mess.

-I am praying that we will have no doubts that we are meant to be together.

-I am praying your family loves me as much as mine will love you.

- I am praying that when you decide it is time for you to propose, that you do not feel the need to outdo the proposals of others, I will say yes no matter how you may ask. However, I do pray you ask my Dad for my hand in marriage or there may be no wedding after we tell him of the engagement. Traditional fathers don't mess around when it comes to giving their blessing for their daughter's marriage. Honestly, that is something that should be done solely out of respect.

-I am praying you will not feel the need to buy me a huge, fancy engagement ring like the ones you constantly see glorified on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere. Whatever size, cut, or price it may be, I will wear it proudly because the man I get to spend my life with picked it out just for me.

-I am praying our wedding will be a beautiful ceremony. However, I'm praying we do not let the stress of the wedding take away from the significance of the beginning of our lives together.

-I am praying that when I walk down the aisle, you will be proud and ecstatic that I will be your wife.

-I am praying that once we are married, we will find a comfortable house in a small town where we can grow and build our lives together.

-I am praying that we will both have jobs that we love and that we will work together to provide for our household.

-I am praying that once we decide to begin expanding our family, that we will rely on God's word as our guide to raising our children.

-I am praying that we will always put our children first, but that we will never forget to make time to also care for each other.

-I am praying that I never forget that the man should always be the head of the household.

-I am praying that our children will always stay healthy.

-I am praying when our children come of age, that we will be able to help lead them to the Lord.

-I am praying that you will understand when I worry too much and that I care more than you'll ever understand.

-I am praying that sickness, nor tragedy, will take us before our children are raised.

-I am praying sickness, nor tragedy, will take you from me before we live a long life together.

-I am praying we will grow old together. Preferably, very old.

-I am praying that when the time comes for one of us to go, that I will go first. However, if this is not a part of God's plan, I am praying that I will not have to wait long to be with the love of my life again.

-I am praying that you realize I am praying for so much more than this for us, but those prayers are only known by God and me.

Above all, I'm praying that I will be the wife you deserve and the mother you expect for your children. I know it's not all going to be a bed of roses, but I pray our love never burns out and our story is never cut short. I am praying daily for a happy life with you. As I said, I want everything to happen in God's timing, but I cannot wait to begin our own imperfectly perfect love story.

Love,

Your Future Wife