He Has My Heart: A Relationship Series {Josh & Carla}

This is a F&PB series we started to speak truth and love to all those single, in relationships, and discerning to help live in light of eternity. Perhaps a man or woman has captured your heart, but ultimately we are all meant to look upon Jesus Christ and say, “He has my heart.” Join our friends as they speak on marriage and the greater wedding feast: heaven. We hope it’ll inspire wherever you’re at. The introduction can be found here.

Becca and I talked about doing this series a couple months ago and we are excited to finally be rolling it out! Ironically, or quite fittingly actually, just weeks after discussing this idea, Becs and I started dating Godly men just a week apart from each other. God is so good. We excitedly shared details of our new relationships over skype dates and through texted photos and such.

So here we are! Like we mentioned, we’ll be featuring 3 engaged couples and 3 married couples. Each week, we’ll introduce you to a new couple and their pearls of relational wisdom. It is our hope that this will give those single, dating, married, or discerning (and religious too!) some inspiration for their journey.We hope it’ll inspire you to live in light of eternity wherever you’re at.

Our first featured couple is Josh & Carla. They are engaged to be married August 15th of this year (Assumption of Mary for all y’all Catholics!).

I first met Carla in my second year of university. She was my CCO faith study leader and she was bold and steadfast in her faith. I was neither. I was just making my way out of a sorority and had no personal relationship with Christ. Carla challenged me on many fronts in my faith life, specifically my relationships with guys at the time. Needless to say, our friendship started off rocky. Years later though, after I had experienced a deeper, personal conversion, I became close friends with two other girls who…were best friends with Carla! We reconnected and it’s been amazing to learn from her and witness her pursuit of Christ. I am thankful for that bible study we did together and for her witness even when I wasn’t receptive to her challenging me to holiness.

Then, not too long ago, we heard about a ‘Josh’. Here’s their beautiful story…

Let’s pray for Josh & Carla as they prepare for marriage!

~ E.

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Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”

1. Share a brief bio about you as a couple.

We are devout Marian Catholics who love the Eucharist, and the Truth of Jesus Christ. We both love movies, music, books, nature and parks, university campuses, cafes, ballroom dancing, and cheesy, romantic films. We complement each other as Josh is the introverted, spontaneous, artistic, philosophical and abstract-minded person, while Carla is the extroverted, organized, structured, business and practical-minded person.

2. How did you know you were called to marry this person? Did you always know this person was ‘the one’?

Josh: I fell in love with Carla after one conversation about God and religious life, we were both discerning at the time. I knew right away that if I was to marry, Carla would be the one.

Carla: I was praying in front of Jesus in a Day of Recollection given by the Dominican Sisters, and the theme was vocations. At the time, I had just started dating Josh unofficially a month prior. I told the Lord that I didn’t want to invest my emotions and my being in someone whom I wasn’t going to marry. Therefore, I asked Him if Josh is whom He had for me. He then confirmed and spoke to my heart, that Josh was the one I was to marry.

3. What are some things you did while dating that helped you get to where you are now?

Through patience, love and most especially forgiveness, we’ve grown a lot this past year. We also practiced communication: we brought everything to the table of discussion–from family patterns and backgrounds to likes and dislikes, values, role expectations, and perspectives on everything you can think of. We also prayed together a lot–rosaries, novenas, chaplets of divine mercy, liturgy of the hours.

4. What is the best piece of wisdom that you have received or want to give those called to the vocation of married life?

“Tout est grace” or “all is grace” in the words of St. Therese of Lisieux. If you’re single, don’t settle; God has someone for you. If you’re with someone, love them more than you love yourself.

5. What are you doing/did you do to spiritually prepare for your marriage?

We make it a goal to go to Mass, confession, and adoration together weekly, and we consecrate our relationship and future marriage to the Blessed Virgin.

6. What has been something/someone that spurred your growth as a couple?

Reading good marriage prep books like “Love & Respect” by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs together and discussing the material were very helpful. Another helpful practice was learning each other’s love languages and regularly discussing how they might be applied (“The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman)

7. What is one of your greatest hopes for your marriage?

We hope to love like Christ and witness His love, to be fruitful, to be full of eternal joy.

8. Do you have any fears surrounding marriage?

That we would lose patience for each other, and the usual practical concerns: finances, where we will settle, etc. but Deus Providet, God provides.

9. How do you keep Christ the centre and focus of your relationship?

By choosing to do so. Surrendering our relationship every day to Him in prayer.

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Thanks Josh & Carla for sharing! For their full story, head on over to their website (password for the video is ‘john316’)