When God's Plan Rewrote My Dream

 My True-to-Life Love Story and a Message to the Youth

By Joel Espanol Maturan

I used to think I had it all figured out—especially when it came to love.

When I was younger, I would often kneel beside my bed and whisper the same prayer to God:
"Lord, give me someone who is beautiful, intelligent, and graceful—someone who reflects everything I ever dreamed of."

I wasn’t just praying blindly—I was serious about it. I believed that if I honored God, He would give me the woman I had always pictured in my heart.

And then, at 21, it happened.

A girl from Malixi came into my life like a breeze on a summer afternoon—calm, stunning, and unexpected. She was Miss Tagbina, a true beauty queen from our town in Surigao del Sur. She wasn't just admired for her face—she had presence, elegance, and charm. And for a while, I felt like God had granted my deepest prayer. We entered into a relationship, full of hope and youthful dreams. For almost a year, we tried to make it work.

But reality has a way of testing even the most beautiful beginnings.

🌊 When Love Is Not Enough

As time passed, distance became the enemy.
We were separated by circumstances and miles—and no matter how much we tried to hold on, it felt like sand slipping through our fingers.

Our relationship ended—not because of lack of love, but because the weight of distance and life overwhelmed what we had.

I was heartbroken.
“Lord, I thought she was the one. I asked You for her. I thanked You when she came. Why take her away?”

I felt confused, abandoned, and honestly, betrayed by my own expectations.

But God wasn’t punishing me.
He was preparing me.

🌱 A Love I Didn’t Expect

At age 25, someone (My wife now) new came into my life.
She didn’t fit any of my old ideals.
She wasn’t a believer. She didn’t come with crowns or titles.
In fact, she was far from what I had prayed for.

But this time, it was different.
I didn’t fall in love because she was everything I asked for—I fell in love because I sensed God had entrusted her to me.

It wasn’t about what she could give me—it was about what I could give her:
Faith, love, patience, and a gentle introduction to the God who had carried me all these years.

Loving her wasn’t always easy.
There were spiritual gaps, questions, moments of doubt.
But I learned that real love isn’t just about compatibility—it’s about commitment.
It’s not just about getting your prayers answered.
Sometimes, it’s about becoming the answer to someone else’s prayer.

📖 Lessons I’ve Learned

Looking back now, I realize that:

• Not every answered prayer ends in forever—but every heartbreak can lead to purpose.

• God doesn’t always give us what we want. He gives us what will grow us.

• True love isn’t about finding the perfect one—but being the right one, at the right time, for the right person.

• When you surrender your dreams to God, He rewrites them with deeper meaning.

🚨 My Challenge to Young People Today

To all the young ones who are praying, waiting, or wondering when love will find you—I have something to tell you:

Don’t rush.
Don’t chase after fairy tales shaped by social media or movies.

Pray.
But more than that, prepare your heart to receive not just the love you want, but the love God wants to give you.

And when love comes your way—especially when it doesn’t look like what you imagined—don’t be afraid.
It may just be the beginning of something far more beautiful than you ever planned.

Let God write your love story.
His pen never misses.
His timing is never off.
And His plan—though different—is always better.

This is my story.
And I pray that my journey will inspire you to trust in God’s timing, hold on to your faith, and love with purpose.

#FromDreamsToDestiny #FaithfulLove #GodsPlanNotMine #RealLoveWaits #JoelMaturanTestimony