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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Truth or Dare (08/28/08)
After canoeing with my boyfriend ,Rick, to an island in Algonquin Park, I was enjoying an afternoon nap, while he investigated the island. The day had been perfect and I enjoyed dozing in and out of a hazy sleep under whispering pine trees.

I was awakened by Rick gently nudging me.

“Hey sleepyhead, you can’t sleep forever”, said Rick.

“Hmmmm, don’t tempt me, this place is so great, I don’t want to leave”, I replied.

“Well, I have a question to ask you that I hope will make today even better.”

“What could that be”, I asked as I stretched my hands to the sky, and again I marvelled at the beauty of this place. When I looked back to Rick he was holding an open ring box in his hands, with an engagement ring in it.

“Rebecca Jones”, he took a deep breath, “will you marry me?”

I gasped, and felt light-headed as I sat up.

“Becca”, Rick gave me one of his famous smiles that he used to melt my heart when we met two years ago. “ I want you to marry me, I love you and can’t imagine spending my life without you. “

How could this be happening? I loved Rick dearly, he is one of the most gentle, caring, intelligent men I had ever met. We both love spending time outdoors and have spent hours canoeing and hiking together. The first winter I knew him he taught me to Alpine Ski and we spent hours gliding through winter wonderlands together. We even shared a passion for helping, which is how we met, volunteering at a Homeless Shelter. However, there was one area of our lives that we didn’t share and that was our faith. I was a Christian with a faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. Rick thought that my faith was great and even said it was one of the things that he loved about me, but it wasn’t for him. Because Rick didn’t share my faith I had never intended to date him, but after hanging out for a few months we just became an item.

“Rebecca?,”, there was a question in his voice and his 100-watt smile had dampened a little.

“Rick”, I grasped in my head at what I should say, what could I say. “I thought we had discussed that we could never get married, that my faith is just too important to me.”

“Well, I know that you said that when we first started dating, but we have dated for eighteen months now, I figured that you had worked that issue out.” He paused and looked deep into my eyes, “if it was still a problem why didn’t you say anything”.

Rick was right. However, I enjoyed spending time with Rick, and at thirty-five I lived in a world of couples, it was comforting to have Rick around to accompany me to friends houses for dinner and for Saturday night dates.

“Rebecca,” Rick’s smile had now been replaced by a confused expression. “You know I love all of you, including your faith. I would never ask you to abandon that, never.”

I knew that. He was always so supportive of everything I did. He would never ask me to deny my faith. I wanted more than anything at this point to say yes and make him smile. I wanted to have a family and Rick would be a great father. If Rick and I didn’t get married, how long until I found someone as great as Rick, who also shared my faith. I knew what the bible said about being unequally yoked with an unbeliever, but it was so hard being thirty-five and single.

Rick was still holding the ring in his hands and his eyes were now desperately pleading for an answer.

What was I to do. Suddenly I felt that I was playing a giant game of Truth or Dare. Did I accept God’s promises that he would take care of me and give me the desires of my heart, or was I going to accept this dare that I could be happy while disobeying God?

I looked down at the ring, and a man whom I loved dearly. What was I to do, what could I do? Did I hold onto truth, or accept a dare?
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Samantha Arroyo 
09/04/08
I think this is something that so many people struggle with and yet so few people talk about. Although it's a difficult situation, I loved how you worded it in the end and how left the reader hanging. Accept a dare or hold onto the truth? Very well put. Concise and yet I love how you embodied the internal struggle. Good job :]
Samantha Arroyo 
09/04/08
I think this is something that so many people struggle with and yet so few people talk about. Although it's a difficult situation, I loved how you worded it in the end and how left the reader hanging. Accept a dare or hold onto the truth? Very well put. Concise and yet I love how you embodied the internal struggle. Good job :]
Dee Yoder
09/04/08
Oh my goodness! What an ending...I just don't know what I would do in those circumstances. My heart would want to say, "Yes!", and my head would also want the same...but my Spirit would know it is not a good thing for me. Great ending and you certainly posed a question that would be difficult to answer.