True Love is Patient and Persistent

He was a farm boy, but Elizabeth was the daughter of a prominent city businessman. The farm boy’s first glimpse of the pretty girl was at church. He was so shy that it took him over five years to even speak to her, while he remained mesmerized by your blue eyes.

Though the duties of life separated them, a chance visit renewed the friendship when he was 30 years of age.

The farm boy began regularly to travel four hours roundtrip to visit Elizabeth and her family. He wrote volumes of letters acquainting her with farm life, while keeping a dictionary handy to improve his spelling.

One year later and “out of the blue”, he wrote her a letter of marriage proposal.

You know, were I an Italian or poet I would commence and use all the luscious language of two continents. I am not either but only a kind of good-for-nothing American farmer. I’ve always had a sneakin’ notion that some day maybe I’d amount to something, I doubt it now though like everything...Still that doesn’t keep me from having always thought that you were all that a girl could be possibly and impossibly. You may not have guessed it but I’ve been crazy about you ever since we went to Sunday school together. But I never had the nerve to think you’d even look at me....You said you were tired of these kind of stories in books so I am trying one from real life. I guess it sounds funny to you, but you must bear in mind that this is my first experience in this line and also it is very real to me.

Three weeks passed without a response. From the farm he wrote another letter, and this time she answered with a phone call refusing his offer.

The same day the young man returned a written answer to Elizabeth:

You know that you turned me down so easy that I am almost happy anyway. I never was fool enough to think that a girl like you could ever care for a fellow like me but I couldn’t help telling you how I felt. I have always wanted you to have some fine, rich-looking man, but I know that if ever I got the chance I’d tell you how I felt even if I didn’t even get to say another word to you. What makes me feel good is that you were good enough to answer me seriously and not make fun of me .... You see I never had any desire to say such things to anyone else. All my girlfriends think I am a cheerful idiot and a confirmed old bach. They really don’t know the reason nor ever will. I have been so afraid you were not even going to let me be your good friend. To be even in that class is something.

...Please don’t think I am talking nonsense or bosh, for if ever I told the truth I am telling it now and I’ll never tell such things to anyone else or bother you with them again. I have always been more idealist than practical anyway, so I really never expected any reward for loving you. I shall always hope though....

The young man kept up a positive friendship. When he went off to fight in WWI, he carried her picture on the battlefields of France.

When the young man, now Captain Harry Truman, returned from the war, they were married.

Twenty-five years later, that persistent farm boy took his wife, Elizabeth (Bess), to live for almost eight years in the most famous house in America...The White House. (McCullough, David. Truman. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. pp. 84-85)

Love is a strong motivator. Love (Charity) suffereth long (I Cor. 13:4a). If we would love the souls of men, our ministry, and ultimately our Lord, there is no telling what could be accomplished for Him.