I remember when this engagement proposal "went viral" among my friends after John Piper wrote these reflections on the life of Adoniram Judson.
Only a rock-steady hope in future grace can steady your hand to write a proposal letter like this one. And to respond to a request like this one. A young, twenty-something Adoniram Judson wrote these words to John Hasseltine, the father of his beloved Ann. In case you're not one for suspense... Dad consented and said that he would let his daughter decide. And she said yes.
I marvel at their faith and the God whom they all trusted. And, as all marveling tends to lead us to do, I reflected on my own heart. Would I, like Mr Hasseltine, reject my tendency to hover over my children in unhelpful ways and times, entrusting them to the Lord? Would I, like Mrs Hasseltine, affirm the songs my children sing of a God who is "so big, so strong, and so mighty" and shake off the fears that try to grip this mother's heart? Would I, like Judson's parents, raise my children to look to the God who raises the dead and acts for those who wait for him? Would I, like Ann Judson, plant my feet firmly in the Bible-- that burgeoning treasure chest full of God's unshakeable promises-- when faced with the prospect of certain earthly danger? As a mother, would I (do I) have faith to consent to my children's earthly loss in light of eternal gain? I pray that I would.
You can read more of Adoniram and Ann's story in the exquisite biography: To the Golden Shore.
