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"The bro zone!" Like a brother

Austin Gardner • July 31, 2022

I don't want to do what they want me to do!

versión en español a continuación


Moving hay and horseback riding got us together a few more times. I eventually asked the question. 


Do you have a boyfriend? She replied that she did not. I couldn't believe it. I had to ask how such a beautiful and sweet girl could not have a boyfriend.


She said well, I don't want to do what they want me to do! I understood that! So I asked nicely, what do you want to do?


She said you know what they want, and I want to be Suzie Homemaker and Betty Crocker, and no guy wants that.


I said I know a guy that is looking for just that. Haha, your redneck hay hauling buddy.


She was always doing things for people. Several of her high school classmates, "boys," were headed to the beach for spring break. She made them fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, dessert, and cookies. She got up at 3 AM to take care of their road trip to pick up girls in Florida. She did that!


She tailored another guy a tuxedo. She was a sewing fiend. She was making everything for everybody and anybody that needed it.


She was "EXACTLY" what I was looking for. I was falling head over heels in love with her, but she couldn't see it, didn't seem interested, or even wanted me.


I am not sure if it was that day or another similar day I got up my nerve. We drove back up to the college after moving some hay, and I was letting her out of my car, but before she did, I wanted to tell her something.


She sat there just a little longer, and I said something like. I want you to know that I think I love you. 


Ok, here it goes.


Her reply was I love you too! "Like a brother!" 


She loved me like a brother! I was a redneck! I could go horseback riding. I could move hay for her horse. I could help her when she needed it, but I "now" knew I had to remember that she loved me "like a brother." 


Well, you may not have guessed this, but I don't give up that quickly, so hang in there. Sweetness is on the horizon.


This story will work in your life too. Think about this. You want a girl or boy that doesn't want to do what the lost worldly crowd is doing. I am so glad that Betty desired to live sexually pure. I am happy she didn't want to be at the parties and messing around in sin. 


If you are a young lady like Betty, let me tell you that a man is looking for a girl with your heart and love for God. If you are a young lady, don't give up. God has a young guy out there who thinks you are Miss Perfect. 


Don't despair. Seek God first, and He will add all the things you need. One of my favorite verses all my life has been Matthew 6:33. I learn in that verse that all I need to worry about is my relationship with God, and He will take care of the rest. 


I can tell you that God has always done that after over 49 years of marriage and ministry. He keeps His Word. Don't be pushed or bothered. Just put your hands on the plow, serve God and watch what He will do in your life.


Get the whole story


Betty, the love of my life 1

The Call 2

Hay Day of my Life 3

"The bro zone!" Like a brother 4

A Giant Heart 5

The tractor ride 6

Never Really Dated! 7

Shocked & Surprised 8

Good News 9

Finding an acorn 10

Scared my dad! 11

Send that hillbilly hiking 12

Who's chasing who? 13

Betty meets my grandmother 14

The longest summer ever 15

Reckless Redneck 16

Honeymoon 17

Separated for the first time 18

We are going to make it 19

Our first ministry 20

We needed a mentor 21

A Mother's Jealousy 22

My sister wanted to marry me 23

Holidays as a Married Couple 24

"Baby Fever" Hits 25

Beauty Sleeping 26

Our First Fight 27

We held Willie B. at gunpoint till the cops arrived 28

The Day Finally Came 29

Learn Some Gun Safety 30

God's Calling on our Lives 31

First Attempts at Soul Winning Evangelism 32

Proud Dad 33

Learning to Give 34

My First Drink of Alcohol 35

Our Next Big Fight 36

Redneck Rubs Off On Betty 37

A Tale of Mice and Women 38

In it together 39

A daughter is born 40

Thrills and pain of being a dad 41

I needed a mentor 42

Give and It Shall Be Given 43

Childish, even Foolish, Simple, Faith 44

Young, foolish, reckless faith and ministry 45

IRS problems and answers to prayer and fasting 46

His Strength in My Weakness 47

Joy comes into our lives 48

Angel Unaware 49

It is not about the money 50

Wife, you make all the difference 51

God will prepare you to do His will 52

Indecision is killing us 53





Mover heno y montar a caballo nos unieron unas cuantas veces más. Finalmente hice la pregunta.

¿Tienes novio? Ella respondió que no. No podía creerlo. Tuve que preguntar cómo una chica tan hermosa y dulce no podía tener novio.


Ella dijo bueno, no quiero hacer lo que ellos quieren que haga! ¡Lo entendí! Así que le pregunté amablemente, ¿qué quieres hacer?


Dijo, tu sabes lo que quieren, pero yo quiero ser Suzie Homemaker y Betty Crocker, y ningún hombre quiere eso.


Dije, conozco a un tipo que está buscando precisamente eso. Jaja, tu compañero campesino sureño que carga la comida de tu caballo.


Ella siempre estaba haciendo cosas por la gente. Varios de sus compañeros de secundaria, "chicos", se dirigían a la playa para las vacaciones de primavera. Les preparó pollo frito, ensalada de papas, frijoles horneados, postre y galletas. Se levantó a las 3 a. m. para encargarse de su viaje por carretera para recoger chicas en Florida. ¡Ella hizo todo eso!


Le hizo a otro chico un esmoquin-tuxedo. Ella era un genio en la costura. Ella estaba haciendo de todo para todos y para cualquiera que lo necesitaba.


Ella era "EXACTAMENTE" lo que yo estaba buscando. Me estaba enamorando perdidamente de ella, pero ella no podía verlo, no parecía interesada y ni siquiera me deseaba.


No estoy seguro de si fue ese día u otro día similar cuando me armé de valor. Manejamos de regreso a la universidad después de mover un poco de heno, y la estaba dejando salir de mi auto, pero antes de que lo hiciera, quería decirle algo.


Se sentó allí un poco más, y dije algo como, “Quiero que sepas que creo que te amo.”


Bien, aquí va.


Su respuesta fue ¡Yo también te amo! "¡Como un hermano!"


¡Me amaba como a un hermano! ¡Yo era un campesino sureño! Podía montar a caballo. Podía mover heno para su caballo. Podía ayudarla cuando lo necesitaba, pero "ahora" sabía que tenía que recordar que ella me amaba "como a un hermano".


Bueno, es posible que no hayas adivinado esto, pero no me doy por vencido tan rápido, así que aguanta. La dulzura está al horizonte.


Esta historia también funcionará en tu vida. Piensa en esto. Quieres una chica o un chico que no quiera hacer lo que está haciendo la multitud mundana y perdida. Estoy tan contenta de que Betty deseaba vivir sexualmente pura. Estoy feliz de que ella no quería estar en las fiestas y perder el tiempo en el pecado.


Si eres una joven como Betty, déjame decirte que un hombre está buscando una chica con un corazón y amor por Dios. Si eres una mujer joven, no te rindas. Dios tiene un chico joven por ahí que cree que eres la señorita Perfecta.



No te desesperes. Busca primero a Dios, y Él añadirá todas las cosas que necesites. Uno de mis versículos favoritos toda mi vida ha sido Mateo 6:33. Aprendo en ese versículo que de lo único que debo preocuparme es de mi relación con Dios, y Él se encargará del resto.


Puedo decirles que Dios siempre ha hecho eso después de más de 49 años de matrimonio y ministerio. Él guarda Su Palabra. No se deje empujar ni molestar. Sólo pon tus manos en el arado, sirve a Dios y observa lo que Él hará en tu vida.

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