Guest Post from Brooke: Why I'm Banning Myself From Pinterest

When Brooke of A Beauty-Full Life wrote to me a few weeks ago saying she dreams of being a Catholic wedding planner, I figured we'd have a lot to talk about together.  When I found out that, like me, she loves JPII and Lilly Pulitzer, I was sure of it.  She graciously shared this post from her blog and I'm so excited for you to read it--I feel like these types of detox-from-social-media-and-comparison posts aren't uncommon, but Brooke's is different, raising worthy points about the restless human heart and God's merciful, loving timing for every part of our lives in a way I've never encountered or spent much time contemplating.  She is a wise, wise, beautiful soul.  Enjoy, and be sure to drop by her blog!

Timothy and I became best friends when we were 13. We started dating when we were 16. And by 18, we were pretty sure we had found the person God was calling us to marry. It has now been almost 5 years since we started dating and we’re about to start our senior year of college.

Let me tell you a little bit about ourselves. I’m type A; he’s type B. I’m a Theology major; he’s a Government major. I love the beach; he loves the mountains. Opposites attract? Yet we have one major thing in common that trumps all of our differences: we’re both devoutly Catholic. We love Mama Mary, Saint Pope John Paul II, praying the rosary, and going to Mass together.

God has been so so good to us, and His blessings upon our relationship are truly immeasurable. Over our college years, I’ve seen more than ever that Timothy is exactly the man God has chosen for me to spend my life with. Being semi-long distance hasn’t been easy, but we’ve learned what sacrificial love looks like. We’ve discovered what true emotional and spiritual support is, and we’ve worked tirelessly to build a faith & prayer life together as a couple. Not to mention Timothy has filled my life with laughter and joy every step of the way.

Now, why is all of this back story important? Because I am incredibly restless to marry the love of my life.

You need only look at my Pinterest account to see proof of this. Take a look:

In fact, the closer Timothy and I get to our future vocation, the more time I find myself spending on Pinterest.

But something serious has changed about my pinning habits. I am no longer obsessing about color schemes and flower choices – I’m now pondering how we can teach our wedding party about the sacrament of marriage. Instead of invitation styles, I’m thinking about how we can intentionally form our guest list out of a desire to evangelize those we love. Rather than thinking about how I want to decorate the gift table, I’m now trying to figure out how a wedding registry can give our guests the opportunity to support and serve us as part of their community.

The superficial pinning of pretty dresses and decorative cake stands has transformed into the deep desire to not merely plan a wedding, but to prepare for a sacrament. 

All of this excites me so much. It sets me on fire with the desire to make my marriage what it's meant to be--a witness to and reflection of God’s love. And it makes my love for Timmy grow even more as we think more about not just a wedding day, but a life together.

So why then, as the title of this post states, am I giving up Pinterest?

Because every pin is becoming more of a reality in my heart than it can be in my life.  The truth is, Timmy and I are anywhere from 1-2 years away from the reality of getting married.  I know in my heart that getting married any sooner is not what is best for us or what God’s wondrous plan for our lives is. Yet, knowing that it is not God’s plan doesn’t necessarily make it easy.  I am longing for a sacrament, for a life, that I am not called to live out yet.

And the more I’m on Pinterest, the more restless I become. This ache is taking me away from God’s plan for my life here & now. I know the time that lies in between this moment and my wedding day is going to be so grace-filled. More than that, I know that there are very authentic ways in which I am called to love God and Timothy now, in this moment that don’t require us being married. There are countless ways in which I can make a gift of myself in our relationship, and I am determined to discover them anew.

A few weeks ago I came across a quote from St. Faustina that said, O present moment, you belong to me, whole and entire. I desire to use you as best I can.

So I’m giving up Pinterest. I’m setting my sights not on planning the beginning of my future vocation, but on how I can find, love and serve God through my relationship right now. I ask that you pray for Timmy and I as we continue on this journey, and know that we are praying for you, too.

Brooke Paris is a senior at The Catholic University of America studying Theology and Religious Studies. She has worked in various fields of ministry within the Catholic Church and dreams of one day being a Catholic wedding planner. She loves praying with Mama Mary, studying the Theology of the Body, drinking carmel macchiato coffee, wearing bright pink lipstick, blogging and learning how to more perfectly love her boyfriend.