What began as a simple freelance writing job has turned into my own relationship archive spanning more than four years. More than 120 posts on CatholicMatch.com’s blog “Faith, Hope and Love” capture my personal thoughts on faith, relationships and everything in between. I shared some of my innermost hopes and fears through this online forum, and because of CatholicMatch, I met my husband!

See below for a selection of my favorite CatholicMatch blog posts and visit http://www.catholicmatch.com/institute/author/jzimanske/ for a full archive.

“We Prepared For a Life, Not Just a Day”

The excitement around our big day carried on beyond our wedding because we had prepared for a life, not for a day. I always knew I wanted the white dress, the photographer and the decadent cake, but I truly longed for the day after my wedding when I would become a wife, a best friend to my new husband and a strong, loving partner ready to create a faith-filled family.

“Be Who You Are…On Purpose”

No matter what others assume or expect of us, God calls us to be our true self, the very person He created us to be. There are no mistaken identities with God. He knows every hair on our head, down to our very core. He calls us to be authentic followers, strong and proud of who we are and our faith, no matter what others assume or expect of us.

“From Pinterest To Prayer: Wedding Vs. Marriage Planning”

“Say Yes to the Dress” and “Four Weddings” have taught me how to plan a wedding, but they haven’t taught me how to plan a marriage. In these coming seasons as I dream about life with my very own Mr. Right, I’m going to stop bookmarking and pinning and start praying for the gifts I need to be the best wife I can be someday.

“The Perfect Pair: Lessons in Shoe Hunting & Man Hunting”

So for now, I’m going to enjoy my time breaking in The Shoe and remind myself that Cinderella lost one of her shoes, only to find herself married to Prince Charming because of it. Perhaps shoe hunting and man hunting are more alike than one would think.

“A Year of CatholicMatch Blogging: My Relationship Archive”

When I started blogging for CatholicMatch, I intended to help others through the messy world of dating as a Catholic 20-something. I had no idea that my own writing and my own words of advice would instead be teaching me to trust and hope through this time in my life. What I first considered as an extra freelance gig has transformed into a personal archive of all that I experienced, which I trust is the foundation to an even better tomorrow.

“Don’t Stop Dreaming of ‘Happily Ever After'”

The Creator of this world values the deepest desires of our hearts, which, by virtue of being on CatholicMatch, includes finding the person each of us are meant to be with. Even if finding your future spouse seems “out of the realm of possibility,” know that it isn’t. Some dreams do come true – and that’s a promise.