WOAH!
Umm, thanks for all of the replies, and the links to the websites, and your heartfelt feelings on this matter. I didn't mean to start a cat-fight though!
Abdullah - Carol - I appreciate your advice, and I don't think that either of you are trying to win me over - just simply addressing some of the questions and problems that arise when we talk about these types of things.
I will read all of these links to the web pages with an open heart and mind, although I have decided to continue this relationship with Abdoul.
1) Our hopes/dreams/desires/thoughts of the future/raising a family/ being a good husband/wife are basically the same - even though we have a world of differences between us, our common ground that brings us together is quite solid, and stable.
I love God dearly, and so does he. This is what is important I believe. Loving and serving God. Even if I married some other guy who was Christian - I can't bring myself to raise my future children to believe some of the ideas that have been pressed upon me in my Christian upbringing - like everyone but Christians will burn in hell forever. On the otherhand, Abdoul is also very open in his faith - he has much love and respect for Christianity, and Islam, but he does not believe that Islam is the ONLY way to God.
Like Ghandi said - there are many paths that lead to God - and the most important thing is that you get there, not the path you take.
2) I totally love him, and he loves and respects me.
3) I have come to accept the fact that the problems with me and Adboul's relationship are actually all problems with my family - not his. We will have to work through these problems to try to find a point in our lives where my family accepts our relationship with love and their blessings. I think that these problems boil down to fear - my father's fear of me marrying a black, African, Muslim man. My grandmother's fear of me straying from my own fatih. Basically I need to live my life, not conform my ways of thinking to agree with the centuries of hate that have been taught here in the South. Hate will only destroy us all, but love will bring peace.
Anyways, please keep Abdoul and I in your prayers, I'm sure there will be difficult times that we will face together, but ultimately our faith in God will bring us closer together, rather than drive us apart (and crazy!)
Thanks! God bless!