Ya’ll when God writes your love story there is nothing like it! After college, I spent several years in Texas working on my Masters of Divinity Degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I just knew that if marriage was in my future, It would most certainly happen while on the Southwestern campus. The odds were definitely in my favor. My classes were at least a 4-1 ratio guys to girls.

The moment I walked across that graduation stage, still very much single, I wondered what God was doing. My dreams of being married and having a family seemed to be vanishing with each step I took toward my diploma. As my hands wrapped around my diploma, I made a mental decision to focus on the next mission God had for me rather than focus on my “have nots”.

The next few years were truly exciting as I was given an opportunity to work alongside a church planting team in East Arlington, TX. After having acquired the majority of my ministry experience in established churches, this was truly exhilarating. I saw God move in ways I had only read about in mission books!

After two years, my time with this team drew to a close and God was leading me to the “land I knew not”. I was heading 1,200 miles from everyone I knew and moving to a small church in North Carolina. Though the East Coast wasn’t an area I had ever imagined living, I was excited for this new adventure.

Driving cross country with my dad and step-mom, the thought occurred to me, I would most likely be single for the rest of my life. I was moving to a primarily senior adult church in what was then a small lake community. I was quickly approaching 30 years of age and I began to share with God that though my heart longed for a family, I would lay it down in order to “go wherever He led me”. I knew nothing in the world could bring more fulfillment than being on mission with God.

We pulled into this new community I would call home on February 14, 2001. I thought it was ironic we arrived on Valentine’s Day. As I pulled up to my apartment, I thanked God for this opportunity and thanked Him for His great love for me. I was overwhelmed by the thought He would even want to involve me in His mission to reach a lost world.

The first month went by quickly and it wasn’t long until one of my volunteers decided to play “match maker”. She was a hairstylist at the time and mentioned to one of her clients her church had just hired a new single minister. She was wondering if he new any good single Christian guys for which she could introduce me. He immediately remarked indeed he did, it was his boss. The soon to be knight in shining armor’s name is Robert.

Her phone call to me that day was barely understandable at first with the excitement in her voice. As I asked her to repeat her news, she remarked she had a guy she wanted me to meet and suggested we go on a “blind date”. I don’t know about you, but a “blind date” seemed a little too out-of-the-box for me. I share with her I would go as long as they went as well and then if things got awkward I could just avert my attention to someone else.

On March 26th, 2001, I left my apartment with butterflies in my stomach. “What in the world was I doing?,” I wondered to myself. I had a new church assignment and so much to learn that dating seemed a bit of a stretch at this moment. I had also just committed my life to singleness. I was just getting comfortable with that thought.

I pulled up to the restaurant. As I walked inside my “blind date” was sitting on a bench just beyond the door. We introduced ourselves and I was thankful my friend and her daughter walked inside with me. We found our table and I sat across from Robert.

Once we placed our orders, Robert and I began to get to know each other. I was immediately enthralled by how easy it was to talk with him. We realized we had quite a bit in common. We both enjoyed the same movies. We listened to a lot of the same songs and we both enjoyed ministry. Here in front of me was this amazing guy who completely surprised me.

Despite the fact, I couldn’t remember my phone number as we left the restaurant, Robert managed to find me and ask me out for a second date. (Yes, he went “old school” and called information!) It wasn’t long until we spent more and more time with each and spent hours on the phone. With each date night we found it harder and harder to leave each other. In fact, we would actually count to ten to make ourselves get up so Robert could either head home or take me home.

For the first time in my life, I had truly found the one whom my soul loves. Since we were older when we met, it was only a matter of months before we both expressed our love for each other. On May 26th of 2001, Robert asked me to marry him. And, of course, I said, “Yes”!

Now twenty years later with two amazing blond-haired kids and our spunky Westie, Trooper, we are immeasurably blessed. I am still in awe that my Abba brought me 1,200 miles to meet Robert who was from South Carolina in a lake community in North Carolina. Each Valentine’s Day, I take time to ponder how amazing our story really is and how it happened when I least expected it.

This Valentine’s Day, if you are married, take time to remember what brought you together. In our culture today, marriage is under attack. In the day to day busyness of doing life, it’s easy to allow Satan to shift your focus to all the things your spouse does wrong. When you feel those moments creep in, intentionally shift your focus back to the love story God began writing when you met.

If you are not married, I hope this blog post will be an encouragement to you. My Valentine came into my life when I least expected it and in the most unexpected place. Follow God’s plan for your life and you will be amazed at how He will align things in His timing to bring that perfect person into your world.