My husband, Carlos and I first met at church. It definitely wasn’t love at first sight. He had come from a very worldly background, but after his mother read my father’s book, she asked Carlos to take her to our church so she could meet my dad.
Carlos only intended to drop his mother off–get a peek in the church to make sure she got settled in, and then cut out.
Oh, but the Lord had better plans.
The ushers, misunderstanding his plea to head out the door, guided him to a chair instead. They seated the boy so far in the front, he couldn’t have walked out without causing a great scene. He was stuck.
Carlos sat there that Sunday morning and listened. That’s when God began to till the hard ground of my future husband’s heart.
Little by little, the words of forgiveness, acceptance, and restoration began to change him. Carlos found the hope he had always been searching for–Jesus.
Carlos accepted the Lord into his life, joined the church, and would eventually find his wife. My parents have been praying since I was a child that the Lord would give me a man that would love me with a heart that loved God more.
I couldn’t have dreamed up the story of how a navy crewman from Chicago, stationed in Virginia, would one day enter the doors of my church—and be given the keys to the door of my heart.
This year we will celebrate 24 years of marriage. It wasn’t always easy, but with God in the center, we’ve grown closer and stronger as husband and wife, and as parents to our three children.
Whether married or single, when we trust in God, He is faithful to see us through. He hears the cries of our hearts; He answers us when we don’t even know what to ask. He sticks around during the hard times and celebrates with us in great times. He is always faithful, always true and shows up every time.
