SWAK Carnival

I met my husband at church, Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study to be exact. I didn't really notice him, but he says he noticed me and asked a mutual friend to introduce us. Later, Jeff joined the singles group; I'd been active in starting it with a handful of other young adults a few years before.

At church and different singles events, Jeff would talk to me, one time offering to walk me to my car, and I still paid him little attention. I had been hurt by my previous boyfriend - he dated another girl behind my back because she would do things that I had reserved only for marriage. I was not interested in giving my heart to anyone else, except God that is. I thought about becoming a missionary so dating was not in my plans.

Jeff was persistent, though. He asked me out after a few months of friendship and I promptly turned him down. I had a good excuse - I'd promised my sister I'd babysit her daughter that night. Well, I told my dad I'd turned down a date and he got angry. He blurted, "This might be your only chance to ever get married!"

Oh brother. I had young men interested in me all of the time but I had successfully dissuaded all of them from "bothering me." Except for this stubborn Jeff, that is.

Well, to make a long story short, I called Jeff up, told him I was free that night after all, and went on that date. We dated for four months, got engaged and then married another four months later.

When God wants you to do something, He works it out. If left to my own desires, I would never have gone on that first date, much less marry this man and have 5 children. I don't think being a missionary at that time was what I was supposed to do after all.