It's a Love Story

Sunday, March 6, 2005 - I woke up to look out my window and see palm trees. I got ready for church and off we went. I didn't know anyone but the person that I came with, so I sat with her right on the front row. I'm sure people were wondering who the girl with the pastor's wife was. After service she introduced me to Steve, the student ministries pastor, who politely invited me to a bonfire later that night. I thought to myself,

"Thanks, but probably not, I would be way too uncomfortable, but then again this whole situation should have be a little bit uncomfortable."

It's amazing what you find yourself doing when you ask God to lead you.

Let me back up a minute.

Earlier that week I was a 19 year old freshman in college, living at home, working as a bank teller. I was lost but wanted desperately to be found. For the last few years of high school and most of my first year of college I had been living for myself. I had disregarded all I knew that was right and tried to do life on my own. I was in and out of bad relationships, bad friendships and making bad decisions. In January of 2005 my boyfriend at the time broke up with me, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I finally got to the point where I was tired of lying to myself. I had tried to make myself happy and had failed miserably. So I begged the Lord to take back control, and He did.

Earlier in that first week of March I told my Mom that I wanted to get away for Spring Break. I had no one to go with, not much money and zero ideas. She mentioned her friends that lived in Florida. I was very cautious at first, these people were old friends, but we hadn't actually seen them in 16 years. The husband was a pastor and his wife a teacher, but did I really want to go a strange town and stay for a week with people I didn't even know?

She was sure they would be happy to have me. She called them up and they said, "Send her on down!" So I bought a plane ticket, packed my bags and off I went to stay with people I hardly knew in a place I had never been!

Now, back to my story. After church we went to lunch on the beach. There was great food, and great company all in the most beautiful setting!

Later that evening the family I was staying with was hosting their small group at their house, they said I was more than welcome to stay but that I would probably have a better time at the bonfire. As I was leaving for the bonfire the first couple in their small group arrived, Ron and Alecia. Alecia mentioned that two of their sons would be at the bonfire, and to look for Travis and Spencer. She also mentioned that I might want a sweater, but who packs a sweater to come to Florida? :-)

When I arrived back at the church Steve and his wife Erin were just setting up, we talked and others started to arrive. I met Travis and Spencer and made small talk, but mostly with Travis. I think Spencer maybe talked to me twice, I just assumed he was very quiet or really snobby!

Monday, March 7, 2005 I had spent the day out and about and was back at the house. I had made dinner for the family I was staying with and they were asking about my plans for the night. I told them I had no plans and they told their son he should help me find something to do. The next thing I know their son comes out of his room with the phone and hands it to me.

"It's Spencer."

"What?"

"You said you needed something to do, and I was on IM with Spencer and he said he would do something with you."

At this point my heart was racing, my hands were sweating, my face was all red and I didn't know what to do, should I talk to him...he didn't seem to like me much the night before, maybe I could just hang up on him.

I reluctantly took the phone, I mean this was the guy that hardly spoke to me the night before, how awkward would it be to be alone with him? Besides, I didn't know the guy, he could be a crazy killer!

"Hello?"

"I heard you needed something to do tonight, we could go see a movie or something."

"Um, yea, do you think a group of people would want to go with us?" (Since I don't know you and don't really want to be alone with you!!)

"Well, let me find out and I will give you a call back."

Ring ring

"Hello?"

"I talked to some people but no one could do anything."

"Ok, well I guess if you want to do something we can, maybe we can just rent a movie and bring it back here."

"Ok, see you in a bit."

At this point I was seriously on the verge of tears, I was scared, I was nervous, I was a mess. I told the son that since he got me into this mess that he was going to have to watch a movie with us once we got back from the video store!

Well Spencer arrived and we went to the movie theater and I said that there wasn't anything I really wanted to see, but renting a movie would be fine. We got our movie, went back to the house and much to my surprise he was not at all the snob or the psycho I though he was :-) I can't even tell you what movie we watched because we talked through the whole thing. At the end of the night he left me his phone number so I could call him if I needed something to do another night :-)

Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - After being out for the whole day I got back to the house to see a note taped to my door that said, "Call Spencer before 11." My heart went pitter-pat and I looked at the clock, it was 10:45pm. I immediately grabbed my phone and called my mom.

"Mom, Spencer called and wants me to call him back, what should I do?"

"Call him, honey!"

"Ok, I'll call him and call you right back."

"Hello?"

"Hi, Spencer! I had a note to call you."

"Yea, I was wondering if I could take you to dinner at the beach on Thursday night. I have ultimate frisbee that night too and you can come if you want."

"That sounds like fun, I'll see you then."

Not only did we go out on Thursday, but we went out on Wednesday and Friday too! Thursday night after dinner, ultimate frisbee and a movie we had our very first kiss. I can honestly say that night I knew that Spencer was going to be my husband. I don't know why, I just knew.

Friday came and it was time for me to go back to Ohio. It just so happened that two weeks later Spencer was coming to Indiana for his college roommates wedding and we made plans for me to meet him there and then bring him back to Ohio to meet my family. We dated from Ohio to Florida for about 5 months until I moved to Florida with my family. We were engaged on October 15, 2005 and in December of 2005 I moved into his parents house and started planning our June wedding.

On June 17, 2006 I married the man of my dreams and my best friend. I am still amazed when I think of how greatly God blessed me when he brought Spencer into my life. He is a man of character and integrity and he showed me what true love was. God used Spencer to show me that even though I had made mistakes and tried to do things on my own that He still had a plan for me and I still had value in His eyes.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.