Friday, April 09, 2010

How'd 'ya meet? Part Five

So, I returned home from South Carolina with a dazzling diamond on my finger and two decades of life to wrap up in Colorado Springs.

Some around me were happy for me, some tried to talk me out of it, the emotions went on and on. But through it all - I was happy and had God's peace!

I spent the next two months being with family, beginning wedding plans and packing up my apartment while finishing up my job at Glen Eyrie. On my last day of work, David sent me flowers and I drove up to Eagle Lake summer camp to work their staff banquet. It was a great day.

After finishing my job - I spent the next week packing up and getting ready for the big move. David flew out and my parents went too - we stopped and saw family all along the way to the south. David just told me recently he was thinking about this drive and move and told me how brave he thought I was.

This was like Isaac and Rebekah! Go read Genesis 24.

So, I moved to South Carolina near the end of August - I don't know if I'd ever been that hot before! And, the bugs! Ack! David had rented me a little two bedroom house to live in. He lived in an apartment across town and we were in the process of closing on a house that God had provided for us to buy.

This little house was cute - but it had a problem. I'm not sure when it had been sprayed for bugs. Um, yeah. You get the picture - one night, I'm getting ready for bed and there is this gigantic (to me) bug flying around the living room. Oooh - gives me the creeps thinking about it. I was so scared I was trembling. I repeated out loud a zillion times, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

Then, I grabbed the vacuum and sucked that dude up in there and tied a bag over the end so it could not crawl out sometime in the night. Oh, it was bad.

Meanwhile, we did not realize this little house was for sale?! So, I ended up having to move out of it after not too long which turned out to be fine. David moved back home and I moved to an apartment and then to our house while we did TONS of work to fix it up!

You know what? Following in God's will is not always easy - but He is faithful to provide what we need when we need it! And, being in the center of His will is always the best place! There is a peace that does not make sense - but it is true because it is from HIM!

I went back to Colorado for Christmas and worked on wedding plans. And, of course worked on lots of things at home too - we were married February 20, 2004 at Glen Eyrie and it was a very special day! All through it, I had God's amazing peace!

You can read more about our wedding here. David was the first one to ever kiss me and I had prayed for that as well!

A godly husband is a gift from the Lord - something I prayed for many, many times. And, now I am living out the answers to those prayers. God is good and I have so much to be thankful for! We have a happy and full life together and I am thankful to have David as my husband!

Hope you enjoyed reading our story!

26 comments:

Ginger said...

What a wonderful last installment~~

Anonymous said...

since i've been busy helping w/ taxes, time on the computer is limited. i have been reading your story, though, and it's so exciting to read this ending! your comment is so true about being in the center of God's will...we've been asked to move to ME with a church plant, and right now we're continuing to wait on Him to work out some of those details....housing, jobs, etc. :-)
blessings to you, monica!
~eunice b
rsmile2u @dejazzd .com

~katie~ said...

I was going to say "lovely ending to a lovely story", but obviously the story hasn't ended so let me say this instead.."lovely beginning to a lovely life together"!! :-)

I so enjoyed reading this, Monica. What a true testament of trusting in the Lord and following His will. I love how you said being in the center of God's will is the best place to be ~ Amen!!

Also, regarding the bugs...I so would've done the same thing but not sure I would've been able to get much sleep ~ you brave woman!!

I'm trying to understand why you mentioned a few days ago that this was a question you seriously try to avoid answering (of how you met)...you tell it with such grace!

I think this story could help a lot of young ladies out there waiting for that special someone to share their life with, especially in regards to how to approach the matter...you could seriously write a book on the subject!! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with all of us.

Colossians 4:6 ~ Great answer to a fun question!!

Leanne said...

I loved reading it! thanks for sharing!

Bevy @ Treasured Up and Pondered said...

"and, now I'm living out the answers to those prayers".

I would have to say the same thing - for myself. I have to remind myself of this statement whenever life gets hard as a wife and a mother. Especially as a mother.
I prayed (hard) for this, and now I'm living it out. So, with this I need to relax and let God perfect all that concerns me. ** Psalm 138:8 **

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story.

Bevy @ Treasured Up and Pondered said...

Amen! to Katie's comment.

(and, I've been thinking of something else I wanted to add...)

And although you and I (we) don't endorse this site any longer... that doesn't mean we should be afraid to share of God's Sovereign hand (which was PERFECT at that exact time for our lives). I felt, you seemed apprehensive to share that part of the story.

I would say be real... and honest with your convictions. Don't be ashamed to share the gospel... and yes! even the gospel can be shared through answering a question like this, that was posed.

I know the association to this site is now disheartening... but it was the avenue that God used to unite the two of you. And that is something to grateful for.

I always think - "what if?" What if I had never reopened my account back up? and on and on...

Amy @ Hope Is the Word said...

Thanks for sharing this! Beautiful!

Mom said...

Dearest Monica, you have told this story in a heartfelt and engaging way -- but it got harder for me to read as it went along. While we did not feel we should stand in the way of the path you and David so strongly felt God was leading you on, we were not as happy and brave at the idea of you moving so far from home to marry a man we barely knew.

Of course, in the intervening years, we have grown to love and appreciate David. We are thankful you have a happy and full life together, for your lovely home, and especially for your three precious children! But we still hate every one of the 1,734 miles between our house and yours.

With love, Mom

Wendi said...

Loved reading your story! Such a great testiment to letting go and letting God be in control. Wishing you many, many more years of happiness!

Carrie said...

LOVED reading your story! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

The problem I had with your story was that every time you wrote to be continued. I kept thinking "Monica, your killing me."

I love your story.

Amy

Anonymous said...

All great love stories have a happy ending! Thanks for sharing yours with us.

Angelia in TX said...

Walking God's path is an exciting novel. I loved reading a Chapter of yours that were footsteps to the beauty we all see and read today. As Sarah's story inspires us so do these. Your blog is light that should not be hidden. You are brave to share as you do and I know with your tender heart it is probably even hard at times. I am glad you do it anyways in God's strength. There are seeds I need and pick up here. I will be blessed to meet you in the clouds one day, when our Lord Returns. Angelia in TX

Anonymous said...

I love that you waited and your first KISS was with YOUR HUSBAND!!! That is so very precious. This is what we are teaching our girls. Thanks for a great story!!!!tammyp

Hattie said...

Your story is Beautiful. I always love reading a good romance.

Wishing you many more happy years together.

Cindy in PA said...

Thank you for sharing your story and what a gift it will be for your children to know when they're looking for their (much in the future) spouses!

Rebecca said...

Monica, I have been reading your blog for about a year now, and I just realized today that I am the friend who took you to Albuquerque to meet.... from E...Y. I visited your yellow apartment and ended up living in the same complex the next year... you generously lent me your folding table and chairs and... I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN READING YOUR BLOG AND I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU! This is so fun!!! So much has happened since then... WOW... You are beautiful and I LOVE your blog! Rebecca

Jthemilker said...

Thanks for sharing. You have a most lovely story. I met my husband on-line, not thru a match-up agency, but still... it's nice to hear of the success stories such as ours!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your story, Monica. I had often wondered how you had ended up in South Carolina. It was wonderful to see how the Lord has directed your life and blessed you with a wonderful husband and three lovely children.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I love coming to read this blog! You are such an encouragement to me. God bless.

Lisar said...

I have so enjoyed reading your and David's courtship and marriage story...it has been such a blessing to me....and I also had a great laugh when I read about what you did to the bug....I still do that to spiders....the placing a bag on the end of the vacuum just in case the spider decides to crawl out of the end....Thanks Heaps and Bless you...

Krista said...

Thank you for sharing your story! It's great to read and wonderful to share the way the Lord worked in tour life to bring you to a godly husband. Thank you especially for sharing about the challenges of adjusting to life in a new place!

Amy @ Keep'n The SunnySide said...

Thanks for sharing your story. I've enjoyed following along.

Davonne said...

I just realized that I sent the wrong link for geocaching. Here's the correct one: http://www.geocaching.com/default.aspx

Angela said...

I absolutely enjoyed this! What a brave adventure indeed! I too know what a blessing it is to wait until God puts His Mr. Right into your life. He was worth waiting for! :)

Just Me said...

You two have a wonderful story, and obviously a wonderful God-filled love for each other, and most importantly, Him. Regarding your post after this one (I noticed you didn't leave a spot for comments) - relationships built across borders is hard, on everyone in the family. My husband is from Australia. We met in Beijing in 2000, married in Los Angeles in 2001, promptly went back to Perth, Australia after our honeymoon and lived there - literally the furthest point from my family in WI - until 2008. We are now in the States for a few short years (we're being sent back in March 2011) - so I totally feel your pain.

I met my mother at the Perth airport with my 3-week-old daughter in the Baby Bjorn - tears running down my cheeks and my mom was like "what's wrong" and I answered "I'm so sorry you had to fly half-way around the world to meet your first grandchild".

I can't say that it gets any easier, especially after kids arrive, but all things are possible through the Grace of God, and its obvious from your story, your blog, and your mother's comment above that there is love and support in your family - and that is wonderful.