Our Story, Part One

In February of 2000, at age 21 and after recently ending a 3-year relationship, I sat down with my journal and decided to make a list of what I wanted in a husband. I was confused. I had sort of lost myself in the last 3 years and didn't have a clear idea of what the kind of man I wanted to marry would look like.

Here was my list (2/5/00):

The Man I Want To Marry Must:
-Love God above all things (or strive to)
-Pray with me
-Pray for me
-Talk to me
-Be my best friend
-Help me grow spiritually and want me to help him on his walk as well
-Be able to be the Christian leader of our home (I must trust that he will make decisions based on prayer and what God wants for our lives)
-Love children
-Hold me accountable
-Encourage others
-Be loving and sincere
-Make me want to be a better person
-Want to live his life as an example to others
-Strive to be more Christ-like

Staggering, huh? I didn't show this list to anyone; I just kept it hidden away until I found "him." There were many people I wanted to fit into this mold over the next year or so, and I kept telling myself that being single, for the time, was a good thing for me, but I did NOT like it! Didn't God know I was about to graduate from college and that my plan for my life included marrying soon after that??? I was beginning to think He had his own agenda (imagine that!).

In May of 2000, I went on a 7-week overseas mission trip to SE Asia. This is when I met the man I would marry 2 years later. But we were not interested in each other at the time! He sat behind me for months during our singing practice each week and I NEVER once spoke to him or even knew who he was. Well, it was on that trip that we met and formed a mutual respect for one another. I saw so many qualities in him that were admirable. He was so kind and always willing to put others needs above his own (he would definitely disagree with this, but this is what I saw).

We returned from the trip and life as usual, but in January of the next year, we ended up going on a week-long trip to the same children's home and things began to change...(at least for me!)