I was raised in a Christian household and have been a Christian since I was eight years old. When I was a junior in high school, I tried online dating on a couple sites and met a guy who was the “bad boy” type. Unfortunately, things turned out a lot worse than I could have imagined. I found myself in an abusive relationship with no real focus on God anymore. A year and a half later, I was able to get away from him and things started to change. I got my life back on track and was really starting to feel like I was letting God take control of my life again. One night while watching television with my dad, we saw a commercial for ChristianMingle. He told me I should join and I told him absolutely not. He kept bringing it up, so a month later, I finally gave in so he would be quiet about it.

I was not having any luck on the site (granted I wasn’t looking that hard), and was getting ready to delete my account, when I received an email from Hayden. I don’t know what it was about that one email, but something urged me to read it.  The email included his phone number, and he asked me to text him. I was a little apprehensive, but again, I felt that little urge to contact him. I picked up my phone and stared at the message I had typed for 15 minutes, before I actually worked up the nerve to send it.

That was the beginning of the best thing that’s ever happened to me. We talked every day, all day, for five days before we set up our first date. Our relationship moved quickly, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

We met online on March 5, 2013. Our first date was on March 10th, and by March 15th we had declared to the world that we were officially dating. I am very introverted, but with Hayden, everything came so naturally. We quickly opened up to each other; he helped me through a lot of difficult things, and on September 15, 2013, he proposed. We got married earlier this year on January 18, 2014. I know Hayden was brought into my life for a very special reason and I thank God every single day for him.

Jeremiah 29:11 best sums it up: “For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

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