She never even posted a picture!  Let’s face it, even amongst Christians there’s a degree of superficiality.  I hate to admit it now, but as many people do, I avoided image-less profiles like the plague. Until one day a name caught my eye.  It wasn’t a standard handle such as AngelEyes5555 or GodsGirl0000; it was Woodburn805.  Being a beach bum, one could make a case that the imagery in her name resonated with me after spending many nights beside a beach fire. Upon further investigation, her profile spoke to me in few words. It was sassy, succinct, and to the point. However, just like her name, there were interests and passions she mentioned that sang to my own.  So I wrote her.  Shortly after, she responded with the same wit and sarcasm that I had written to her.  The tones in our emails were fun and uplifting.  Similar personalities definitely came out in our correspondence.  The only difference being that I knew what “Spell Check” was for. 

My belief — in retrospect as always — was that God had appointed this connection.  That was apparent from the moment we met for coffee, our first official date.  In fact, the first words out of our mouths upon seeing each other weren’t the best opening lines because we accidentally insulted each other.  I was also sweating profusely because it was 103 degrees outside, but she just thought it was funny whereas others (including myself) would have thought that strange. Finding the humor in every situation is something we both do deftly,  even a year later after that day we met, which we both speak of fondly.  We talked for hours about every topic and still haven’t stopped.  We thrive on adventure and seeking it out. We both crave positivity and deep conversation, but most importantly, we seek the Lord daily.

See, that was the most important part of this equation.  God had His designs!  Before signing up for ChristianMingle, my wife had other aspirations and if life had gone the way she planned, she would never have moved into my general vicinity.  Before I signed up, I had put dating on the back burner for a number of years until I felt something within in me guiding me back.  After numerous prayers, I created a profile on ChristianMingle, still wary and still praying.  A year later, it was the best decision we ever made (other than accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, of course)!  From day one, we could see God’s hand moving in our relationship because we invited Him into it.  Neither of us had a deep desire to be married just yet, but more accurately, the two of us were beginning to believe we would never be married to anyone.  This is not an original story, but it seems silly now for the sheer fact that God works miracles; His gifts are perfect, and His timing is impeccable. Before we met, God was developing the two of us into the people He desired us to be — two seemingly random strangers who consistently and without fail, accidentally insult each other and would ultimately fall in love.

The past year has been warmed by companionship, given us bellyaches from laughter, produced joy unlike ever before, created hope that is beyond reason, shed more than a few tears which God has stored and restored, and has been the greatest adventure of our lives. This wondrous year has paled the past and inspired magnificent dreams for the future.  If God is love, then I believe He enjoys writing stories of two people falling madly, truly head over heels for one another; two people that He has set apart for His purpose. Furthermore, it wasn’t just the blonde beach nymph with gleaming green eyes that I had fallen for, or the handsome young stud she had fallen for, but it was also who we became as a couple that we fell in love with.  We haven’t been, and are still not, as good without each other.  Just another piece of evidence (and believe me, there are many!) that our Father above created us to be together.  All we had to do was take each step with Him.