In September of 2012 I sat in my room feeling down, and told myself I wasn’t going to date any more. After living abroad in Taiwan for two years and enjoying the freedom of being single and traveling, I returned home to the Chicagoland area and had a couple of very unpleasant dating experiences. I was ready to embrace the single life indefinitely. I told myself it would be fine. I thought about traveling again and how happy living abroad had made me feel, except I was very lonely. Secretly, I did want to find someone to share not only new experiences with, but to also share my life.

I prayed for direction. I told God I was done with online dating (I’d previously tried a couple of dating websites with bad luck). But as we all know, sometimes God has other plans. I felt like He was telling me to join ChristianMingle, and sign up for a 30-day trial, so I did.

I went on one date that didn’t go so well. Then I started talking to this very handsome and interesting man named Steve, who had a husky named Moose, whom he loved very much.

One day as we were talking through e-mail, Steve told me about his sister, who’d lived in Alaska for several years and moved to Wisconsin a few years back. When he told me where she lived in Wisconsin, I had a feeling I knew her, but waited to say anything until I was sure. It turns out I’d met his sister several times before. She lived down the street from my aunt and had purchased some land from her as well. They were friends. Talk about a small world!

Steve and I decided to meet in mid-October. I met him the day my ChristianMingle trial expired.

I knew I’d found someone special when he tripped while we were walking, and repeatedly dropped his napkin at dinner. A few things that attracted me to Steve the most were his faith in God, his beautiful heart, how much we laughed together, and his sense of adventure. We began to see quite a bit of each other, and soon, we fell in love.

I can honestly say I was never the type of girl to dream about marriage. I thought that if I happened to get married that was fine, but if not there was more to life. At 32, I still wasn’t in any pressing hurry to settle down.

However, when Steve proposed on July 5th on a lake up in Northern Wisconsin, I wanted nothing more than to be his wife. Travel would always be there. The opportunity to marry such a wonderful person who I loved so much (and who amazingly said he loved me too) would not.

We had a lake-themed wedding and were married on November 2, 2013. Getting married has been one of the most exciting adventures yet.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.”

Sometimes we may think all is hopeless and we will be alone forever, or we may feel we have our lives all mapped out, but God has the ultimate say in where our paths will lead. He truly does know what is best for us – if only we pause and listen for His direction. Good things really are in store for those who love Him and obey His will.

I’m so glad I listened to his voice and followed my heart to ChristianMingle.