The Love Story that Created a Love Story
Truthfully, if it wasn’t for this couple’s love story, I may not have turned my life around and started really living for The Lord.
It started with a move from LA to Arizona. Then my sister and our mom moved there, and our mom got a switchboard job at the county courthouse. She met Steve, introduced him to Candie, and the rest is 43+ years of history.
But within that history is the wedding where I got to be the matron of honor because I’m the big sister. 😁 And then, a stubborn ultimatum about someone refusing to attend their special day unless I agreed to visit a church service turned into my ultimate turnaround moment.
It doesn’t matter that I didn’t want to be there. It doesn’t matter that I once walked by that very church with a huff, heard the music from inside, and stated, “You won’t catch me dead in a Pentecostal church!” And it doesn’t matter that my heart was not in it when I attended for all the wrong reasons. What matters is that God set all the details in place to make sure He could get me to a place where I would hear His voice.
Since that night, life has been filled with changes—both good and bad, but mostly good. It has had additions and losses, fill-ups and drainages, moves and stays, and bumps and bruises. There have been moments that challenged my faith, but there have been far more moments that strengthened it. And through all those changes, the Creator who pursued this resistant soul has never left me.
So when you think your little rejected invitation, or your prayers for someone’s soul, don’t really matter—they do. Even if you can’t find the perfect words to win someone, speak from your heart anyway. God may decide to use a couple that isn’t even serving Him yet as a tool to draw a daughter who desperately needs to meet her Heavenly Father simply because their event helps put all the pieces in place. And in return, just look at how God blessed their event to become a marriage and a family that serves Him and has lasted 43 years so far.
Happy Anniversary Steve and Candie. Thank you for falling in love. Thank you for getting married. Thank you for letting God use you both in my salvation story even when none of us knew what He was doing. May God’s holy presence fill your every moment and bless you abundantly in return for this major blessing in my life. In YahShua’s name, Amen! 🙏💕
2 Corinthians 4:15 NLT
[15] All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.4.15.NLT
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With This Wing, I Thee Wed
Nope, that’s not a typo. It’s what either me or hubby said on our wedding day 35 years ago. I know I tried to put his ring on the wrong hand, though. Lol 😂 But despite starting with a few mistakes, today makes 35 years of being dedicated to each other in marriage.
Our first celebrations were a little bigger, like his showing up at my job in a suit and carrying flowers on our first anniversary. Health and age can slow ya down a bit, but we are still happy together, and a simple meal out while wearing more comfy clothes is just fine with both of us.
Hubby doesn’t know yet (until he reads this post), but I made a list of 35 special thoughts about our 35 years together. These are the things that stand the test of time in my brain, and they are the thoughts that keep me wanting to stay together (for another 35 years) as long as possible…
35 Thoughts on 35 Years
1. “My Valentine's Day was 2 days ago.” (See my post When God Plans a Meet Cute for the story);
2. Talking to my Aunt Shirley on the phone. (She knew I'd be moving to Kentucky after a few conversations with him.)
3. He started praying while driving through a scary snow storm
4. He made me a house key with "I ❤️ U" etched into it.
5. Taking me to meet his brother at his job when he first met me in person.
6. My wedding day with Esther (his family friend who knew him all his life) performing our ceremony and almost crying as she saw his happiness.
7. Taking me downtown in my wedding dress to see his sister at the hospital where she worked as a nurse.
8. Taking me to my family in Arizona for our honeymoon.
9. When my Grandpa met him and then introduced him to a neighbor as his grandson. (Like he knew right away that he was right for me forever.)
10. Our first trip to Cave Hill Cemetery to feed the ducks (and see Colonel Sanders grave).
11. Our first Thunder Over Louisville.
12. My birthday gift of Oreos in a flower tube with a carnation on top.
13. My 30th birthday when he dressed up as “grim reaper” and took me to lunch at the downtown galleria.
14. Taking me to see the hospital where I was born. (And announcing on the video he was recording that the most wonderful girl in the world was born there.)
15. Big bunches of balloons for many special days.
16. A sign that says, ”I know what love is because of you.” (See it on Flickr.)
17. Lungs suctioned out joke: He had me believing his every word, so when he told me that people who move from dry climates to humid ones sometimes need their lungs suctioned out, it didn't seem impossible. They did it to my grandma due to cancer, and I was coughing up all kinds of yuck when he told me. But what made it funny was months later, on the phone with my uncle asking how I liked Kentucky, and I said, “Well, I haven't had to have my lungs stuffed suctioned out yet.” I'll never forget his laugh as he asked, ”What? You believed that?!”
18. Taking our nephews and me to see where I went to middle school and to meet some of my family.
19. Many scavenger hunts including one where the final clue was taped to a brick then wrapped as a gift. I still have the glider rocker it led to 20+ years later.
20. My 50th birthday party with friends and a scavenger hunt of clues to get my next clue by figuring out which guest was being suggested.
21. Being a cat man (and bringing 14+ new kitties into my life).
22. Letting me go to Arizona for my aunt and for my mom when they needed me.
23. Providing me a home (and painting the kitchen yellow as a surprise).
24. My door of Valentine's conversation hearts. (Flickr pic with kitties and the door in the background.)
25. Wonderful travels to places like Gatlinburg, the Ark Encounter/Creation Museum, Branson Christmas, World's Largest Rocking Chair, and more.
26. Supporting my writing (including a few conferences).
27. Supporting my singing (even if the album never got released).
28. Getting my DNA that let me find a brother I never knew I had.
29. Making the welcome sign for my brother and sister-in-law when they came from Canada for us to meet for the first time.
30. My butterflies on the ceiling and many other butterflies, including wind up ones that jump out and flap that he kept hiding in my laptop. (Flickr pic.)
31. My garnet birthstone ring specially made by our friend, Mark. (He's the one battling thru chemo & radiation now, so please pray for him and his wife Debbie.)
32. Singing hymns and gospel music with me. I especially love our travel games when we try to name (and sing) a song for each letter of the alphabet.
33. Flying to Vegas when my mom passed, and also taking me to Missouri for my dad's funeral. Oh, and weeks off for a trip to Arizona when my Grandpa passed.
34. Matching Proverbs 18 T-shirts and many Blessed Girl shirts.
35. Fighting to get stronger to stay with me longer... Forever and 3 Days!
HAPPY 35TH ANNIVERSARY to my husband and the love of my life! 💕✨💕
And there are so many more moments and memories in my heart and mind. Thank you readers for sharing my quick trip down a 35-year memory road (too long for a lane). Maybe you can make your own list of memories about someone that matters to you.
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