Editorials

Wedding Bells

Posted

Single about ten years after my divorce when I gave my life over to the Lord. I was busy with life but longed for a mate that had the same convections as I. When I read the scriptures and noticed one that mentioned that it was not good for man to live alone. I would take note and put my name in place of man, write that word down in my journal. Then when I prayed, I would remind the Lord about His word. I prayed that way for about five years, and then suddenly, events were put into motion that brought John and me together.
 
One Sunday after the morning church service, one of my prayer warriors told me she had a word from the Lord for me. "The Lord is preparing a husband for you, and you will know him the minute you lay your eyes upon him."
 
Shortly after that, this word came to me. "Your prayer is at hand and has been delayed for My glory, for when it comes to pass, no man will be able to take credit for it."
 
Early one morning, my new brother-in-law, Forrest, called me and asked me to fly to South Carolina to surprise my dad and sister that were coming out to see him later on that month. Shortly after his call, two of my friends called me one after the other and asked me what I was doing. I told them both about my brother-in-law's call, and each of them said they felt very strongly that I was to take him up on his request. So I called him back and told him I would make arrangements to do so.
 
On the morning of my flight, my sister that resided in Arizona called me. She had a premonition that I was going to be in South Carolina when she arrived. She was checking to see if I was indeed still in Houston. During that call, she told me that she thought I would meet my husband in the next couple of days. I did not pay too much attention to her comments because I was concerned about making my flight on time.
 
Sure enough, my sister landed, then I arrived, and minutes later, my dad landed at the airport in Columbia, South Carolina. It was a great reunion, and we were up most of the night laughing and catching up. The next morning my brother-in-law informed me that he had invited a fellow over for coffee to meet me. I could have chocked him! I was currently ministering with several groups and someone in the Huntsville prison, and I was not dating. Too late, his friend was on his way over. They lived on Shaw air force base in the housing project. Before I could gather myself together, I heard the doorbell ring, Forrest and Dad ushered John into the little dining room.
 
Sister and I were combing hair and putting on our makeup, and I asked her to go out and take a look at him, come back and let me know what he looked like. I thought he might be tongue-tied because he spoke with an unusual draw. I had never heard an authentic southern accent. She left and did not come back! Eventually, I had to come out of there and join them. As I walked through the narrow kitchen toward the dining room, when I laid eyes on John, I knew this was the man I was going to marry. Just as my little friend told me years ago in church, he stayed for breakfast, lunch, and left shortly after supper. I did NOT tell anyone about my thoughts or what I knew. I was going to wait to see how all this played out.
 
I went to sleep that night and had what I call a God encounter. What it amounted to was, I argued all night about marrying John. He was a stranger to me. Every question I asked the Lord about He assured me that I could trust His decision about John. The next morning I thought I had been awake and would be exhausted, but on the contrary, I felt like a million dollars. I was sure of my course but still kept it to myself.
 
Forrest called John and asked him to come back that morning. We had coffee, and then John asked me to go for a drive with him. I told him at some juncture during the previous day conversations that I felt I would one day live south of a river. He took me to the Wateree River just west of Sumter; from there, we rode over to Poinsett Park. It was a cold morning late March and too early for the lake area to be open. We climbed the fence, and John laid his jacket down on the sandy beach for me to set on. The conversation went something like this.
John: You are only going to be here for a few days, and I don't have time to be cool. I have been praying for a wife for a year and a half, and I believe God has sent you to me! Then he turned his back toward me. I was surprised that the Lord had also told him we were going to marry. 
Me: I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention and said. If you believe that, you better kiss me because if you can't kiss, this will never work.
 
We tore that beach up, and it was the purest encounter I had ever experienced. It is as though we were in an atmosphere of pure love. Eventually, we looked up, and the enclosure to the beech was open, and there were dozens of people on it. We dusted ourselves off and walked over to set under a big Oaktree. That's when we began planning our future as a couple.
 
Dad and I flew back to Houston, where dad was going to undergo a minor surgery the following week. Eight days after I met John, he flew out to Houston to attend my church, meet my friends, and get our marriage license. On the tenth day after we met, we were married in my home in Houston, Texas, surrounded by my family and closest friends.
 
Sure enough, no man would be getting credit for my wedding miracle.