When I met my tall, dark, and unarguably the handsomest of husbands, we were attending different churches, but ended up at dinner with some mutual friends. I don’t think we spoke a word to each other the entire evening. Neither of us left an impression on the other (disproving the old adage that first impressions are lasting). It wasn’t until Steve Whitacre came to the Pastors’ College (based at Covenant Life Church) in 1998 that we met again for the very first time.
But to appreciate my courtship, you have to go back to the winter of 1997 and begin with Kristin’s courtship, as hers came first. This is significant, as I am the older sister. And although I didn't condone his methods, I kind of agreed with Laban (father of Leah and Rachel) in the Bible: it’s best for the older sister to get married first, because, well, she’s the oldest! However, truth be told, I kind of always knew that my younger, prettier, and sweeter sister would get married before me. But that didn’t make it any easier when the time came.
To top it off, one of my closest friends (Kelly) also began a courtship at the same time as Kristin, and then Joshua Harris (who was living in our home at the time) began his courtship with his now, wife, Shannon. So, at home, I had to live with two love-struck puppies and when you added Kelly to the mix it meant (as I told Mom) that everyone I knew was courting! With seemingly no prospects for miles (maybe space travel would present some options?) I hunkered down for a long winter that even Laura Ingalls Wilder couldn't have imagined.
What I didn’t know was that at this very time, God was drawing my future husband’s heart to Himself.
Meanwhile, God had a whole lot of work to do on me. In the midst of my self-pity, I had a pivotal conversation with Mom (which is how I could describe many of our conversations!). She kicked my backside so to speak and challenged me that God had “good works prepared in advance” for me to do during this season. I wasn’t single because the “flight to marital bliss” was overbooked and I was left on standby. I was single because God had a purpose for my singleness.
Once I repented of my sinful self-pity and joyfully threw myself into all those good works God had prepared for me in my local church, I couldn’t have been busier or happier. While a worldly perspective would be that I could only find true happiness when I found “the one,” I discovered that true happiness comes in serving Christ. So nine months later, at Kristin’s wedding, my “walking down the aisle smile” was for real.
What I didn’t know was that in the wedding congregation, watching me, was my future husband.
To be continued tomorrow…
