What I Remember...

This journey I've been on the past 8 months has put many things in perspective. It's taught me about God's love...about forgiveness...about hope. Now as this section of my journey comes to a close, I've started to look back over the years and truly remember things. I'd like to tell you a special story if you'll take the time to read. This is one is about my wife. I hope the story blesses you as much as its blessed me.

I first remember meeting my wife in the 6th grade. My Aunt Tricia and her Uncle Larry were dating at the time and since both liked to spend time with the kids in the families, they took us all out to some historical site in Ohio. I don't remember it now...I was too busy being enamored with my wife, and yes, I was only in 6th grade. It was my sister, Diana and I, and my wife and her cousin that went. We had a good time in the park. My wife didn't notice me at all I think, but I remembered her. The next year she was at church camp. I remember trying to think of ways to talk to her...but I never could. It wasn't much longer that my wife and her mother moved back to Youngstown and started going to Highway Tabernacle for church. I went there from time to time for the youth activities and yet again...never could say much to her. We were linked by our families but I was shy and she had her own issues going on. She got into a church clique and I pretty much always had a girlfriend...but for some reason when I saw her, I stared. My heart skipped a beat. Even when we were in high school when we would barely say a word to each other, I always noticed her. I thought she was beautiful...and I still do.

One day when I was a junior in High School, I was walking to class and praying. I literally asked God who I was going to marry one day. I don't know what got me to ask him that question, but I did, and immediately he answered stating it was the girl walking right in front of me. The girl walking in front of me was, of course, my wife. I laughed it off and thought I was hearing things, but the Lord always seemed to remind me from then on when I was in school because every time I saw her after that...I imagined us married, even though we barely ever spoke.

We graduated and she went to college and I joined the Navy. I had a girl break my heart the following Christmas and it messed me up. I deployed for Europe and the Persian Gulf with that broken heart the following June. However, God is always working. My aunt was over her mom's one day visiting when my wife was also there. Tricia gave my wife my email address and asked her to email me because I really needed a friend. My wife later told me she pretty much rolled her eyes but emailed me expecting me not reply back, but I did...and what she thought would be a one time conversation became something else.

We began writing back and forth...soon we wrote everyday. It was in September that I realized I was getting feelings for her. In early October I wrote her and told how I felt. I was so nervous!!! She replied that she felt the same way. I started calling her when I could and yes...I fell in love with her without even seeing her. I proposed to her 4 days after I got home from deployment and she accepted. Even that story is a little funny in that the proposal came over the phone by a chance mentioning of marriage. We just knew!!! We were married the following July. I remembered then the promise God made to me about who I was going to marry. She didn't really seem to believe me, but I knew and I still know.

Over the course of our marriage, we did so many things together, and while I certainly made mistakes, hence the situation I'm in, we saw so many things and experienced what many people will never experience in a lifetime. I don't regret any of my time with her. A couple of people have asked me why I just don't give up on her and the truth is this: God made me a promise years ago that this would be my wife and while I laughed then, I'm not laughing now. He has taught me how to love and filled my heart with unconditional love for this woman. If I want to be like Jesus, I must trust him and see this through. I love my wife...more then I can even say. Its his word to me that I remember. I'd ask that anyone who has taken the time to read this pray for us as July 24th grows close. I hope you liked the story.