How it All Began...

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...Our Love Story...
One night while we lay snuggling and talking in bed, I made mention about ‘Our Love Story’. “Do we really have a ‘Love Story’??”, he asked. “Oh, yes, we do!! It may not be as romantic and exciting as some, but it’s ‘OUR’ Story just the same!!”

The first time I remember meeting Delvyn was way back when I was almost 11. His family moved here from PA, in March of ‘93. I don’t have any first impressions of him, as much as I do his sisters. They both had long, blond hair!! (And still do.) I remember wondering if they were twins and even asked a friend of mine that, as we sat eating lunch in the school cafeteria.

The Sunday following their move, my baby sister was born, on Easter. Our Church went to a neighboring town to Easter Carol in the hospital there. Since my parents were gone, some of my siblings and I rode with Delvyn’s parents. On the way home, my youngest brother fell asleep and of course had to wet himself. I was so embarrassed, we left behind a wet van seat. (Great first impressions!!) But my future Mother-in-law was very kind, gracious and understanding about it all.

In school, I never really cared much for Delvyn. He was a rather ‘Know-it-all’ type of kid. He loved his sports and played ‘by the rules‘!! He was good at basketball, and if you were on his team you had a good chance of winning.
By the time I was 13/14, I had had a crush on him at some point. I don’t really recall, but my brother says I did, so I’ll take his word for it. I do know, by then I had started tolerating his strange quirks. We had even passed notes a few, maybe more then that, while in school.

Soon after I turned 15, my parents began attending a different church an hour away. So our paths split for the next 3-4 yrs. We’d see each other now and then, but didn‘t do anything together. Delvyn’s path went a much different direction then mine. He pursued his own interests and didn’t live for Christ. I attended 6, 1 week Bible Schools, between the ages of 16 & 20. We didn’t have a lot in common.

Some time during my 18th year, a number of area families started gathering together for a Mid-week Bible Study. And Delvyn started attending them. I still didn’t really care for him all that well. He was rather ‘wild and loose’. But there wasn’t a whole lot of youth around to hang out with, so we did do things together, as a youth group. I started warming up to him. But knew I would NEVER ‘like’ him in a special way. For one his life was not centered on Christ and #2 he was a farmer. And I had said from little up, “I will NEVER marry a farmer!!!” I had cousins who lived on a farm and knew how much it tied them down and I didn’t want that for my self.

In Nov. of ‘01 Delvyn, along with 3 other youth boys, went to OH for a week of Bible School. Little did I know this was the beginning of a new chapter for both of our lives!!! At the end of a week of Bible School, the youth have a program, so my Dad, brother and I went down for the week end. I spent the day with my cousin, who lives in the area. And just after supper, she dropped me off at the campus. I hadn’t a clue where to find anyone that I knew. Daddy finally came along and said ‘Hi’, but soon moved on, talking to someone.

I don’t remember where Delvyn appeared from. I just know I felt very relieved to have someone with me that I knew. Even if it was a guy. And even if it was him. I don’t remember saying much. He probably told me he’d help me find a few girls I knew. I was feeling very out of place. I am one who does not like being out of my comfort zone and I never felt so out of it as then!! I had heard ahead of my visit that God had gotten a hold of Delvyn’s life, and it was amazing to see the change within him in the few short minutes that we were together.

While we were walking toward the Chapel, I don’t recall talking a whole lot. But there was one moment I remember VERY, very clearly!! I had this sense of a quiet voice speak into my heart, ‘This is the man I have picked for you to marry one day!!!’

I was immediately like ‘No way!!’ And wondered where this voice/thought had come from. Just my imagination?? It rather scared me. I had never had an experience as such before. I tried shaking it off as some wild thoughts of mine, but just couldn’t.

Once inside the building, I found a few girls I knew and the other guys Delvyn had went down with. I didn’t feel like talking much, to much was now on my mind. We all sat together, for the evening service. Virgil was beside me, but must of left, because Delvyn was soon sitting beside me. And I was still a bit shook up about the whole thing while walking in. And I now felt a bit unnerved sitting beside this guy-who I at one time felt very comfortable around, I could talk to him, and pretty much be myself. ‘What if he could read my thoughts?? What if he heard the same voice, I just had?? What was he thinking about all this??’ I just could not shake the idea that ‘One day I would marry this man I was sitting beside.’

Later that evening some of the youth played Volleyball. I sat on the sidelines and watched the games. I would catch myself watching that one particular guy a lot. And I kept praying, asking God to work His perfect will. At the time I just couldn’t see my self marrying this person I felt He had picked for me. Where would God take me?? And how would He work this all out??
...To be continued...