My Second Chance, Part 3

This post is part 3 of a series. Read yesterday’s post and the previous day’s post for the beginning of the story.

When I got home, there was a message on my answering machine from the mysterious Eagle Scout. He left a brief message but no phone number, and I couldn’t understand his name! When I didn’t hear from him again in the next few days, I considered the matter over. I had asked God to protect me from any relationship that was not my “forever man,” and I figured God was answering that prayer.

Three weeks later, the Eagle Scout got chewed out by our friend when she found out he had never talked to me. He called me again, and this time I was home and answered the phone. We talked for a few minutes, and then he called me on two other occasions. During these calls, we got to know each other a little, and one of those times he had called to see how I was feeling because I’d been sick when we’d talked before. I’ll admit my heart softened some with that phone call.

By the third phone call, we had set up a time to meet. I was still feeling cautious, and I wanted to meet him at the restaurant. He insisted that he wouldn’t feel right taking me out if he didn’t come pick me up. (He’s a little old-fashioned that way, and I love that! I’m old-fashioned too.) I finally agreed to let him pick me up, and on October 26, 1999, I met my DH when he showed up on my doorstep to pick me up for our first (blind) date.

It sounds trite, but the rest is history. We saw each other exclusively from that night on, and DH is the only man I ever went out with after the divorce. On March 20, 2000, DH proposed to me under my favorite constellation, Orion. I said yes, and we began making plans to spend the rest of our lives together. On July 7, 2001, just two years after my divorce was final, I married my “forever man.”

Our marriage has been a roller coaster ride. We have had two beautiful daughters, said goodbye to four much-loved family members, and had our share of job and financial challenges. Through it all, we have clung to God and each other, and I am happy to report that we will celebrate nine years of marriage this summer!

Through all of this, I learned that I can’t put God in a box. He is so much bigger than I can imagine and works in ways too wonderful for me to understand. I am thankful that I allowed Him to do the work in my life that He wanted to do during the summer of 1999. The blessings that have come from my healing and meeting my DH far outweigh the pain I went through that summer as God worked to prepare me for my “forever man.”

Do you have a story of grace, mercy, and redemption? Please share it with me today!