Once upon a time there was a princess from Atlanta who moved to a small town called New Hope. The princess, let’s call her April, didn’t know she was a princess because she, like many other princesses, had not led a privileged life. When she moved to New Hope in 4th grade, April was even tormented because she said potato chips instead of tater chips. Plus, she wore fish net stockings, which her tormenters secretly LOVED. A few years down the road, April came into her own. (Please, no one show my 4th grade yearbook picture, okay? Seriously, if that shows up on Facebook, there will be problems. J ). April had some boyfriends, but none really caught her fancy. Then, after a somewhat long relationship ended, April saw HIM: Matt, her prince. He had just come out of a longer relationship (lucky April).
switching to 1st person now
When I first saw Matt, I thought he was so handsome. He was good friends with my then brother in law, so he was hanging out at my sister’s and then brother’s in law house. At first, I wasn’t so sure that I wanted to make a move. What if things didn’t work out? Awkward! I even considered hooking him up with my friend Jennifer, but God intervened. One night a friend and I stopped at Classic Pizza and Arcade (fun times), and we saw Matt outside. I casually mentioned to him that he should call me (okay, it was probably not casual at all). He called a few times, before I figured out that it was his dad’s name on caller id. The night that I figured it out, I happened to be hosting a rather large, rather unknown to my parents, party (crazy teenagers), so we couldn’t go out that night, but we did go out the next night.
I remember being so excited all day that Saturday, September 27, 1997. I was playing in a volleyball tournament that morning, and a friend was staying at my house for the weekend since my parents were out of town (Thanks, Cousin Linda, for getting married. J ). When he arrived that evening, I was so nervous. I didn’t even want to eat in front of him, and apparently, neither did he in front of me, because we totally skipped dinner and went straight to a movie. I remember the name of the movie, but nothing that happened in the movie because we talked for the entire two hours that we were in the theatre. There was never a dull moment in conversation. Then the movie was over, and unfortunately it was time to go home. When we arrived at my house, like a gentlemen, Matt saw me in and we talked some more. Then I put on some music, and we danced. On the 1st date! I began to fall in love with him that very night. I had never felt that way about anyone. Days turned to weeks, to months, to years. There were many more dates, two proms, a few vacations, and one day we were even married for eternity.
1st Prom
That story may not seem like much of a story, but the story behind it, God’s story, is the real story. When we left Atlanta, my parents never meant to move to New Hope. In fact, in a two-month span, we moved from Atlanta to Florida to Tennessee to New Hope, Alabama, just trying to find our right fit. All the time, God had it all mapped out. He knew exactly where I needed to be to meet the man He had destined for me. He made a way to put Matt in my path and to unite us. He made a way to show me His perfect ways. We are each other’s perfect other half. Matt and I were meant to be together. I thought that from the beginning of our relationship, but I truly learned that about three years ago, when God looked into my heart and called me to His service.
I was going through life, being married, raising a child, and working, but something was missing. God was missing. Sure, I believed in Him, loved Him, and prayed to Him. But all of that was not enough. I was not satisfied. I began to ‘church shop.’ Matt did as well, but at different churches than me. Yikes! That doesn’t usually work. God knew that even better than me. He led me to be humble enough to go to church with Matt, even though I didn’t really want to, and then He showed me His plan. And it was, and still is, a beautiful plan. Maybe God has a new plan for you. Are you willing to be humble enough to listen and trust Him, even though you don’t want to? I am ever thankful that I put all of my trust in Him, because without Him, I would be nothing. He gave my life purpose and He has been a friend like no other.
Now back to that princess. After Princess April married Prince Matt, they did not move into a castle, but into a modest home nestled at the foot of Hornsby-Clark Ridge, where vultures can be seen devouring squirrels and deer rub their antlers on the bark on newly planted trees. The happy couple did not receive more gold and wealth than imagined, and they did not hire any servants. But, they did become servants to the One who has more wealth to offer than anyone else. His wealth is for all eternity. The couple did not fill their home with treasures of untold fortune, but they did begin to store their treasures in Heaven. And they went on to be blessed with two beautiful children whom they get to teach all about our great Savior! What a blessed life!
