You know it’s true love when forever isn’t long enough.

We all have a vision of how we think our lives are suppose to look. We think we know what is suppose to happen, with who, when, where and how. This is when we are trying to be in control and think we know what’s best for us. It is at this point that we are actually losing control and failing to keep our sights on God, the One who is truly in control.
In 2012 I went through a divorce. It was the most difficult, trying time in my whole entire life. Married for almost 20 years with 3 children, needless to say, this was my rock bottom. What else could be worse? I couldn’t figure out why this was happening. When you get married you believe it’s forever. So what does one do when they are at their lowest? They turn to God. I always went to church but I don’t think I really ‘got it’ until then. One day while sitting in mass, it’s almost as if Jesus whispered to me, you need someone in your life who loves Me as much as you do! I realized at that moment, a man who loved Jesus as I did was a non-negotiable. Not that I had a list of requirements of what the next person in my life needed to have, I indeed had a list in my head, I am not going to lie. I made a mental checklist of some firm requirements. Tip top of my list was his faith in God. Number two, but equally important was someone who loves my kids as his own. Next was someone who understands me (or at least does his darndest to!) and still loves me for who I am. Others things that are a bonus if he had them but wasn’t a deal breaker were:
- As a health coach & personal trainer, a man who is into his fitness and also understanding the role health & fitness played in my life.
- A great sense of humor, because who doesn’t love to laugh?
- Someone who likes to go out and do fun things but also likes to stay home some nights and be cozy and watch a movie.
So here is my love story. The year was 2013 when my eyes caught a guy in cycling class at the gym where I go. I was going through a divorce at the time and really wasn’t looking for anybody. I didn’t need any distractions from my kids at this time. But I kept seeing this good-looking guy (I didn’t even know his name so I referred to him as hot cycling guy) in my early morning fitness class, week after week. We never spoke, just made eye contact and occasionally exchanged a hello. Neither one of us was making a first-move. He didn’t know my story and I certainly didn’t know his. So being that he was into fitness was pretty appealing. But I wasn’t ready to make a move and make conversation with ‘hot cycling guy’.
Here is where the story gets juicy. The love story is about to unfold. Practically a snippet from a romance novel. A true God moment! After a couple weeks of ogling at each other, I was walking into church on a Sunday morning alone, as my kids were with their dad. As I was walking in, I held the door behind me for the other church-goers. Who is running up behind me to come in but, hot cycling guy!! He too was alone as his girls were with their mom this weekend. I turned back around and kept walking in with my mouth gaping open. My head was spinning–AND HE GOES TO MY CHURCH? I was just going to be happy with a man who loved Jesus no matter what his church affiliate was. Knowing he was Catholic was such a bonus! I have never seen him at this church before although I had some pretty good blinders on for many years. So I walk in, take my usual seat towards the front of the church and this ‘guy’ takes his seat on the other side of the aisle a couple rows back from me. I remember the gospel readings and homily like it was yesterday. It was all about LOVE! 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous or conceited….. I truly believe to this day that this was complete divine intervention. God wanted us together so much that he threw us together at the steps of the front doors of St. Charles Catholic Church! We still didn’t speak that day but the next week in cycling class, he approached me and said, “hey church-goer!” Not the hottest pickup line, I am not going to lie, but we did finally speak!! We now had a couple of things in common to talk about. I found out later that he stalked me on Facebook and discovered I was a runner too as he had just completed his 8th marathon. I found out later that he too had a ‘list’.
The weeks that followed were a bunch of small talk until we finally went out on our first date several months later. It was so easy to be with him, our conversation just flowed. I wasn’t nervous and he didn’t seem to be either. We saw each other almost every day after that, even if only for our workouts, running, etc. We had the same weekends with our kids so that worked out very nicely so we had time on weekends to go out and do fun things, just us, allowing us to get to know each better. I had never met anyone like Andy, aka, hot cycling guy. I was happy to finally be able to refer to him by his real name.
We sometimes question God’s timing, what we are given and when. This encounter with my future husband is unquestionable! My faith was and is still so important to me. Knowing that God put Andy in my path when I least expected him is a true testament to His love for us. He knows what we need, when we need it, regardless of what we think we need and when. I will forever be grateful for meeting someone so perfect for me at the perfect time! We know that timing is everything but His timing is perfect!