"A Match Made in Heaven" (or the rest of the story)

There is more to the story I began yesterday of how God showed Michael and me that we were right for each other, but first I have to give a little more background.

During one of the "off-again" periods with Don, I developed an interest in another man I knew. It didn't take long to realize that he wasn't the least bit interested in me. In frustration, I complained to God, "Why doesn't anyone I like ever see my good qualities as a prospective wife? Why do I always have to try to win them over?" And I suddenly felt a very strong assurance from God that when I met the right man, I would not have to convince him of anything. Instead, he would recognize me as the right partner just as though scales had fallen from his eyes.

So I clung to that promise, but I kept it a secret. I don't think I even told my roommate. I just wrote it down in my journal and then foolishly continued breaking my heart over Don.

By the time I ended that relationship, Michael and I had known each other for more than three years. He was in the same writers' group that Don and I were in, and many times the three of us would go out to lunch together after our monthly meeting. For the most part, I didn't consider Michael to be a romantic prospect. He was "too nice" . . . and clearly, I was too stupid. (On one memorable occasion when Michael had been friendlier than usual during a writers' group meeting, I went home and wrote in my journal that I didn't want to get involved with him because it would "ruin my life." As I said, I was stupid.)

After I told Don I didn't want to see him anymore, I finally recognized what had been there all along—Michael was a man of great intelligence, kindness, faith, and integrity. We began to date two months after I broke off contact with Don. Several months later, I traveled with Michael to southwest Indiana to visit his parents. We weren't engaged yet, but we both knew that we were moving in that direction.

On Saturday we went out to lunch, and Emilie, Michael's mom, asked how we met. So we told her about writers' group and the camping trip and how I decided not to see Don anymore and Michael decided he was interested in dating me. At that point in the story, to my great astonishment, Michael said, "It was just like scales fell from my eyes."

My mouth dropped opened. When I recovered from my shock, I explained about the promise God had made to me. Emilie started exclaiming loudly, "It's a miracle, a miracle!" right there in the restaurant.

I've never been quite convinced that Michael's happening upon that phrase would classify as a true miracle. However, I do think that God knew how wounded we both were from previous relationships, so he kept giving us encouraging reassurances along the way. We were both working hard to have a healthier relationship than we'd had in the past, and that involved a promise to each other to be as honest and vulnerable as we could. At times it was quite frightening. Without those little "God-incidences," as Anne called them yesterday, we might not have persevered. I'll be forever grateful to God for planting little signs and wonders to keep us on the path to true intimacy.

And speaking of Anne, she wrote a great post yesterday about listening to God, and I thought it dove-tailed really well with today's story. So I'm posting the link with a recommendation that you check it out. You'll learn something fascinating about crickets if you do.