 Our story is an unusual one and as a result we have often been asked to share it. We have lived an adventure in our few years together, an adventure that comes from complete reliance on God. Our story is interesting and exciting because it is really God's story, the story of how He has worked in our lives. It is the story of how He has led us, provided for us, encouraged us in difficulty and rejoiced with us in good times. Our hope is that our story will encourage you and maybe even challenge you to surrender your life to the One who makes life possible. So here it is.
I remember one Friday afternoon in April 2011 in which I went to the shops to buy some yogurt. I wasn't in prayer or seeking the Lord, I was really just buying yogurt. When I bent down to pick out my choice from the fridge I remember having this sudden impression. I can't say that I heard a voice, more like a feeling or a prompting. The feeling was that if I wanted to meet my wife, I should go to the young adults event at our church on the coming Tuesday. I remember thinking, "now that's crazy!" I also however didn't want to take a chance, so I decided that I would go. That Sunday evening I was standing in church and as we were worshiping this random girl, who I had only met twice before, popped into my head. I still remember thinking that this was an unwelcome distraction, yet I couldn't shake the thought. The next second she walked into the church, coming to visit and see if she felt at home here. I met her again on Tuesday at our young adults,"TOMS One Day Without Shoes" event. That day was the day that I knew I was going to marry Olivia. We began to speak at the event and immediately hit it off. It felt as if our hearts were both aligned in the same direction, a deep love for the Lord, a willingness to trust Him and a desire to serve Him in full time mission work. It also didn't hurt that she is breathtakingly beautiful, I was sold and have never looked back. Our engagement and wedding took place in that same year and are full of stories of faith and the Lord's goodness, which are perhaps for another time, but what is of interest is how, just a month after the wedding, we felt like the Lord was calling us to serve Him in France. Neither of us had ever had a desire to live in Europe and in fact we had always thought that we would go as missionaries into french speaking Africa. France was just not on our radar, but we had also decided we would go where ever He sent us. So we began to pray for God to make a way for it to happen... Read more... |
