I met my future wife at a retreat at a local baptist church. We barely said two words to each other. I continued to think about her. I invited her and her singing group to come to sing at our church. We had a cookout before the service.
She was friendly but I could not tell if we liked me or not. She was someone of good character. She had a qiet and gentle spirit. She was someone I would not mind my daughters hanging around.
After a time, the singing group went to their changing area to set up. I helped the crew set up in the auditorium. I like everyone there. Everyone was really friendly. They were very well received by our people. They told me that they appreciated the warm reception.
"Nicole seems to have a good head on her shoulders," I said to her dad. "Yes, she does. Her mom and I praise the Lord for her," he said. "She is living at home I presume?" I asked. "Yes. She is taking classes through Redmond baptist church. She is getting credits though f.b.u. she did not want to go to school far away. She is busy at church. She is fried up to sing at various churches. " he said.
I was not sure I should ask her dad questions About her. I backed off. I wanted to ask him if she was single. i was not sure how to do that without just coming out and asking it. I was fishing for information without too much information.
- after the cookout, I changed and got ready for the concert. I was excited. The night had gone well so far. We went to the auditorium to do the finishing touches. We went and got everything ready. Everything was in place.
-i went to the front of the church. I got ready to start the service. "I would like to welcome everyone to gospel baptist church. I send a welcome to glory to God's baptist church and visitors from other churches. We are pleased to have the rose of Sharon, a singing group from glory to God baptist. " I said.
"I have been impressed with these young ladies. I am glad they have agreed to minister today," he said.
They came to the stage. "Well thank you, pastor grant. We appreciate this invitation. I am Nicole. My dad is the pastor. With me are megen, Julie and Ella. On the piano is mia. " she said.
They sang mostly old hymns. They sang some newer songs written in a sacred style. They were very modest and not showy. They ministered not performed. They avoided anything provocative.
"I wanted to give my testimony. I was saved when I was five years old. My dad leads me to the lord. He was saved in his twenties and had a burden for his kids to come to the lord. It was important for him for me and my siblings to grow up in a Christian home. The Bible was foremost in our life. I came to see that i was a sinner in need of a savior. " she said.
"It was a few years ago that I felt challenged to follow Christ no matter what. I have made that decision personally," she said.
I saw more and more that she was a person of character. The more I saw of her, the more I liked them. I felt a connection to her. I started to want a meaningful relationship with her more and more.
The other girls gave their testimony. I did not pay attention to their testimony as much. I did not tune out their testimony but I was not as attentive.
"The story behind " it is well with my soul is rarely well known. Horatio g Spafford wrote it after learning that his daughters had died on a ship. He was heading to reunite with his wife. We don't know everything that went on in his mind. His reliance on the lord leads him to this place. "She said.
I wondered if she had me in mind when she decided to sing this hymn. I like her rendition of the hymn. The hymn had a special meaning for me. It played a major role in my healing. I was grateful that she had decided to present it on this occasion.
She had also sung my favorite hymn," man of sorrows ". I appreciated her talent.
- i liked to sing old hymns. I sang some newer songs written by I.f.b singers. I tried to sing what would be considered sacred songs. I did sing " it is well with my soul "with Matt on my mind. It kind of got to him. He was a little skittish about it. I think he was worried about reading too much into it. It was meant as a message to him in a way. I was fine with him taking it that way.
-i was pleased with how the concert went. They were very well received by the church. I went up to the podium to conclude the night. " I would like to thank these young ladies for venturing out here tonight. I appreciate their heart. I also want to thank pastor Granger for arranging this. "I said.
After the service, we started to take things down..we loaded up their van. " well thank you all for coming. " I told them. "Thank you for inviting us. " Nicole said. "It was our pleasure. I hope our two churches will continue to interact. " I said. "I hope that as well. I am sure we will," she said.
- he said he hoped that our two churches would continue to interact. I think he meant he hoped that we would interact. I think he was afraid to say that. He was not sure where I was. He had no idea that I was interested in him romantically. I was surprised to hear that. I felt like I had sent out signals. He did not pick up on that. I was shocked that he did not pick up the fact that I had an interest in him.
-"i would like that. "I said. " I would too," she said. I helped them load the van. They got ready to leave. I thanked them for coming. I said good night to everyone. I wondered what Nicole was thinking. Was she thinking about us?
-i had a good day. I was thinking about matt as a potential spouse. I was petty sure he was thinking about me as a potential mate. I knew we had some hurdles. I was ok with that.
- "I have an email I wanted to share with you. " I said at a church. "Dear gospel baptist church, I wanted to thank you all for your warm greeting and hospitality. We appreciate you. We praise God that mission has a gospel witness. In Christ pastor Granger " I said.
"We enjoyed them. I thanked them for their note and their kindness." I said. I thought about Nicole as I shared the note. No one in the church knew that. I don't think they did.
A couple of months later, I got a call from pastor Granger. "Gospel baptist church, pastor grant talking." I said "hello pastor, this is pastor Granger," he said. I perked right up. I thought about nicky.
"Hello, how are things in your neck of the woods?" I asked. "It is going very well. I was wondering if you would like to have a church service at our church. I was thinking we would put on a dinner for you and your people. You could preach. Lead the service. Have a choir. "He said.
" I love that idea. I think our church would get into this. I am excited about it. "I said. " I was hoping you would be. "He said.
My church was excited. We put together a choir and a program. We had a bus and we set up carpooling. Pastor Granger told us that we would be in charge of the service. We would be holding our service just at their church. The whole church got involved. We put together a program.
I found Nicole on social media. " hi nicky it's pastor grant. I was wondering if you and I could sing "it is well with my soul together " when we come to glory to God baptist" i wrote.
She wrote back to me almost immediately. "Hi pastor, I would love that. I am definitely in." She said. I was thrilled that she agreed to the duet. We arranged for the church to practice. I invited her to come to the practice.
I saw her car. I went out too. meet her. Two sisters came with her. I smiled when I saw her. "Nicky! It is good to see you " I said." it's good to see you, pastor." She said.
- he smiled so wide when he saw me. I smiled back. I was happy to see him. I was thinking that things were changing between matt and me. We were growing deeper.
- "I was thinking you start with verse one. I will chime in when sorrow like sea blows row. Then you. In the chorus, you start then I follow in. Same with verse two. Verse three, switch it up. I start with my sin oh the bliss of this glorious thought than you. Then last verse back to you.start." I suggested.
When we sang, there was not a dry eye in the room. Both of us were kind if overcome. Was there a developing bond between us?
- as we sang, there was a connection. i sensed it. I was pretty sure he did too. He doubted himself. He was very insecure. I was not sure why. He had no reason to be insecure but he was. I am not sure if it was because of his age. I did not like it. I vowed to destroy his insecurity, especially with me. I wanted to build him up.
-"do you have to rush off or do you want tk go out to dinner with me and three really silly little girls?" I asked. "I would love that." She said.
We went to a local restaurant. She followed my van. We arrived at the restaurant. We got out. We all went inside. We were seated. "I am excited about the service," I said. "I am too." She said.
"I think this friendship between our two churches is a really good thing." I said." i do too. My dad likes it. "She said." You guys gave a great church" I told her." we feel the same way about g.bc. "she said. " so, is there anyone in your life?" I asked. She smiled. "No, I am single. I have never dated." She said."do you want to be maried one day?" I asked. She smiled. "Yes, I do. " she said. I tried not to smile but I failed.
- he lit right up when I said I wanted to be maried. He was trying to tone it down. It was really cute. I knew what he was taking. He was thinking maybe he did have a chance with me. He did.