My Back Story Demonstrating The Sufficiency Of God's Grace

The Grace of God enables us to accomplish in life what we can never achieve within our own human  strengths or abilities. II Corinthians 12:9a says it as follows: "My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak". In other words, God's grace is the gift that we obtain through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Once we began our relationship with Him, He through His powerful grace enables us to accomplish some extraordinary accomplishments in our life time.  As I write and share this back story of my life, I hope to encourage you to receive God's amazing gift of  grace into your life through salvation through CHRIST JESUS. 

My Back Story

My husband and I met the spring of the year 1984, which also was the year that I graduated from high school. A few months before my graduation he returned to our hometown in Monroeville, Alabama, after living in Los Angeles California since the summer after his graduation one year prior to mine. He moved out there to began his future in a brand new setting; however, God had greater plans for his life. I knew of him, but I didn't know him on a personal level while we attended the same high school. He was one of our lead drummers in our high school band. He was very popular because of his charm and for his percussionist skills. I never would of thought in a million years that he and I would have crossed each other's paths in life once he returned from California. At the time of his arrival, I was just beginning to process a major break-up in my life. I say a major break-up because I was engaged to be married to one of our pastor's twin sons once I graduated from high school. However; after discovering his double standards, I was morally forced to end my relationship with him. He was professing to be a Christian, but the things that he was sneaking around doing did not back up his confession. I was truly heartbroken, but I am so glad that he was exposed for his transgressions before we got married.  

The Sunday prior to my husband's return back to our hometown, I wrote our pastor's twin son a very long letter explaining why we had to part ways and ultimately end our relationship which had lasted since I was in the tenth grade. This was the hardest decision that I had to make during the onset of my adult life at 18 years of age. That Sunday night was the longest night of my life in dealing with a relationship. As I reflect back on that night, I don't believe I got hardly any sleep. However, early that Monday morning as I began to drift off to sleep, I began to dream and in the dream, I heard a "reassuring voice" saying to me that I had done the right thing in breaking off my relationship with him. I distinctly heard that by Wednesday of the upcoming week, I was going to meet the man that I would date and marry. I didn't give it to much thought once I awakened later that morning to get ready to go to school. I mentioned my dream to my cousin that morning as we dressed for school. My heart was so deeply broken, I took what I had dreamed, literally, as grain of salt. I press my way through school the next two days and when Wednesday came, I had replaced the dream with other pressing issues in dealing with all the final things which I had to focus on leading up to my graduation. My graduation was just two months away. That evening as we traveled home on the bus, a friend ask my cousin and me when was her mom going to make some more of her delicious "tea cakes" and we informed him that she had made some the night before; therefore, he asked if he could come by later that evening to get some. We told him that he could and he arrived around dusk dark to get his "tea cakes". He was in a rush and we asked him why, and he informed us that he was hanging out with a friend who had just arrived back to our hometown. We asked him who it was and he told us his name. Not thinking anything regarding my dream and it never occurred to me that this may be the person who was spoken of in my dream. I knew for sure it was not our friend who came to get the "tea cakes" and if it was him, that was never going to happen! He was only a friend and he was never going to be anything more. However, before going to bed I just couldn't rule out his friend and my cousin made mention of what if he was the one as well? Again, I must admit he was in my thought as I laid in bed, but after drifting off to sleep, I didn't give him anymore thought. Once I woke up to get ready to go to school the next morning, I didn't think of him at all. My mind had shifted to other pressing issues regarding my upcoming graduation. 

 After attending my morning classes that Thursday, I attended lunch and while eating and talking to my friends, a girl asked did we know who was back in town and she let everyone know that it was the friend of our friend. At this time, I never had any reflections back to my dream. The next week, after lunch one day this same girl began to make mention of our friend's friend and I made a comment that he was funny and silly after briefly meeting him. Because she dated him for a little while before he graduated from high school, she called him and told him that I called him 'silly". However, she knew that I was not serious when I made that light comment. She used my comment to her advantage and that evening I was visited by him and he was very upset that I made the comment in reference to him. He really let me had it regarding how he felt about my comment. I quickly explained to him that I was sorry, but his ex-girlfriend  had misconstrued the comment and that it was taken out of context when it was told to him by her. At the time of his arrival, I was outside in my aunt's yard doing some chores at the time. Once he calmed down after I explain what I really meant when I made the comment about him, he immediately began helping me with my chores. This was kind of weird, but now that I know him that was his way of saying he had accepted my apology. Again, this was so odd at the time; however, as I sit and write this, I have to thank his ex-girlfriend, because what satan used her to plan for evil, began the first stages of my relationship with my husband. That afternoon, was the beginning of our getting to know each other and what would become a long journey to all these heart issues working by Christ's grace for our good!

 As we were trimming my aunt's hedge bushes, we killed two small snakes that evening. As I look back at this, it was what we had to do spiritually in order to begin dating and ultimately get married. As the days and weeks leading up to my graduation from high school progressed he and I began to talk and spend quality time together. I began to witness to him regarding my faith in Christ Jesus. When we would talk he was like a sponge soaking in all of my back stories regarding my upbringing and my testimony of salvation. He became interested in beginning a true relationship with Christ Jesus on a personal level as well. We began to go to church together as much as a our schedules would permit. We became very close in our relationship as the weeks passed by during the spring of 1984. Once I arrived at my graduation, my memory of my pastor's twin son had begun to gradually fade, but my heart was still reeling from our break-up. The "voice" that I heard in my dream the night we broke up was becoming clear that it was "God's voice" letting me know that I had to move onward in my life. Upon my obedience of listening to Him and ending my relationship with my pastor's son, He literally was redirecting my life for my future ahead. My heart was shifting major gears as I chose to go deeper in my relationship with HIM as well.

The Saturday after my graduation, my husband came to visit me to see how I was processing the fact that my ex-boyfriend/fiancé's wedding was taking place that evening. I assured him that I would be okay with God's help. His thoughtfulness during his visit was very consoling. After his visit, I began to see through the eyes of faith that he was truly the guy who "God's voice" had revealed to me in my dream. What satan had used my ex-boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend to work against us had instead began to work in our best interest of growing into a genuine relationship going forward. Also, he and I killing the two snakes that evening in my aunt's yard made sense as well! Even though we had many more challenges to overcome in our relationship going forward, we continue to talk and allow God's perfect timing to work in our favor!

During the summer months after graduation we would spend time together talking and getting to know each other even deeper. At the same time I had to take care of a relationship that I knew was going to haunt me for the rest of my life if I didn't deal with it at this moment of my life. While I was dating my pastor's son, there was another guy who was interested in me and he was waiting in the shadows. He graduated with me and we had known each other throughout our school years. He was what you would call my "puppy love" during middle and Jr High school. Though he dated other girls during our high school years, he would swear to his buddies that he and I was going to be together in the future. I had to be strong in my faith when it came to him. If I did not remain strong he could have been detrimental to my spiritual growth. Also, he would have been a hinder in my relationship with the guy in my dream going forward as we were getting to know each other more deeply. He found out prior to our graduation that my pastor's son was no longer a part of my life. He also had broken up with his girlfriend whom he had been dating the last few years of high school. Once my breakup was made known to him he immediately thought our break ups were an opportunity for he and I to see what we had going on between the two of us. He began to come around some days during the summer month and we began to talk and discuss why he and I didn't go deeper in our relationship while we were attending high school together. The obvious reason was the fact that his life choices was totally opposite of mine in comparison to me being a Christian and he was not. Because of this major gap, I was fully aware that a relationship with him was not going to be good for me nor my future dreams.

 As we spent time during the summer month further discussing our differences we began to see why we could not be a good match as a dating couple. He tried his best to convince me that he and I could work through our differences, but I on the other hand, was a realist regarding the matter. During this time, I was preparing to attend Jr. College during the fall semester and he was going through the process of joining the military for the next four years. He tried his best to charm me in believing that he was going return and marry me, but I would not allow my heart to be broken again; therefore, by the Grace and wisdom of God, I remained focused. I was very vulnerable at this time, but my faith in God was pretty solid which enabled me to have the strength and courage to end what he and I had started all those years back once and for all. While this chapter of my life was coming to an end I was still very interested in getting to know my husband deeper as our schedules permitted. He decided to work during the fall and he was making plans to attend the Jr. College during winter semester after Christmas break. 

 Once August, 1984 had arrived, I was scheduled to begin my fall classes and the other guy my so called, "puppy love" was all set to began his military career in the United States Navy. One evening late August he came to say his goodbyes and again he tried to charm me into thinking he was going to return to marry me after his basic training was over; however, I was mature enough to know that his goodbyes was bringing closure to what we thought we could have developed into a lasting relationship. I truly said good-bye permanently that night. I must admit it was a bit hard for me to choose to release him completely from my life, due to the fact, I had known him every since elementary school, but on the other hand, finally that chapter of my life was concluded. By God's powerful grace I was able to journey onward into my future more mature, more wise and stronger!

 I began my first year of college, September, 1984 and I was excited to have many of my former high school classmates in attendance with me as well. I would see my husband during our leisure time. He was busy working and I was busy with my  studies majoring in Secretarial Science. He promised that he was going to follow through with his plans to enroll into the Jr. College during winter quarter after Christmas break. He was going to major in Business Administration. I was excited because this would give us a chance to see each other more frequently, so I thought. Remember: "Rome was not built in one day"! Well, once he enrolled, he became very popular with the girls and he started dating one of the cheerleaders and shortly afterward one of the basketball players became interested in me as well. We both became distracted and our lives began to head in opposite directions for a while. For the remaining of my first year of college, we never got a chance to talk anymore; however, we continued to be friendly and caring toward each other when we would see each other. This was the beginning of the twists and turns of our relationship. 

During that next summer, I went to stay in Selma to be with my sister and to work. By this time, my emotional state was not in a healthy place, due to the fact, that I had to see our pastor and his family a lot during my stay. After staying for about a month and a half I decided to leave my job and head back to my hometown for the rest of the summer. I returned back to college that fall even though I still wasn't doing well emotionally. After not being able to keep up with my studies in college, I decided to withdraw while my grades were still in pretty good status. After making that decision, I decided to move away to Mobile, Alabama. I got a chance to see my husband before I departed from our hometown. At that time we said our goodbyes and he made a comment to let me know that he was still interested in us getting together eventually. I left that night and I went to stay with one of my older brothers and his family. Once I got settled in there with him and his family, I vowed to never get involved in another  relationship after breaking up with the basketball player. While I was away, I kept my vow to God and to myself. After staying in Mobile, Alabama for the next year, I decided to come back to visit my Aunt and my friends back at college. I really was testing the waters to see if I was ready to begin my studies again since my abrupt withdrawal. I was so happy to return and spend the day on the campus with my friends. I saw my husband that day and I could tell that he was as happy to see me as I was to see him again. I had not seen him since the night that I moved away. He took the time to express to me how he had missed me not living in our hometown and right down the street from him in our neighborhood anymore. Once we were done talking, I quickly discerned that he was not as upbeat emotionally as he was before I moved away.   

During my visit, my best friends had some free time to spend with me. At the end of my visit that day two to of my best friends gave me a ride back to my aunt's house that afternoon. Later that evening I had to run an errand for my sister who lived down the street from my aunt. On my way back, I decided to drive by my husband parent's home and he was sitting on the top step at their front door, so I pulled over at the edge of their yard. He told me that he was so glad to see me again earlier that day back at the college campus and that he was having deep thoughts regarding me prior to me stopping at the edge of his yard. He didn't have a clue that while I was riding home with my friends I saw him with his girlfriend, the cheerleader, whom he was dating when I moved away. I got out of the car and sat in the passenger seat facing his home and we began talking. He was telling me all that I needed to know in order for me to get caught up to where we left off before I moved away. I let him know that I saw him with his girlfriend, but he quickly explained that he only gave her a ride home, but they were no longer in a relationship. I explained to him that I was not seeing anyone back in Mobile, Alabama either. I could tell that this was a sigh of relief for the both of us. We talked while I sat in the car at the edge of his parent's yard until dusk dark. I glanced down the street and I saw my two little cousins coming to get me and I knew what they were coming to tell me, because I saw the the basketball player's car pass by the end of the street while I was wrapping up my conversation with my husband. I was right he had sent them to get me. I said my goodbyes and we promised to stay in touch. I left feeling like I always did when he and I would have our heart to heart talks. I was again sure that he was the guy the "VOICE" spoke of in my dream. However, nothing was happening to bring everything together at that moment in time. I just had to keep the faith and continue to trust in the power of God Grace as I press forward into my  future. 

Speaking of bad timing, the basketball player wanted to let me know that he was interested in staying in contact with me through letters after I returned back to Mobile, Alabama from my visit. We didn't get a chance to talk back at the campus earlier that day for him to express himself to me, so I gave him my address and the week after I returned from my trip, he wrote me. He wanted to visit me to get to know me further during his travels to Mobile, Alabama to visit his teammates. I wrote him a very nice letter back to let him know that someone else was interested in visiting me to get to know me better as well and that I had agreed to see him on a regular basis. He answered my letter and though he regretted I had moved onward in my life, he was very nice and understanding regarding my decision, so we said our final goodbyes. 

At this time my husband had began pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. During the remainder of the the fall of 1985 he kept his word, his focus and he became a born-again Christian on his birthday that November. He became a member of the church that me and my family attended. At that time I was living with my God Daddy and his family, who was our pastor. While I was living with them, I began to have dreams about me and him going deeper into our relationship with God and each other. My God Daddy, told me that he saw us being together in marriage as well! At this point, I was just happy that our paths had finally come together and I was excited to see it patiently through one step at a time. Every challenge of our past had began to once and for all work together for our good! At times I have to admit, I would get anxiety because of what we had to go through to finally get to this monumental milestone in our relationship. Up and until this point, God's sufficient grace, had seen us through all the ups, downs, distractions and delays and we had gained the confidence that He was going see us onward in our relationship with HIM and with each other! 

During the month leading up to Christmas, 1985, I had more vivid dreams of our future together as a couple. One night I had another defining dream and I saw my husband and my brother coming for a visit to see me at my God Daddy's home. I saw the day, the time that he was coming to see me. To be exact, I saw the Friday night and their arrival time which the clock in my dream showed the time 9:00 p.m. I told my God sister and she made fun of me for the rest of the weeks regarding what I had seen in my dream. When Friday finally arrived, she made doubtful comments regarding the accuracy of my dream. Well, only time would prove who would have the final laugh! Once my God Daddy got home that Friday evening he made a fire in the fireplace in the living room. We all sat around the fireplace and talked. At 9 p.m. my God parent's front doorbell rang and guess who stood outside? It was my husband and my brother just like I had seen it during my dream, so I granted my God sister the great honor of opening the door to let them in. I was so excited that my dream came true and that my husband and I was together in a deeper and lasting relationship prior to Christmas. He came to visit me to let me know that he wanted me to return home, so that we could further bond in our relationship with God and each other. That weekend we spent time together shopping for Christmas gifts for our family. While we were shopping he ditched me in the mall so that he could buy my Christmas gift. He and my brother stayed with my oldest brother and his family during their visit. They left on that Sunday evening after we attended church together. Before he left, he made it known to me that he was going to send my brother back to get me on January 31, 1986 to bring back to my sister's home to live so that we could get engaged and prepare to get married. 

A few weeks after his visit, I went home for Christmas and I found out that he had played a trick on me while we shopped for Christmas gifts at the mall. The suede boots that he had me to try on to see if they would fit his Mom, was actually my boots. I had no clue, therefore; I was really surprised when we opened presents. This Christmas was proof that we had finally against all odd came together as a future couple. Also, it proved that the "voice" in my dream was indeed the voice of God. Even though we had to go through other challenges we had gained enough faith to see the process together as a Christian couple. God's grace had been proven to be truly sufficient in our relationship!!!

He kept his word of promise to me and on January 31, 1986 he paid for all the travel expenses and he had my brother to drive his car to Mobile, Alabama to move me back to Monroeville, Alabama to live with my sister. Leaving my God Daddy's home was bittersweet due to some things that occurred with my god brothers and sisters once Walter and I had finally merge our lives together. On the other hand, my God daddy gave us his blessings because of what he had seen for our lives had come to past. I left torn, but fulfilled at the same time, because finally Walter and I were together as a blossoming Christian couple through God's tremendous grace. Once we arrived back in Monroeville, Alabama that night, my brother stopped me by his job to let him know that we had arrived safely from our travels. He and I were so happy to see each other and we were delighted that we were finally back in our hometown together to continue to mature in our relationship with God and each other.

A few weeks after I had settled in living with my sister and her family, he talked to me about returning to college to continue my education while he worked each day. After giving it deep thoughts, I decided to meet with my counselor to begin my studies again in Secretarial Science. He drove me to our local college each day and he was there to pick me up on his days off. Everything was going so well! I was able to jump back into my studies where I had left off. We continued to bond in our relationship and on Easter Sunday, 1986 we became engaged while visiting with my family at my oldest brother's house in Mobile Alabama. He asked me and I excitedly said "yes"! However, little did we know, our making this major commitment would be the beginning of yet another challenge in our relationship. We made a vow to each other that we were going to stay together inspite of all these challenges and we kept that vow, even though I had to withdraw from college yet again. We had to shed many tears together during these challenging times, but we were confident that we were making the right decision for our future. We felt that very few people were standing with us regarding our choice to be engaged to be married. Because of this we were force to make a decision for me to move away to stay the next eight month with my sister in Selma, Alabama until we could be married. My sister was living in her own place, so I was happy to go and live with her until we were married. She was happy to have me to come live with her. At the time, it did not seem like it but this was working for our good as well!!

It was much harder to depart from each other this time, due to the fact, we were sincerely engaged to each other. We were very emotional the day that I withdrew from college again to leave to stay with my sister until we were married. This time he decided that he was going to drive me to begin my eight month stay. It was very challenging to say our goodbyes that night, but we were strong and we made a commitment to stay strong in our daily lives as Christian and to stay in touch with each other every chance that we were able to do so, whether by writing letters or talking on the phone. He return to Monroeville, Alabama to continue working at his job and I began working at the same company with my sister a few weeks after I got settled in living with her. I was very sad my first few weeks there, but when I got busy working I had something else to focus on each day besides missing him. We wrote each other each week and we had to limit our phone call after he ran up the bill while living with his parents. It was cheaper buying a stamp, so we wrote each other more than talking on the phone. I stayed physically fit by walking my letters to the post office downtown on broad street there in Selma, Alabama. His schedule at work did not allow him to come for his first visit until two months had elapsed. Once we were able to see each other for the first time, we decided to set our wedding date. We both decided to work and pay for our wedding, so we decided to set our wedding date for February 14, 1987, which would be on a Saturday and on Valentine's Day, 1987 as well. Once we had set our wedding date, it gave us more energy to keep our mind focused on our personal relationship with God, each other and on our daily work schedules. Time seem to have sped up a bit once we starting planning our wedding. 

He worked many hours as he could each day and we both would be so tired until we would be sleepy talking to each other on the phone. We constantly held fast to this quote: "True love kept within one's heart is love that distance can never part"! We held fast to this when the days and months got so long!! We truly came to realize that "distance really makes the heart grow fonder", if you are truly in love! We continued writing each other in the meantime as we continued planning our wedding. Once the summer months had past his work schedule slowed down a little and he was able to visit me once a month thereafter. My sister and I spent a lot of time together in between our work schedules, so she and I were bonding very closely as well. We would get exercise by walking to the supermarket to purchase our groceries. I wanted to fit into my wedding dress in the size that I wore and she was getting into shape, because she was my maid of honor in my wedding. As she and I were bonding further in our sisterhood, I didn't realize how hard it was going to be when we had to say our goodbyes when it was time for me to move back to be married. We spent majority of our off days together shopping, going out to dinner or cooking dinner at home and going on long walks. My husband would tell her every time that he would call that she had better not get to bonded with me living with her because he was returning to get me on January 29, 1987 before our wedding the next month. We didn't heed his constant warning because she and I were having so much fun sharing our living arrangement together as sisters. We are three years apart in age. Even though I would miss him very deeply, I truly was enjoying the time granted to me and her through the divine Grace of God.

The fall of 1986 was a great season for us as we were getting closer to our wedding day. My husband came to visit me to make arrangements to come and get me and my sister for our visit home for Christmas. Since this would be our last Christmas living away from each other we were so excited to plan the date for him to return to bring us home. His visit at this time was the last of October before his 21st birthday on November 9, so we both agreed to just stay in touch through writing and limited phone conversation until he returned to bring us home for our holiday visit. I had placed all of my wedding decoration and my flower girl dresses on layaway to make the final purchase when he came to get me the last of January, 1987. I had to travel to Mobile, Alabama during my visit for Christmas, 1986 to shop and purchase my wedding gown. At this point, I was so excited inspite all that we had endured! I was a bit anxious and nervous, because all that he and I had endured had began coming together in our favor for our future together. God's grace had helped us prevail through all the tough challenges along the way.

Time truly passes by fast when you are having fun and staying busy. The next few weeks prior to our visit home for Christmas seemed to be moving at lightning speed. I was glad because letters and phone calls were great ways to stay in touch during our time apart, but seeing each other face to face were more rewarding, emotionally! Again, it's really true, "absence really does make the heart grows fonder if you are truly in love"!! As the weeks past I was encouraged that our faith in Christ had caused us to triumph over all the setbacks that we had suffered in our relationship as a covenant couple. He called the day before his travels to let us know that he was all set to come and pick us up for our Christmas visit. I did not have to work the day that he arrived, we spent the whole day together. We went out and did some Christmas shopping at the Selma Mall. Our time together was so rewarding as we bonded further in our relationship at this special time of the year! We were both happy to know that our wedding ceremony was less than two months away! After we completed our shopping, we went and picked up my sister from her shift at work and we returned home and packed for our travels. It was a very wet and cold evening as we traveled home to spend time with both of our families for our last Christmas being apart. We could see a bright light at the end of the long tunnel that we had to travel through in order to get to this triumphant milestone as a Christian couple. God's powerful grace had propelled us through to a victorious end. What satan had plan and plotted for evil had indeed work for our good! 

Mid- morning on Christmas day,1986, he arrived at my sister's home where she and her husband lived with their three children and little did I know he had shopped for other gifts for me the day that we had shopped at Selma mall. He bought me a cultured pearl necklace and matching earrings that day and that would have been enough, but he always went above my expectation! After spending the morning until noon at my sister's home we left and drove to Evergreen, Alabama for the rest of Christmas day to visit  his mother and her siblings at his grandmother's home. Everyone was happy to spend time with us and it was always a special moment when we went to visit his grandmother. He was very close to her in their relationship, because she shared in his upbringing. They enjoyed a special bond together and I was happy to meet her and to get to know her and his Mom, being they were the first two women whom he had bonded with during the years of his upbringing.

Once the day was over, we said our goodbyes and he drove me back to my sister's home for the night to get some much needed rest. We both were exhausted from our travels on Christmas Eve. After our arrival we said our goodbyes because we had to travel to Mobile, Alabama the next day to visit my Dad, my sisters and my brothers. I was so happy to see my Dad and spend time with him. We had not seen each other since he visited me in Selma during a day trip with my husband when he asked him for his permission to marry me. He was happy for the both of us and also, bittersweet to give me away at my wedding. I am the youngest of my whole family. He gave my husband a long talk when he asked for my hand in marriage. I was the last button on his vest so to speak! He told me no matter how old I get, I was still going to be his baby girl! He really got to know my husband prior to our wedding and he gave us his blessings and well wishes! Even though he went home to be with the Lord on January 9, 1989, which was two years after our wedding, I will forever cherish the special time that my husband and our first-born child got to spend with him before he departed this life. I also, thank God for gracing him to be around until I graduated from high school and when I got married!

 We had a busy schedule once we arrived to Mobile, Alabama, because I had to go to the mall to get fitted for my wedding dress that next morning. Of course he was not allow to go with me for this occasion, so one of my older sisters went with me. During my gown fitting at the bridal store, I was excited and also a bit nervous, because now this was no longer a dream of mine, but a reality! In less than two month I was going to be married to the man whom God had told me about in my dream way back in the spring of 1984, two month prior to my graduation from high school. By His grace we had overcome so much together and enjoyed so many special moment together in between. As I tried on my gown with the bridal consultant, I was looking for the "perfect gown". After trying on the third gown I just knew this was the one for my upcoming special day! It was perfect for my special day and it did not need any alterations! It was a perfect fit!!! My long walks to the post office and to the super market with my sister had paid off all those months while I had worked and waited to see and be with him again!!! My dress had a reduced price tag on it that read $595.00, however, when the consultant put in all the discounts I had to pay only $75.00 for it! All I could say was, WOW and thank God! All my suffering was worth the rewards in the end! She also agreed to hold it and do all the preparation of it for my wedding. God graced me with so much favor and I didn't have to pay full price for anything during my wedding purchases and to this day I still have that anointing of favor upon my life of not paying full price for any of our purchases. All glory to the LORD!! Through faith and patience I was inheriting my precious promises! I would return to pick it up the Friday that my husband's mom and I had to return to Mobile, Alabama to pick up his tuxedo and the ones for his groomsmen. God's sufficient grace was still proving to be impacting our plans to be together forever as husband and wife in covenant with each other and with our Heavenly Father.

As you can imagine it was very challenging for me and him as he drove my sister and I back to Selma, Alabama for the last time before returning to take me home for our wedding. Once we arrived back to my sister home, it was even harder to say our goodbyes, but we were able to encourage each other by stressing this would be the last time we would have to say our goodbyes. He left early enough to drive back home that evening, so that he could get back to work that Monday morning. My sister and I had to get back to work as well. I had only six more weeks to work, before leaving my job to return back home to get married. My sister and I spent even more of our off time together because we were fully aware this was our last few weeks living together as sisters. As I mentioned before she and I are three years apart in age, so we were very close in our sisterhood. My co-worker also began facing the reality that I would soon be departing to return home to get married. I worked diligently each day as if I would be working at my job forever, but I along with my co-worker knew we would have to say our final goodbyes, eventually. It's amazing how many special people you can come to know in such a short  period of time. They all contributed to helping the time to pass by quicker each day. It was bittersweet to say my goodbyes to all of them. I knew I would miss everyone, but my heart was beginning to bubble within and overflow with so much joy as I laid in bed each night leading up to "his return". Just knowing that I would be with the love of my life forever in a few more days and weeks ahead outweighed all my bittersweet emotions. God's tremendous grace had helped us prevail through all the challenging delays and set backs that we had encountered in our relationship. God's grace, our prayers of faith and our patience had turned it all into our favor!!

 

Finally, the final week of January, 1987 had arrived  and all the long days and nights were almost over, my heart was so elated inside my chest. I had to suffer many disappointments in order to arrive at this moment of our relationship, but each one had made my love grow deeper for him and I can tell that it was mutual with him as well!!! Life literally tried to break us, but God's saving grace held us together as we placed HIM above all the setbacks! We opt out of writing each other to talking on the phone each night leading up to his travels to come to get me to take me home to be his wife. TOGETHER= TO GET HER, so this is what we both concentrated on all that week leading to his return. At the same time my sister and I began to feel deeply in our hearts what was about to happen in our relationship as we prepared to go our separate ways of living apart again. We spent time with our friends there in Selma, Alabama so that we all could be together to say our goodbyes.  

The Return

My husband arrived on a Wednesday, January 28, 1987 to take me home once and for all to be his wife! It had been reveal and established that he indeed was truly the man in my dream; therefore, the reality of this fact was established deeply in both of our hearts. My sister had to work that day but my last day at work was that previous Saturday, January 24, 1987. The last few days gave me time to pray and debrief myself from all the months of working and living away from him. We spent the day picking up all my layaways before we headed back home later that evening. Once my sister arrived home from work that afternoon it was obvious that she was sad and so was I. We went and had lunch together with her after work before we began packing the car with all of my belongings. This was a tough moment, because I was caught in between the love and  the bond that I had established with my sister and with the man I was in love with for the rest of my life!! My heart was so torn in this moment. She helped me finish packing and we decided to wait until it was time for her to attend the mid-week service at her church, before we left for our travels home.

 My husband's car was jammed pack with all my personal things and my decorations for our wedding. We all had to ride in the front as we took my sister to drop her off at church that Wednesday evening. We knew we had each other for consolation after we said our goodbyes, but it gave us peace that she was going to have her church family that emotional evening to be there for her in the days and weeks ahead. Once we finally were able to depart for home, I was quiet for a few miles as I wrapped my mind and heart around leaving my sister to head home to be married. I would see her again in a few weeks, because as I mentioned earlier she was my Maid of Honor. As I rode close to my husband in the car, my mind began to shift to us and all the times that we had to say goodbye and my heart began to flood with so many joyous emotions and we began to talk about our final plans for our home. He had prepared a home for us to live in starting the night after our wedding. Our hard work while we were apart had finally work out in our favor. We only had less than three weeks to bring everything together for our wedding. I had my bridal shower to attend which had been planned by my bridesmaids. He had some final preparations for our home and plus he still had to work each day until our wedding. God's grace had mature us and given us a focus that we never thought that we could possess at such a young age of 21! His birthday is November 9, 1965 and mine is January 18, 1966 so we are a little over three months apart in age. Each year when my birthday arrives, he tells me that I caught him again, because I become the same age of him until his next birthday. Lastly, 9+9= 18; therefore, we totally believe that we were destined to be together. Also, the number 18 means life!! God grace brings all the details together if only you choose to persevere and see the tested moments all the way through until the testimony is established!

Our drive home together was so fulfilling, because now we were back together. Once I arrived at my sister's home where I would stay until we were married, he made a vow to see me each day after work. I got all settled in that week and each day I had to finalize all the wedding plans, but each day I found time to rest, so that I would enjoy my special day and of course my wedding night!!! Each evening, he would come to visit me as he had promised. My bridal shower was held at one of my bridesmaids home  on Friday, February 6, 1987, which was the weekend before my wedding day. It was great to spend this special moment with all my friends. My faith and patience had stood the test of time and in one week I was going to married to the man of my dream!!!  We attended church together that Sunday and afterward we discussed the final details of our ceremony with my God Daddy, because we chose him to officiate our wedding ceremony. Afterwards we spent the evening together, because he had to go back to work that next day. He worked the entire week prior to our wedding. He got off that Friday evening in time for our wedding rehearsal. Earlier that morning, his mom and I traveled to Mobile, Alabama to pick up his tuxedos and my wedding gown. The bridal consultant had it ready, all steamed and stored in a non-transparent bag when we arrived as she had promised. She was so nice during the entire process as well as all of the other people that assisted in making my wedding details come together. As I traveled back home with his mom, she gave me her blessings and for this I was truly grateful. My husband is her only son and the oldest out of her two children. His little sister was one of our flower girls. They are over twelve years apart in age. 

As our wedding rehearsal took place that night at our church and we could take a final sigh of relief just knowing that the next day at the same time we would be officially husband and wife. All of my family started arriving later that evening for the wedding. This was his last night to see me before our wedding  day, so he came by my sister's house to see me before 12 midnight. We both were so excited that by that time the next night we would be spending our first night together in our own home as a married covenant Christian couple. My sisters made sure that he was gone before midnight, because after mid night my wedding day had officially arrived! Once he left, I got my shower and as you can imagine it was very difficult for me to fall asleep. I had so many thought of our long love journey until I thought I would never drift off to sleep. 

I slept in late the next morning after I finally drifted off to sleep. My sisters had made me breakfast and after I had finished eating, I got dressed, because I had to go into town to pick up some last minute personal items. Afterward we had to go by my husband's mom and Dad's home for a brief moment to pick up my brother and they had to hide me in the car to avoid him seeing me just in case he was there at the time. We were not there for a long time and thank God he was not there either. Once we arrived back at my sister's home the day seemed to have been moving along so fast toward our wedding which was scheduled for 5 p.m. that Saturday evening on February 14, 1987. All of my wedding planners had assured me that everything was in place for our ceremony. After 3 o'clock that afternoon, my sister who was my maid of honor and I began to get dressed for my wedding. I must admit, I had so many emotions going on inside as we all got prepared for my wedding; however, none of them made me have second thought about marrying my husband. Instead, I was so happy that God's sufficient grace had guided us through all of our challenges and enabled us to be only a few hours away from vowing our hearts and our lives together in covenant as "one". As my God Daddy officiated our marriage ceremony, I just knew that this was a very special time for him, because he had dreamed that this day would come to be when I lived with him and his family back in Mobile, Alabama. He went home to be with the Lord, this past spring, 2021!! 

Our Special Day Displaying God's Sufficient Grace

On Saturday, February 14, 1987 at 5 p.m. in Fountain, Alabama the man of my dream and I took our covenant vows to love and cherish each other for the rest of our lives and to be joined together as one!!! This was a very special day of our lives and due to the fact, we had to go through so many battles to arrive at this moment we were so sincere when we exchanged our vows and especially when we sealed those vows before God and all of our family and our friends. After our ceremony and reception, we was so happy to leave from our family and friends to began cleaving to each other on our wedding night in our own home as covenant husband and wife! Now, as I  write and share this backstory of mine to demonstrate how God's sufficient grace gave us the ability to endure challenging times and enabled us see our desired end come to be a reality, I hope it will inspire all who read it to never give up on their dreams as well!!. At this moment in our lives, my husband, the man of my dream and I have been graced by our Heavenly Father to have been married for 34 years as of this year on February 14, 2021. Through all the years of our marriage, we have experienced time after time God's sufficient grace in every area of our lives from the time that we had our first child to the moment that we had the last one. His grace was not depleted during all of the twists and turns of raising our four children during their adolescent years to adulthood. Today they are all grown-up and we are praying for each of them to be a recipient of His powerful overflowing grace in every aspect of their lives and families as well! Lastly, I pray all who read this back story of my life will be encouraged  to welcome God's unmerited grace and favor to become a part of your lives in order to inspire other as well!

"May The Sufficiency of God's Grace Be In Operation In Your Everyday Life"

"God's Grace is a gift, so just pray and receive it"!!!

''QUEENY"

* Ephesians 2:8- For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves,  it is the gift of God.

**I DO NOT OWN RIGHTS TO THIS SONG. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE ARTIST***