One day a 27 year old Spanish teacher (who had just resigned from her wonderful position at a high school to teach 1st grade in Honduras) headed to an outdoor store to get a water purifier to be able to hike on her new 2 year adventure abroad.  She had been to this store numerous times the first year it had been open.  (It was of course filled with things that she wanted to purchase to go on her adventures.  Waterproof, breathable, compact had been her new words she had been obsessed with after her trips to Colorado with her Young Life kids.)  This day she searched for one thing and one thing only.  With a sale postcard in hand she entered.    

A man approached her with a smile and asked if he could help her with anything.  Immediately she got out her scribbled note paper and asked for the specific water purifier.  Surprisingly they had it.  He walked her to the display case and began explaining how it worked.  The conversation moved from water to her job and the fact that she was to resign soon.  She hadn’t told anyone yet.  She wondered why she had just shared this secret with a stranger.  BUT there was something different.  He was so easy to talk to and he wasn’t too hard to look at. 

(Side note: The woman’s sister had often told her about a single man that owned the local gear shop with his brothers.  Unbeknownst to her the talkative sister had also been scheming and sharing bits and pieces to the man about her as well.)

After an hour they exchanged names, glances and goodbyes and Virginia walked out of the store…..forever….well for at least 2 years thought Paul.  Immediately his heart fell and he began to search for ways to be able to get into contact with Virginia.  He, with his brother and sister in law, tried to come up with ways to find her.  He was at a loss. 

Meanwhile, Virginia went to her sister’s house with a new water purifier and a story to tell.  She began to retell the story. How she had met that man at the store, and the conversation that followed.  Her sister giggled.  Then, that’s when it happened.  The receipt came out and Virginia had been overcharged!  The day’s sale price wasn’t given!  That was it.  There was no choice. $30 wasn’t something to walk away from.  Quickly Virginia picked up the phone and called her mother to come with to the store and check out the sale.  (Not telling her the real reason was because she didn’t want to go alone and feel like she was a stalker.)


An hour later Virginia pulled up to the store in her car and walked inside with her mother as her “wingman”.  Embarrassed she approached Paul and told him what had happened.  He was surprised to see her back again.  & happy that his sister in law had overcharged the woman he thought he had lost.  & here she was in front of him!  It was a busy evening so Paul had to help other customers and Virginia and her Mother stood in line at the check out.  Wandering back and forth Paul eavesdropped on a conversation with the two women and overheard the word “tent”.  Suddenly from 15 feet away he offered to show Virginia the 2 man tent in the back of the store.  With flushed cheeks she followed after her Mother’s prodding.  The tent was called the Hubba Hubba tent.

On the way back to the checkout Paul asked Virginia to dinner.  A quiet, embarrassed “sure” followed.  Then he asked for her number.  Flustered and with no grace at all she couldn’t remember her own number.  In front of a crowd of people she asked her mother for her cell phone and number.  Everyone’s eyes were on the future couple.  Everyone knew what was going on!

It was a rainy evening and Virginia’s hair is naturally curly in the humidity.  With her hair pumped full of product to keep the wild frizz from taking over they went out to the restaurant. The conversation was great and the evening went surprisingly well.  Virginia thought it was a fun change of pace and a night out.  Paul dropped her off at home and they went on their merry way.
A few days later a phone call came from Paul.  Virginia answered and Paul began explaining on the other end why they should just be friends.  Surprised and feeling a little embarrassed Virginia listened on.  She wondered to herself why a guy after the first date would call and say that.  A first date is just that.  A first date.  No phone call needed after that if either person doesn’t want to go any further.  That simple.  This was the oddest call she had ever had.  After talking on the phone for another 25 minutes the conversation ended with another date.  Well, I guess a friend date.  But that was fine with Virginia because she was leaving and wasn’t really looking for a relationship.  (Little did she know that this was Paul’s plan all along.  He knew that she wasn’t looking for a relationship, but “hanging out” together allowed them to get to know each other without the stress.  Little did he know, but that Virginia was a bit weirded out about the whole “defining the relationship thing” after the first date – it almost backfired.)

The summer continued with beach walks, disc golf, day hikes, kayaking, movies on the beach and swimming.  Slowly their relationship changed without a conversation.  As a matter of fact their first kiss was kayaking. Virginia had given him a dirty look and asked ‘what in the world he was doing’ when he leaned in for the kiss.  Funny. awkward. moment.  That’s just how they rolled.
June, July and the beginning of August flew by and Virginia began packing for 2 years.  She planned on coming home for a bit the next summer, but this was going to be awhile.  What did this whirlwind romance mean?  What were they to do with this summer love?  They talked for hours and Paul said that he would wait.  He would wait 2 years!?  Virginia knew her fickle heart and wondered if she would be as patient.  What did God want to do in this?  Oh well, she had given her word and she was moving forward.
The countdown turned from weeks to days and the airport was calling.  Virginia’s stomach started turning.  She had been overseas by herself before, but never felt anxious like this.  There was something unsettling and she couldn’t figure it out.  She had made a decision to move to MI for a guy before and she had said she would never make a decision to follow another man again.  This was it.  She had to go.  She continued to pray and ask God to physically stop her from getting on the plane.  She just wanted His Will for her.  Not her will.  This was so frustrating and sickening.  How to know what you’re supposed to do.
Early in the morning on August 15th Virginia, Paul and her mother packed the car and were on their way to the airport to see her off.  Her Dad followed along as well as a few friends.  They were there to see her and another friend off to teach.  After the luggage was checked they sat at some tables in the lounge to chat and spend some time together.  Virginia’s stomach was in knots, her eyes were puffy, as a matter of fact everything about her seemed out of place.  There was inner turmoil that was physically coming out of her.  No one mentioned the elephant in the room and the minutes passed.
The gate call was made and the goodbyes began….
Suddenly Virginia blurted out:

“Does anyone else not have peace about this?”  

Immediately her friend Tracy (who I had been in Bible study with and praying with) stood up and said that she didn’t either.  She added that she didn’t want to say anything because she didn’t think it was her place.  

Paul and her Dad just stared not saying a thing.  They knew what they wanted selfishly, but they knew better than to say it.

That was it.  Decision was made.  Virginia was not going.  God’s peace filled her and she knew she was making the right decision.  Heavy weights were lifted and there was joy on her face. 

In a flurry Paul and her father took off to the airline desk to let them know and get the luggage off of the plane.  In a state of shock Virginia stood there and sent her friend off on the flight alone.  For the next 90 minutes the plane was delayed on the tarmac so they could find her luggage.  The people at the desk were quite happy and kept reassuring her that she wasn’t the real reason the plane was being delayed.  As soon as the luggage was located the plane took off and Virginia went back home.  

Over the next few months it was a crazy time of trusting that God had His plan in place.  The story was His.  Not hers. Not Paul’s.  Within this time her Grandmother shared her lack of peace on her decision to go and others told their feelings as well.  It was evident that God had His hand in all of it.  & knowing that Virginia can doubt her decisions rather quickly He placed people there to encourage her and share what He had been telling them in their hearts.

On October 1st Paul skipped church and Virginia went alone.  She was a little put off that he would choose to go hunting rather than go after church.  Moving on she went to meet him for a drive up north after church.  They hopped in the car and began driving.  Paul suggested that they take a little detour and walk through Nordhouse Dunes.  Virginia who was being a little fickle said that she’s rather not.  Paul pushed and pushed until Virginia caved in.  They drove down the dirt road and proceeded to walk out to the beach on a beautiful, sunny day.  When they made it to the top of a small dune at the water’s edge Paul ran down the dune and into the woods.  (One thing she had learned about this boy is that he had a small bladder.)  She turned to give him privacy.

Watching the sun reflect on the rippling water she smiled.  Suddenly to her surprise Paul was kneeling there next to her with a bouquet of flowers and a ring.  

He proposed & she said YES.

(He had driven 90 minutes, ran 1.5 miles to the beach, ran another 1.5 back to the car, drove 90 minutes back to meet Virginia after church….just to hide the flowers in the woods.  Then he created a false bottom in his water bottle holder to hold the ring just so I wouldn’t suspect anything.  Crazy.  Creative.  Love him!