Reminicing.....note to Lucy Swindoll

About 11 years ago, I was 36, single, devastated because I couldn’t understand what God was doing with me, rather what He was NOT doing with me. All my life I dreamed of being a mom, being married, sharing myself, the love of God and all the wonderful things my mom shared with me with little ones. The desire to be married was never gone, and I couldn’t figure out why because I constantly prayed that the Lord would take it away if it was not in His plan. I do not remember how I found it, but I purchased the book/devotional called Celebrate Life by Lucy Swindoll. The Lord used this book to help me become satisfied with where He had me then and there—not focusing on something I may or may not have in the future. The joy of the Lord as my friend, my strength, my companion, and the ultimate love was so breathtaking it amazed me how I could not have seen it before. Knowing, REALLY knowing just how much He loved me as I am broke that hold of heartache I had for so long.

 

Several months later, I put a profile on a place called “love at AOL” as a joke for a friend.  I used the worse picture I could find (could only tell I was white and had long, dark hair). Yet I answered the questions truthfully and honestly. I made sure I used the word “Christian” in each of the questions, just in case there was someone out there, but wasn’t planning on it. I smile when I remember answering “What is your favorite sense” (meaning smell, touch, sight, etc.). I answered “humor”.  I had a few emails from strange men that didn’t really strike a cord. Then there came one from someone that merely said, “You sound interesting. Tell me more about yourself.” I smiled, tried to look up a profile on the user name, but there wasn’t any.  So I wrote back, “Why no profile, jhogan1956? Tell me more about you!” That first email came August 30^th, 1996, and began a flood of emails over the next few weeks. I met this man face to face October 2, just 9 weeks after the first email and he proposed the next day. Next week marks our 10^th anniversary.  He turned out to be everything that I every asked for, hoped for and dreamed of. Even down to serenading me and being a boy scout!  My favorite phrase?  “I always wanted to write a love story, I didn’t know I would live one.”

 

I saw Lucy at the Women of Faith Conference a few weeks ago. Seeing her reminded me that by the way she let the Lord use her in writing that book helped to change my life. The Lord is still my “main squeeze”, and this wonderful man he brought to me had to be worked on in amazing ways by the Lord to get him ready for me. I just want to thank her for being who God wanted her to be & listening to His calling on her life. When the book is finished (on my love story), I need to send her a copy!

 

Thanks again, Lucy!