Sitting with the Lord, focusing on our love story. Everyone loves a good love story! It is the season of love after all! Thanking the Lord for blessing me with the Love of my life! However, our story is not your average love story. First of all, many people know the story of how we met and eloped 6 weeks after we met (Who does that?!) and were blessed with 19 years together. ? What many folk do not know is our back story. 

I was 40 years old when we met and had never been married before. I’ve always considered myself somewhat of a late bloomer, in fact, my graduate school portfolio was titled, “Diary of a Late Bloomer.” I’m going to write that book soon. Anyway, I’d thought I was ready to get married in my 20s but truth be told, I wasn’t ready! When I met Stephen, I’d been tried in the fire and came out not smelling like smoke. In fact we both had. Stephen talked about his encounter with Christ later in life after his first marriage. He told me about how he made a commitment to the Lord. He said he told the Lord when I get up off my knees, everything that I know I was doing that was wrong, I’m not going to do anymore. He was intense and sincere like that about his relationship with the Lord. I’m so glad God looked at the heart! His heart’s desire, as is mine, was to please the Lord. He told me that he contacted his first wife and apologized for not being a godly husband to her and asked for the opportunity to be a godly husband. On her part, she did not want that, but it touched my heart that he would go so far as to ask her for forgiveness and endeared him to me even more. When Stephen found me lots of years later (he’d been divorced more than 10 years), I had been praying for a godly husband. I used to pray verbatim that God would send me a mate that loved Jesus more than he loved himself. Because I knew I would be covered in that kind of love, if that was the case! Stephen was also praying for a godly mate. 

Interesting enough that Stephen and I were both on staff at local churches when we met. Later we recognized that was part of God’s plan in bringing us together. We met through a friend. I shared in my anniversary post how we met through a church event. Anyway, my friend was at a CICIs pizza and she overheard Stephen and another gentleman talking about men’s clothing. She was one of my volunteers who was recruiting vendors for a business expo at the church, so she approached them about their participation. She said these two pastors prayed for her in the parking lot at CiCis pizza and she almost went down under the power of the Lord! She assumed they were married but after visiting their business, found out that he was not. She called me up and said “Girlfriend put your best duds on, I’m taking you to meet your husband tomorrow.” So being a woman of faith, ? I put my best duds on and went to meet my husband! The rest is history!

So as I sit with the Lord this morning I’m grateful for the many ways, my honey consistently proved his love to me from day one. Reflecting on the goodness of the Lord in our relationship. Both of us were rebuilding our lives in Winston when we met so we were very tight in the budget dept. We actually didn’t have much of a budget. Yet every time he’d see me, he’d have something special for me when we first met. It might be a card, a single rose, a bag lunch, a fragrance, a special handwritten note,  whatever he was able to do, he’d do it. Over the years he’d prove to be the most thoughtful gift giver. He totally stepped up my jewelry and technology game! I remember that he’d always run around the car to open the door for me. Being so independent at 40, I even said to him “don’t pretend to be someone you’re not, because I’m going to be who I am with you. If this is not something you normally, do it’s all good.” He told me, “this is how my Mama raised me.” Over the years, he always opened my car door and held the door for me. He was a hand holder so he always grabbed my hand when we walked. In fact, his last conscious touch was him holding and squeezing my hand. I’m so thankful for that moment. He showed his love for me right up to his last breath! 

I remember that he was a phone caller. Day one, he left me the sweetest message on my voicemail, and he kept calling everyday after that. He called me to check in consistently. He called me every morning at my desk at work. If a colleague was in my office and my phone rang, they knew it was Stephen. They’d say go ahead and talk to your hubby I’ll come back later. During our family girls’ trips, he’d call me throughout the day just to see what we were up too. Last trip, my cousin said she missed Stephen being a part of our trip because he always called. If he got busy at work, he’d call on a break from a meeting just to check on me. Sometimes we’d get cut off in the elevator. If he didn’t reach me he’d leave a message that went something like this, “Honey I just called to check on you and say I love you.” How I miss those calls! I went looking through my voicemail just to listen to his voice the other day. 

I remember that just like when we first met, he’d often bring me flowers, just because, but especially on V day, birthdays and anniversaries . It was not unusual to walk by my office door and see flowers on my desk. Every anniversary, he’d give me a rose for each year and one to grow on. Flowers were his way of saying “I love you” to me.

He loved to surprise me with tickets to some special event. I remember, our first Valentine’s Day together, he told me to dress up and he took me Ryan’s steakhouse and then he took to the Reynolda gardens atrium where they had a mezzo soprano singing love songs around a grand piano for couples. It was so romantic! That sticks out in my mind as the perfect example of his romantic side. He wasn’t afraid to show his love for me openly and romantically. He always kissed me when he walked in the door. 

With a love like that, it was my honor to take care of him when he became ill. He once apologized to me and I quickly reminded him that he was not a burden, he was my love and It was my privilege to care for him. I knew he’d do the same for me if it was the other way around. In fact, I often wished it was me instead of him because I couldn’t bear to think of my life without him. The Lord and I still have that convo as to why He chose to bring him home when He did. I still get sad and am still hurt about it. One of my ways to cope is to remember my honey’s love and to be thankful to have known such love! My heart is filled and I’m grateful for the blessing of a love like ours this Valentine’s Day.

We are not your average love story! 

The enemy tried to take each us out before we met in the most destructive way, but God kept us and led us to each other. True love really does stand the test of time. We’re proof of that! I’m so thankful for Stephen Larry Powell and our love story! 

Just sharing my morning musings, particularly for widows. It’s feels cliche to say “remember the good times,” as if they erase the pain. They don’t, but they do ease it a little. If you’ve lost someone you love, remember and let their attributes soothe the pain today. It’s working for me this morning.