My Christian walk hasn’t been straight.
I grew up Catholic and thought faith was mostly about checking the boxes: complete the sacraments, confess your sins once in a while, and do the Stations of the Cross during Lent. It was tradition. Familiar. But it wasn’t deeply personal.
Then came college—and I veered far off course. I got into some sticky situations, made more than a few poor choices, and stumbled through a couple of toxic relationships. Faith, for me, became a foggy idea I’d revisit occasionally. Not gone, just distant.
Then I met a man who was different.
He didn’t try to impress me with his Bible knowledge or posture like some spiritual guru. He simply believed. His faith was steady, real, and quietly convicting. I remember the moment he asked me a simple, pointed question that made me cry:
“Do you believe in God?”
He asked it with love—but also with unwavering conviction. And he made it clear that if I wasn’t open to faith, he would walk away from our budding relationship. That wrecked me. I wasn’t ready to say “yes,” but I also knew I hadn’t shut the door on God. I was… curious. A little agnostic. A lot uncertain.
There were moments in my life when I’d walk into church during hard seasons, and the sermon would feel like it was written just for me. Were those just coincidences—or was it God reaching out? I didn’t know. I just knew I wasn’t ready to say no.
So when he asked me that question, I gave him the best answer I could muster:
“I think so.”
From There, God Moved
The Lord began to work on me in ways I never could’ve orchestrated myself. My now-husband didn’t push me or guilt me—he simply stood firm. He knew who he was, and more importantly, he knew who God was.
We fought sometimes. We debated. I had questions. So many questions. But over time—and through Bible studies, prayer, and just watching him live out his faith—I started to believe.
I saw how his faith shaped his decisions, his patience, his leadership.
I saw how Jesus shaped his manhood.
And slowly, my heart changed. My values shifted. And as they did, my decisions followed.
Real-Life, Not Fairy Tale
Let me be clear: our marriage isn’t perfect.
There was a season when he was convicted that we needed to change how we were educating our kids. I resisted—hard. But he led our family anyway. And looking back, I’m so grateful he did.
We’ve had so many conversations—some tearful, some tense—about money, career choices, parenting, priorities. My rigid nature meets his free spirit more often than I’d like to admit. But God.
When there was nothing else to say, God showed up.
As a child of divorce, that word held some weight and fear. But with my husband, it has never entered our vocabulary.
Because I know this man meant what he said when he said “I do.”
He’d been married before. He was faithful in sickness and in health, even when his first wife walked away. His commitment to covenant was real. And now, he’s committed to me—not just because of who I am, but because of Who he serves.
God Changed My Life
I thought I might or might not get married. I believed marriage was just a piece of paper. I was wrong.
There’s nothing like being married.
I thought I might have a few kids. We had four.
Then I thought we were done. And God changed my heart again.
We had two more.
God has been undoing my need to control everything.
He’s teaching me to surrender—even when it’s hard and even when I do it imperfectly.
I pray often now. Not just for the “big stuff,” but for everyday decisions, conversations, frustrations, hopes. And I thank God for this man He sent me. Not because he saved me—Jesus did that—but because this Christian man reflected Christ in a way that led me closer to Him.
Verses That Carried Me
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
— Matthew 6:33
When I stopped chasing what I thought life should look like and began seeking God, everything began to shift.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
— Proverbs 16:9
I had plans. But God had something better—a marriage rooted in faith, a home full of life, and a deeper understanding of grace than I ever thought possible.
What Next?
If you’re not sure where you stand with faith but you’re curious—keep seeking.
If you’re dating someone who leads with conviction, who won’t compromise his belief—don’t be afraid. That’s a good thing.
I thank God often that He didn’t leave me where I was.
And I thank Him for sending me a man who was willing to love me and lead me—even when I wasn’t easy to lead.