A Step of Faith

As a single I always wondered and asked God how I would know which guy was the one for my lifelong mate. As I dated Doug, my husband now of 11 years, I prayed for what seemed like an eternity, "Lord, is he the one you have for me?" We dated for two years and it came to the point in our relationship where we both needed to know if we were to be married.

Doug left for Africa on a mission trip and I was in Tennessee working in a local hospital. After work one night the Lord led me to a small pond in the middle of town. Sitting in my car looking over the pond, I began to pray a familiar prayer that I had lifted up to the Lord many times, "Lord, please let me know if Doug is the one I am to marry. I need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt." As I finished my sentence the Lord spoke to my heart, "DeAnn, do you see the water in front of you?" I replied, "Yes, Lord.” He continued, “Do you remember the story of Peter walking on water? How Peter stepped out of the boat and as long as he kept his eyes on me he walked on water but when he started looking at the wind and the waves he began to sink? DeAnn, your life is like that. You need to trust me, keep your eyes on me, take a step of faith and get out of the boat and marry Doug. Don't look at the wind and the waves, things like not having any savings, a house of your own, and not having finished college yet. Step out in faith and keep your eyes on me."

. As Doug was flying home from Africa he watched the movie, Sense and Sensibility. The story line was about two sisters--one sister truly loved a man with all her heart and soul; the other said she loved a man but the truth was that although he would be a good provider and a good man, deep down in her heart she didn't truly love him.

Doug prayed while on the plane, "Lord, I don't want DeAnn to marry me just because I would provide a good home life for her and be a stable, strong spiritual man. I want her to love me for those things but I also want her to be passionately in love with me. Lord, at the airport, let her run and jump in my arms if she is the one you want me to marry.”

As I waited at Doug's parent’s home to ride with them to the airport to pick up Doug the phone rang. It was Doug's voice and he was one flight away from being home. A month had passed since I had heard his voice. My heart pounded and tears began to fall; I missed him desperately.     During that phone conversation I said to Doug, “Is it O.K. if I run down the airport and jump in your arms?" Doug answered in shock, "Do as you feel is best."
We arrived at the airport. There were many people coming off the plane but I didn't see Doug's face. As I anxiously waited, I talked with the Lord again, "Lord, there are so many people here I can't just take off running in the middle of the airport! People will think I am crazy!"
The moment I saw Doug's face, I felt the Lord whisper in my heart, girl you are running! And I did. I ran until I reached his arms.
After leaving the airport we returned to Doug's parent’s home and shared all the things that had happened the month he was gone. I told him what the Lord said to me about Peter getting out of the boat and walking on water. Doug began to cry. "What night was it that the Lord spoke to you?” he asked. It turned the very same night he was preaching on the same subject of Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water.

I knew my prayer was answered and that God had confirmed it. I knew he was the one to walk this life with me. As God spoke to my heart in Tennessee, he also spoke to the heart of my soul mate, giving us the same Scripture at the same "exact" time on two different continents of the world.

Now, as we serve as missionaries overseas with five children, I look at him and know he is the one God chose for me. What amazing things God can do when we give our lives fully to him.

DEANN HAYES
Serving the Lord in an undisclosed country.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Printed in Above Rubies # 75.