The Crazy Way We Met: it all started on the road to Catalina Island

Posted May 5th, 2008 by Jen in family life

“The Crazy Way We Met” is the topic for this month’s Marriage Monday group writing project at Chrysalis.

I was on a long and torturous bus trip from Eugene, Oregon down to Catalina Island, California, with dozens of junior high youth group kids for their spring break church camp. This was my first big activity as a youth leader in this church, and it would seem I only landed there because I had nothing better to do.

The youth pastor was driving, and called me up for a chat. I barely knew him or any of the other leaders at this point, so this was probably a follow up to my criminal history check. :-) Okay, not really, this church actually does a good job of screening its youth workers. But I may have appeared to be a bit of a basket case. I had just quit law school, which had been my goal my entire life, and was about to run away to France, where I had already committed to be an au pair for a French family in Besançon with four lovely children.

So, the pastor says, “Jen, where do you see yourself in say, ten years?” I honestly couldn’t see beyond this head-numbing bus ride, and said as much. “I have no idea…maybe somewhere in France? I don’t know, but probably not Oregon.” I was only in Oregon for law school, and now I had no reason to be here.

However, “something” caused the pastor to make a pretty bold statement, which I will never in my life forget:

I think that in ten years you’ll be living in Eugene married to C.T. (obviously, he said my husband’s name, not his initials, but this is my semi-private blog here).

Yep, the very first time I ever heard my husband’s name was this crazy youth pastor telling me I would marry this unknown person. Being the intensely curious person that I am, I immediately began asking, “Who is C.T.?!”

It turned out that C.T. had been working with the youth group for a while, but then moved up to Portland to take a job with IBM. Lucky for me, his little cousin Kelly was in 7th or 8th grade at the time and was on this very trip on this very bus. She must have overheard my baffled question of “Who is C.T.?” and was more than eager to tell me what a COOL cousin she had!

Not two months later, I met C.T. His department at IBM folded, he left for a month long surf trip to Baja, and then with nothing more exciting to do, returned to Eugene. On a Wednesday night, outside the Jr. High youth building, I stood with a few of the kids and watched a hot guy stride across the parking lot in our general direction. I had never seen so much as a photograph of the guy, but I instantly knew this was him. Less than a year later he asked me to be his wife, and we were married after the briefest 4-month engagement.

How my pastor could have seen any scratch of compatibility is a wonder. I was a studious, bookish type, he was a surfer with a rebellious streak. But, we both loved the Lord passionately, had a knack for youth work, and little did I know at the time (much less the first few years of marriage), but I couldn’t have hoped for a better soul-mate and best friend for life.

Here I am, not in France, but beautiful Oregon, now married to C.T. for going on 12 years, raising four of our own lovely children. The moral of the story: God is good. He knows better than you. He truly has a unique plan for your life. Sometimes He chooses to speak a prophetic word through a crazy youth pastor, so be listening.

Technorati Tags: dating, relationships, Catalina Island, Eugene, Oregon, marriage

24 Responses

Linnet May 5th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Cool story, amazing way you got together.

Hugs.
Connie Marie May 5th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Wow! What an insightful youth pastor, and I am glad it worked out for you, sounds like you have been blessed!
Connie Hopkins May 5th, 2008 at 4:04 am
AWESOME story! Isn’t it great that God has other ideas and they are definitely better than our own! I never knew that the first time I saw my Hub’s huge feet that they’d be walking through life beside me!
Connie
lori May 5th, 2008 at 4:08 am
That was a wonderful story of how God worked through other people in your life to get you to the place you are right now.

Blessings,

Lori
grace May 5th, 2008 at 5:19 am
God and love moves in mysterious ways! Lovely story, Jen.
Tipper May 5th, 2008 at 6:19 am
Now thats an amazing “how we met” story!
Susan May 5th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Ahhh, what a beautiful story! I just love when God sets up all those “divine appointments” in our lives.

Thanks, this was great♥
Angela May 5th, 2008 at 7:33 am
That is a great story. What a great memory and a blessing to have such a godly pastor!
Blessings,
Angela
amydeanne May 5th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Amen! what a lovely story!
Jane May 5th, 2008 at 7:43 am
I really enjoyed reading this! What a fabulous story! I am curious why you quit law school after it had been a life long dream- care to share more? I sound a little snoopy, don’t I? I’m just interested- it is such a neat story about God working things out in His own way.
Jana May 5th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Wow, that’s a truly amazing story! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Sheila May 5th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Thanks Jennifer for sharing your story…what a great one it is!

Sounds like a match LITERALLY made in heaven :-)

Have a great week
Sheila
Peculiar May 5th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Amen sister!! I know exactly what you mean. God knows better than we do. That’s how it happened to me. Love your story!
Melly May 5th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Oh, that was sweet. I just loved reading your story!
e-Mom May 5th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Oh, what a good story! How fun. Jesus Christ is the best match-maker of all.

(We seem to have youth work in common, along with some other things.)

Thanks for participating in Marriage Monday, Jennifer. :~D
SmallWorld May 5th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Jennifer: Oh no! I mailed your package WEEKS ago! It must have gotten lost in the mail!
JUST KIDDING!! Truly, honestly, I have been collecting items for your box and haven’t quite finished it off yet. As a matter of fact, we were headed to Target today for something else! I am sorry I’m such a slacker!!
Andrea May 5th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Wow! Now that was a story! Thanks for sharing.

I’m so glad God brought you and CT together. My hubby and I are total opposites as well, but we compliment each other very well:)

May God shower you and your family with His very finest blessings!
Renae May 5th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I’ve never heard a story like that! I love all the amazing ways God works.
Miriam Pauline May 6th, 2008 at 5:15 am
What an amazing story! That youth leader had a little bit of a prophet in him. I am loving reading all these stories of how God brought people together.
Jen May 6th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Hey you sweet people, thanks for your wonderful comments!! I’m glad you enjoyed my little story. It’s pretty funny, and amazing, looking back at it. People have many different opinions as to whether God actually ordains events like this, or if the spouse you choose is simply a choice among many options. I can only speak for myself, but I have no doubt that this particular match was absolutely Providential.

This is not to say we’ve had a perfect, sublime marriage. We work hard at it, have gone through difficult times, and have to choose daily to love as Christ loves, to put away selfishness, to think of the other before ourself.

May God richly bless your marriage!!
Anne May 6th, 2008 at 11:30 am
wow lol great story
Karen May 6th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
It is amazing how the Lord leads our steps and brings us where He wants for His Glory! Thanks for sharing your journey. The Lord is good! :)
Tami Boesiger May 6th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
So did you freak when the youth pastor told you that?! Wow.
Tammy May 7th, 2008 at 9:09 am
This was an incredible story!!! Wow!
And you told it so very well!

I didn’t participate this time, but hope to on next Marriage Monday.
But I guess I should have, since my hubby and I met on a blind date!

I’ve seen your name but am not sure I’ve stopped by to visit yet or not…
I live in Oregon too (I was born in Eugene) and it’s always good to meet fellow Oregonians! :)

I have two little girls, 8 and 6…

Stop by if you have time and say hi!

Blessings,
~Tammy

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The Crazy Way We Met: it all started on the road to Catalina Island

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