Not What I Expected

Today is my anniversary!  7 years of well, sounds cliche, but truly wedded bliss.  I love being married and I love that we have a fantastic marriage.  It's not at all what I expected.  Did I expect the marriage part to be wonderful?  YES!  Did I expect a wonderful man?  Yes....and no.
You see I didn't get married until I was 32 and well, I pretty much had given up on ever getting married.  I knew it would be wonderful but didn't expect it to happen to me.  I had decided to be single.  I wouldn't have a pile of kids, I would never be a wife.
Then something unexpected happened.  God sent James my way.  I went camping with friends from church and BOOM - there he was.  The complete opposite of what I was looking for.
He was younger than me.  Strike 1
Blonde - Strike 2
Divorced with kids - Strike 3, 4, 5, 6 and ........

then God started working on my heart.
I heard God say clearly.  I prepared you for this man.  Huh?  Nope.  Not me God.  Wrong girl.  I didn't want the "baggage" and he clearly wasn't my type.

The more I said no, the louder God spoke to me.  "this man loves ME.  See what I have to say about this".

So when my sneaky friend made it happen that we were talking and he asked me out I had enough curiosity in God's plan to say yes.  

One year later we got married!  To the day of that first date.

God has changed me A LOT in these 7 years.  Changed me in ways that could only come from marrying a man that had been hurt, broken and restored to new life with Him.....changed me in ways that being a step mom could only change me.  Changed me to love Him and depend on God more and trust Him.  Trust His plan.  It's good.  It's better than good - it's WONDERFUL!!!