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This was 13 years ago today. No one expected me & Bryan to work! I’m a literature nerd from England. He’s an engineering nerd from Oklahoma. We have almost nothing in common but our faith in Jesus & our desire to make him known. But God has been very good to us for 13yrs.
We started dating right before I went to seminary. My pastor (who i knew loved & respected me) had warned me going to seminary would mean I wouldn’t get married. I was already intimidating enough to men, he said, & this would only make it worse.
He hadn’t accounted for Bryan!
He hadn’t accounted for Bryan!
Bryan would often come & visit at weekends at @OakHillLondon & stay with @leefurney. I remember one time early on in our relationship when I was giving a children’s talk at a local church & he was helping me get ready.
Bryan was still in his pajamas & was down on his hands & knees colouring a poster in for my talk.
I thought as I looked down on him,
“I think I may just love this boy.”
He’s never been threatened by me & he’s always pushed me toward excellence, despite my natural laziness.
I thought as I looked down on him,
“I think I may just love this boy.”
He’s never been threatened by me & he’s always pushed me toward excellence, despite my natural laziness.
When my pastor said it was seminary or marriage I chose seminary. We need to be about the Lord’s business, whether he calls us to marriage or singleness. That’s what counts in the end. But I’m deeply thankful for Bryan becuse he has certainly helped me work harder for the Lord.
2 years before Bryan & I met, I'd had to turn down about the only guy I'd every really liked, because he wasn't a believer. I had a history of falling in love with women, so it was hard to tell the one guy with whom I seemed to have real chemistry I had to chose Jesus over him.
But much as marriage has been a blessing to me, it would never have been worth not following Christ. I was sufficiently clear on what the Bible said when I was making those choices that I knew I couldn't marry a non-believer & I knew I couldn't marry a woman without turning away.
To anyone feeling the challenges of singleness, I promise you: marriage is only a kid's drawing of a much more beautiful reality. You are not missing out if you chose Jesus over romantic love. He will never leave you or forsake you, & all else is rubbish compared to knowing Him.
Funny side note: my amazing grandma (who is a retired school headmistress but also an incredible seamstress) made my wedding dress. Without a pattern. From a vague description of features of other dresses my mum & I liked. She fitted it perfectly to me.
A few weeks before the wedding Bryan & I went to Italy with his brother & SIL, who had planned the trip before we planned our wedding (we were only engaged for 3months).
In Italy, I ate a lot of pizza & pasta & gelato & when I came home I was sure I wouldn’t fit the dress.
In Italy, I ate a lot of pizza & pasta & gelato & when I came home I was sure I wouldn’t fit the dress.
So I went on a super quick pre-wedding diet to get back to Grandma’s dress specs. But when the day came, it turned out I’d overdone it and I was too small!
I’d *promised* my pastor I wouldn’t be late. Our wedding was at 4 & he had to preach at our church’s 5pm service too. So, when 3:55pm rolled around & grandma was still working on the dress I started walking out of the room, with her training behind me with needle & thread.
She was literally still stitching me into it as I walked & recited, “I can’t be late for Mark! I promised!”
