Mary Melissa and I met, in high school, through a best friend of mine. At that hangout my eye was caught by a pretty blonde with a bright smile. Upon Mary Melissa leaving my friend’s house I asked him if he had her number. He didn’t but challenged me to get it so I chased down the car and asked her for it. After getting a phone number our relationship started. She made an impression in my heart quickly but, just as quickly as high school flames start up our time together in school ended. I went my way and she went hers as I moved off to college and she had two more years of high school. We kept in touch off and on through the years, both doing our best to keep the friendship but the original spark wasn’t quite there. Something was missing. Years later as our college days drew to a close Mary Melissa sent me a message with some sermons she thought I would appreciate. I gave them a listen and was struck by a needle sharp voice that spoke directly to my heart. To better understand the gravity of these messages, one must know that throughout high school and college neither one of us had a true relationship with Christ. We had sought our own comforts and made our own plans all our lives. When Mary Melissa found and shared the idea of an authentic relationship with Christ to me I was hooked. The man and woman in us, who were created in God’s image, found that spark again. What had happened that entire 9 years between Mary Melissa and I first meeting was God enacting HIs perfect plan through us, not simply to be in a relationship with each other, but to find and enter a relationship with Jesus Christ. The relationship Mary Melissa and I have now is two imperfect people building a marriage to reflect God’s perfect love.