1.) Edward & Michelle Pope: A Second Chance at Love
In 2010, after being disciples and married for 14 years, Edward lost his wife, Theda, to a very aggressive form of cancer. He never expected to remarry and chose to focus on his two young children and his local ministry. In 2012, after having been married in the church for 20 years, Michelle found herself as a single parent to three teenagers. With the experience of hurt and betrayal, she wondered if she would ever find love again.
Enter God: Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Even though they had close mutual friends, neither of them had spoken directly to each other. When the EF5 Tornado swept through Moore, Oklahoma in May 2013, Michelle went from Kansas City to provide medical disaster relief with a non-profit organization. Being part of the Oklahoma City church, Edward heard that a sister from another church was helping in the area and he stopped by to thank her for serving his community during such a disaster. In August 2013, Michelle shared her testimony on Disciples Today. After reading the story, the minister of the Oklahoma City church told Edward that he needed to get to know Michelle. Edward was reluctant, to say the least. How could he ever love someone else beside Theda?
They began occasionally communicating via Facebook, often discussing the challenges of being a single parent and being a single disciple during this later period in life. In September 2013, they saw each other again at a Dallas Singles Conference and went on their first date. God began to stir something in both of them that neither of them saw coming.
Phone calls and traveling between Kansas City and Oklahoma City deepened the bond between them. Edward wondered if he could ever love another and Michelle struggled with issues of trust. Edward became like Gideon and “threw out the fleece.” He prayed, “God, if this is the woman you have for me, when she next visits me, let there be an inch of snow on the ground.” (OKC rarely has snow in December.) The weekend Michelle visited, there were two inches of snow and ice. A few weeks later, they began dating.
The thought of blending two families was quite daunting, but not impossible for God. As they both built relationships with the other’s children and sought the advice of many leaders and friends, it became very clear that God wanted them together. In late April 2014, they were engaged. In July, Edward and his two children moved to Kansas City and they were married, surrounded by their children and friends. It is amazing how God took two very difficult situations wrought with such emotional pain and created something greater than either of them could have imagined. But then again…that is how God works.
2.) Sonny & Kim Rhyne: True Love is About Friendship
True love is about friendship. I knew she was a great friend long before I knew that she would be the woman I would marry. As a friend she was humble, spiritual, sensitive, sincere, a good listener, easy to talk to and laugh with, and always willing to be silly with me and have fun. Her first impressions of me: a little brother. A goofy, immature, yet slightly amusing little brother. You see, she is seven years older than I am (sorry, honey), and when that seven years spans your 20s and 30s, there is a big difference in your life experiences and maturity. (Sorry again, honey!)
However, in spite of completely different backgrounds (religious, social), life-experiences, personalities, maturity levels, and interests, we were good friends. I have never met anyone that I enjoy being around more than her.
It was a rough journey to love and marriage, when I came to my senses and realized what a treasure she was, because of my immaturity (both physically and spiritually). My sin of not leading our relationship spiritually almost shipwrecked our friendship before it had reached its destination. However, faithfulness to God and friendship have a way of overcoming the mistakes and the sins of even the most prideful, knuckleheads (like me).
We started dating on October 8, 1999. I asked her to marry me on December 19, 1999. We were married on February 26, 2000. It’s been almost 15 years. We have worked together every day for almost all of our 17-year friendship and marriage. Every day, together. It hasn’t always been easy. We have been together through emotional problems, infertility, the deaths of 10 close relatives in my family (including my parents and grandparents), depression, a failed adoption placement, financial hardships, major health issues and scares, personal and spiritual disappointments and much, much more! But through it all…together.
Now almost 15 years later with our two kids (one biological, one adopted), still working together everyday, still holding hands on car rides, still calling each other several times a day to say “I love you,” still dating, still laughing, still having fun, and still my best friend. I can honestly say it has gotten better over the years and I would have never thought that was possible. I feel like I am the greatest example of God’s grace. Only in my life I call that grace: Kim.
3.) Jorge & Jamila Abreu: A Love Story Designed in Cuba
In 2012, I had been a disciple for 14 years in Canada with 34 years of age under my belt. I had no luck on the love front. And I had been rejected by 15 medical schools in North America at my first attempt. I thought God had made it crystal clear that medical school was not for me. I told my mother the news and her first comment was, “What about Cuba? …Or any of the developing countries, if this is really your dream?” What my mother did not know was that God had put Cuba on my heart in 2010 after volunteering as a registered nurse in Haiti. The more I heard about the Cuban medical program and system, the more I wanted to do my medical studies there. But I kept hitting a brick wall; I thought “Is it really impossible for you, God? Or are you saying medical school is not for me?” I simply did not know how to apply and I gave up.
In 2012, Jorge had been a disciple for 12 years in Cuba. At 35 years, he had completely lost hope of finding a wife and having his own family. He was discouraged and depressed.
So in 2012, I took a great risk and moved to Havana to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor. I spoke zero Spanish. Although my daily motto was, “It is not the greatness of my faith that moves mountains, but my faith in the greatness of God,” I was plagued with doubts, insecurities, and unbearable fears of failure. Once in Havana, I knew my success as a medical student would depend on my walk with God and his saints. It did not take long for me to notice the humble singles leader, Jorge. I could not believe he was single.
Our friendship developed organically. It was so simple and uncomplicated. God allowed me to know the depth of Jorge’s heart when I had to buy back some of my shipped belongings and say bye to the rest because of Cuban customs policies. Jorge was deeply disappointed in his country. He cried. No man had ever cried so publicly for me because he felt my pain. I knew right then and there that he was the man I wanted to marry and grow old with. He shared with some friends that I was the first woman to accept him as he was and to call him “my prince charming” and actually mean it.
We started dating March 2, 2013. I was ecstatic when he finally asked me to marry him on August 31. We got married December 21, 2013 before God and his saints. On November 5, 2014 we welcomed our miracle baby, Lucas Gabriel. We are in disbelief that I did not get kicked out medical school and was permitted a year off. And also to our astonishment, I was granted permanent residency in Cuba.
God indeed loved us first.
4.) Larry & Farlene Arafiena: Cross-Continent Connection
God is amazing. I had absolutely no clue that I would be dating twice in one year. I was 45 years old, a single mom who had been a disciple for about eight years and had been in a dating relationship for about 15 months that had just mutually ended. A dating couple at the time came and asked me if I would be willing to meet a brother from Africa who was currently visiting in the US. I politely told them “Thank you, but no thank you.” I asked them both to come back in two months and ask me then. Of course this couple did exactly that. Exactly two months later they told me he was back in Nigeria. I said, “Great, OK, he can have my contact information.” Little did I know at that time that this was the man of God that God had for me.
I remember the date, July 11, 2008, when he sent me an email introducing himself, where he was from and that he received my contact information from the dating couple. His first question after his introduction was, “So how is your relationship with God?” It literally felt like a knife went into my heart. You see, I was still healing from my last relationship, I had just lost one of my part-time jobs and had to move out of my spacious luxury condo, and my daughter was on her way to go to college out of state. I shared my heart with him and of course he loved it. He followed up with the dating sister who had introduced us via the email and he told her how he could not believe how open and honest I was and that it was refreshing to him. He would often send me scriptures to help me deal with life issues and challenges.
I was happy building a friendship with a brother from another country and of course he wanted me to send him my picture. Well, once that happened, it was true love on the spot for him. He shared a beautiful email of how he wanted me to come over to Nigeria and be his African queen. I told him that he would have to come over here first and ask me in person to be his girlfriend. We met eye to eye for the first time at the airport on October 15, 2008. On October 19, he asked me to be his girlfriend with a dozen of long stem roses and a beautiful poem. Six months later I went to his beautiful country, Asaba, Nigeria and on May 3, 2009 he proposed to me. He finally came back on September 11, 2009 and we were married on November 30, 2009. It has been an incredible five years. We love working with other couples, especially the newly married couples, and we enjoy getting closer to each other as we get closer to our God.
5.) Mohan & Rosa Kumar: God's Blessing in Bangalore
I had butterflies in stomach and my heart was pounding heavily when I first saw my would-be wife Rosa. I was a young house church leader in Bangalore, India. I still remember when she walked in for Bible study along with another sister from the church. She was the first visitor and first baptism in the first house church which I lead in 2000. I had a hazy and very beautiful feeling, which I cannot explain through words whenever I saw her. I started developing a secret crush on her. I earnestly started praying and fasting to the Lord, that is if it was his will to help me to go on a date with her through the guidance of our church leader. The Lord was gracious. The church leaders organized a date. We started dating for about six months and finally the day arrived for us to fix our marriage date. But there was a issues with finances since my family did not approve for the marriage and I was not earning much.
But that’s when the miracle of God started. All of a sudden, I got a raise in salary paycheck without any reason, which was back dated along with error amounts. This blessed amount was used for marriage expenses. But all my little savings and the paycheck amount was over in short time. On the wedding day, when I was walked in the wedding hall I had only Rs 120 ($2) with me and was worried since the next day after the wedding I was going on our honeymoon and badly needed some money. I looked unto heaven and prayed for God to help me. Again I saw the Lord extending his mighty arm to help me. On the wedding day I received Rs 45000 ($900) as a gift from friends and family. As the day of Valentine is fast approaching it gives immense satisfaction to share what the Lord did in my life. I am very happy now to share my life with my love.