Basketball, ESPN, Garfield, and a teddy bear named Pooky, all played a role in the creation of the true love story featured today! :)
A love story that wouldn't had stood a chance if Marianne Evans did not allow God to take control and lead her in the direction of meeting the man who she'd marry after a whirlwind romance.
Curious to know what happened? Read on...
“Turn Another Corner, And..."
A True Love Story written by Marianne Evans
The last thing I wanted to do on that Friday night in early December all those decades ago was attend my dad’s company Christmas party. Seriously. A parental Christmas function for an eighteen-year-old? Thanks, but no. Still, out of obedience, I went.
The last thing Steve Evans wanted to do was watch his beloved Purdue Boilermakers lose a college basketball game on ESPN. Seriously. Anything would be better – even a tenant Christmas party being held at his apartment complex. So, he went.
From there, God took over, teaching me the truth that He leads—always. In this instance, as in so many others, had I turned another corner, my life would have been radically different.
Arriving at the party, Steve sat next to a charming, though abundantly chatty middle-aged woman. At one point, he was ready to leave, but the woman refused his exit. She took hold of his arm and said, “You can’t leave. There’s a woman coming – she should be here any time – and you really need to meet her.”
This well-meaning soul had no idea I was coming to the party. My belief is she simply wanted him to stick around and socialize. Out of respect, Steve sat down and resumed their conversation. Soon, my parents and I just happened to sit next to them and God’s push and pull went to work, unfolding in a connection that sparked immediately.
Steve and I spent a couple of hours talking, laughing, and getting acquainted. Meanwhile, our matchmaking friend moved on (six months later, we found out through a friend that she passed away).
When I left the party, Steve helped me put on my coat. We exchanged phone numbers. The next night, he called. Our first date was to see his church’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. He was so charming and sweet – and from then on, we saw each other almost every night. On the nights we didn’t meet, we shared lengthy phone-chats. We were both cat lovers and fans of the Garfield comic strip. We often shared laughs over Garfield’s antics – especially when his teddy bear, Pooky, made an appearance. We wrote notes and left them under car windshields. We followed a path to forever paved by what we knew for sure was the direction of God.
Steve’s Christmas plans included a visit to his family in Fort Wayne. I missed him terribly the week he was gone. But then, in the midst of Christmas hustle and bustle, I received what my family jokingly refers to as ‘The Deal Clincher.’ He sent me a flower arrangement for the dinner table housed in a beautiful pewter plate which I still display each Christmas. After all, it was his first-ever gift to me.
I think we discussed marriage the first month or so we dated. We just knew. And then came my birthday. We had plans to eat dinner together at my favorite restaurant, an Italian place with romantic atmosphere and wonderful food. We were led to a small room with three or so small tables which were empty for the moment. Chianti bottles decorated the walls.
After we were seated, Steve left the table, saying he had forgotten something in the car. He returned carrying a crinkly plastic bag with colorful decorations on the front. I recognized the logo on the front – it was from a children’s toy shop.
What on earth was he doing bringing a gaudy toy store bag into a high-end restaurant?
He sat down, handed me the package, and said, simply, “Happy birthday.”
Inside was a teddy bear. Pooky. Pooky’s paws were banded together to hold a ring box, which I opened through tear-blurred vision and with trembling hands. Steve, meanwhile, dropped to one knee and proposed.
We met in December, he proposed in February, and we married at the end of July. An unexpected, joyous whirlwind of a year.
Readers laud her work as: ‘Riveting.’ ‘Realistic and true to heart.’ ‘Compelling.’ Devotion, earned the prestigious Bookseller’s Best Award from Greater Detroit RWA as well the Heart of Excellence Award from Ancient City Romance Authors. She also earned wins for Best Romance of 2012 from the Christian Small Publisher's Association and the Selah award for best Novella of 2013.
Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.
Connect with Marianne:
Website: www.marianneevans.com
Blog: www.marianneevans.blogspot.com
Facebook Reader Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marianne-Evans/308711716744
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarEvansAuthor
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/marianneevans
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marevansauthor/
~*~
Blurb for Marianne's book, Aileen’s Song:
All her life, Aileen Brewer has dreamed of singing on stage and winning the heart of Liam Douglas. When she sings, she exudes confidence and charm. Away from the spotlight, she's the shy, curvaceous woman who has always tried to maintain a sweet, Godly spirit despite her radical upbringing and a sense that she's not quite good enough.
During a music festival at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Aileen takes the stage with her three best friends, and Sisters in Spirit is born.
Liam, a Christian record producer, is captivated by the wallflower of his youth who has blossomed into a magnetic performer. He champions a record deal, and a quest for Aileen's heart begins, but can she find confidence enough to take command of the group...and accept Liam's love? Can Liam help her see the beauty of the woman she has become?
Dreams just might come true in ways only God could orchestrate...
The last thing Steve Evans wanted to do was watch his beloved Purdue Boilermakers lose a college basketball game on ESPN. Seriously. Anything would be better – even a tenant Christmas party being held at his apartment complex. So, he went.
From there, God took over, teaching me the truth that He leads—always. In this instance, as in so many others, had I turned another corner, my life would have been radically different.
Arriving at the party, Steve sat next to a charming, though abundantly chatty middle-aged woman. At one point, he was ready to leave, but the woman refused his exit. She took hold of his arm and said, “You can’t leave. There’s a woman coming – she should be here any time – and you really need to meet her.”
This well-meaning soul had no idea I was coming to the party. My belief is she simply wanted him to stick around and socialize. Out of respect, Steve sat down and resumed their conversation. Soon, my parents and I just happened to sit next to them and God’s push and pull went to work, unfolding in a connection that sparked immediately.
Steve and I spent a couple of hours talking, laughing, and getting acquainted. Meanwhile, our matchmaking friend moved on (six months later, we found out through a friend that she passed away).
When I left the party, Steve helped me put on my coat. We exchanged phone numbers. The next night, he called. Our first date was to see his church’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. He was so charming and sweet – and from then on, we saw each other almost every night. On the nights we didn’t meet, we shared lengthy phone-chats. We were both cat lovers and fans of the Garfield comic strip. We often shared laughs over Garfield’s antics – especially when his teddy bear, Pooky, made an appearance. We wrote notes and left them under car windshields. We followed a path to forever paved by what we knew for sure was the direction of God.
Steve’s Christmas plans included a visit to his family in Fort Wayne. I missed him terribly the week he was gone. But then, in the midst of Christmas hustle and bustle, I received what my family jokingly refers to as ‘The Deal Clincher.’ He sent me a flower arrangement for the dinner table housed in a beautiful pewter plate which I still display each Christmas. After all, it was his first-ever gift to me.
I think we discussed marriage the first month or so we dated. We just knew. And then came my birthday. We had plans to eat dinner together at my favorite restaurant, an Italian place with romantic atmosphere and wonderful food. We were led to a small room with three or so small tables which were empty for the moment. Chianti bottles decorated the walls.
After we were seated, Steve left the table, saying he had forgotten something in the car. He returned carrying a crinkly plastic bag with colorful decorations on the front. I recognized the logo on the front – it was from a children’s toy shop.
What on earth was he doing bringing a gaudy toy store bag into a high-end restaurant?
He sat down, handed me the package, and said, simply, “Happy birthday.”
Inside was a teddy bear. Pooky. Pooky’s paws were banded together to hold a ring box, which I opened through tear-blurred vision and with trembling hands. Steve, meanwhile, dropped to one knee and proposed.
We met in December, he proposed in February, and we married at the end of July. An unexpected, joyous whirlwind of a year.
Through the good times and bad that Steve and I have shared during our 30-plus years together, I’m grateful I didn’t ‘turn another corner’ that night in December. I thank God for the fulfillment of Jeremiah 29:11. He had wonderful plans for us. Life and heart changing plans.
~*~
Author bio: Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction with over twenty titles to her credit. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create.
~*~
Author bio: Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction with over twenty titles to her credit. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create.
Readers laud her work as: ‘Riveting.’ ‘Realistic and true to heart.’ ‘Compelling.’ Devotion, earned the prestigious Bookseller’s Best Award from Greater Detroit RWA as well the Heart of Excellence Award from Ancient City Romance Authors. She also earned wins for Best Romance of 2012 from the Christian Small Publisher's Association and the Selah award for best Novella of 2013.
Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.
Connect with Marianne:
Website: www.marianneevans.com
Blog: www.marianneevans.blogspot.com
Facebook Reader Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marianne-Evans/308711716744
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarEvansAuthor
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/marianneevans
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marevansauthor/
~*~
Blurb for Marianne's book, Aileen’s Song:
All her life, Aileen Brewer has dreamed of singing on stage and winning the heart of Liam Douglas. When she sings, she exudes confidence and charm. Away from the spotlight, she's the shy, curvaceous woman who has always tried to maintain a sweet, Godly spirit despite her radical upbringing and a sense that she's not quite good enough.
During a music festival at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Aileen takes the stage with her three best friends, and Sisters in Spirit is born.
Liam, a Christian record producer, is captivated by the wallflower of his youth who has blossomed into a magnetic performer. He champions a record deal, and a quest for Aileen's heart begins, but can she find confidence enough to take command of the group...and accept Liam's love? Can Liam help her see the beauty of the woman she has become?
Dreams just might come true in ways only God could orchestrate...
Blurb for Marianne's book, Sisters In Spirit:
Aileen, Siobhan, Kassidy and Maeve–long ago they made a purity pledge to God and a friendship vow to one another. Now this quartet is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime banding together as the Christian music group Sisters in Spirit.
Follow their lives and loves in this exclusive print offering of the entire, four-book anthology from Marianne Evans and Pelican Book Group.
Pelican Purchase Link
Follow their lives and loves in this exclusive print offering of the entire, four-book anthology from Marianne Evans and Pelican Book Group.
Pelican Purchase Link
Thank you so much, Alexis - it was great fun to revisit the joy of finding my way to Steve - blessings to you always and I appreciate your hospitality!! xo <3
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Marianne! Your story was great to read. I enjoyed hosting you on my blog today! :)
ReplyDelete