Participants: Joshua Nelson (Host), Brittany Hill-Morales, Kimberly Douglas, Kory Douglas, Xavier Morales
Series Code: PC
Program Code: PC000085A
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00:01 The following program discusses sensitive issues.
00:03 Parents are cautioned that some material 00:05 may be too candid for younger children. 00:39 Hello, and welcome to Pure Choices. 00:41 I'm your host Pastor Joshua Nelson, 00:43 so glad you decided to join us. 00:45 This is gonna be a very nice romantic program. 00:48 We're interviewing some married couples. 00:51 They're gonna talk about how they met, 00:53 and their marriages now, it's gonna great. 00:54 Especially, since a lot of them weren't married before 00:58 and they're married now 00:59 and so we're gonna see how they are post marriage. 01:01 So let's get into it but before that, 01:04 let's bow for a word of prayer. 01:06 Heavenly Father God, 01:07 we ask that You will be with us now 01:09 as we talk about marriage in Jesus' name we pray. 01:11 Amen. All right. Amen. 01:13 So I say what I said before 01:15 because we've had Brittany Hill on the program before. 01:21 We've had Kory on the program before 01:25 but they were not married the last time. 01:27 So now you all have been married, 01:31 isn't that nice? 01:32 So here are they, they're sniffing in others. 01:34 Brittany married Xavier Morales. 01:36 So glad for the Morales family being here. 01:39 And Kory betrothed Kimberly Samson 01:44 and so now Kimberly Douglas, 01:45 so happy to have you guys here with us. 01:48 And, of course, I got married as well. 01:50 I gonna shout out to my wife, 01:53 the beautiful former Kimberley Doss, 01:55 love you baby. 01:57 She unfortunately can't be here. 01:58 So you'll see that I'm all by myself over here lonely. 02:03 She can't come out because she is in school. 02:05 So thankful that she is doing that, 02:07 but happy that you guys are here. 02:09 We wanna talk to you guys about your marriages. 02:12 We wanna talk about how you met. 02:14 We wanna talk about, you know, some tips giving for those 02:17 who are looking to get married or courting. 02:19 And kind of see 02:20 how a Christian marriage looks like, 02:22 y'all in the very first beginning stages, 02:24 but we wanna hear your story, I think it'd be nice. 02:26 So let's see which couple will I begin with. 02:28 Let's start with the newest... 02:31 Yes. The Morales family. 02:33 Yes. How did you all meet? 02:36 Well, I was working at off campus ministry 02:38 as a bouncer, 02:40 reason there used to have a bar next door 02:42 so they wanna do security. 02:44 And, you know, you've got a lot of people 02:45 coming in and out, 02:47 you've got males, females coming in, 02:48 and they're going, 02:49 listening to poetry and music and everything. 02:51 And all a sudden this girl walks in 02:53 and just completely made me feel stupid like mesmerized, 02:56 I was like, I had to pick up my jaw off the floor. 02:59 And I'm sitting there like why am I feeling this way 03:01 like whatever. 03:03 And then her friend come over, 03:06 they get off from the area that they're playing music 03:08 and they go over to have a conversation 03:09 by the steps about, 03:10 you know, the affects of alcohol, 03:12 drinking, and how dumb it is and all this. 03:15 So, you know me, I've been through that before 03:17 and all that, so I was like, 03:19 I'm about to make an impression. 03:20 Correct. 03:21 Bad one or good one, 03:23 I'll make you some kind of impression. 03:24 She gonna remember my name tonight. 03:26 Yes, sir. 03:27 So I just jumped in the conversation. 03:28 They both looked at me kind of weird like 03:30 what is this guy talking about? 03:31 But I know after that night, she should remember my name. 03:33 And then after that I think, well, you can fill that 03:36 and after that, go ahead. 03:38 I don't think you ever told me what your name was. 03:42 You just jumped into the conversation. 03:44 And afterwards, we just looked at each other 03:47 and then he went off inside of dancing 03:49 because he wanted to listen to Puer to Rican music. 03:52 Yes, yes, yes. It was so weird. 03:55 I left just feeling weird from the entire experience. 03:59 And then I think as time progressed, 04:01 we just became friends on Facebook, we spoke on Skype, 04:06 we found out that we were both in the seminary 04:10 and we're in the same classes together, 04:12 and we just kept on talking and slowly but surely, 04:16 we grew closer and closer. 04:18 Because that's where I met you, 04:20 'cause I thought you were undergrad. 04:23 And then in a seminary we had a class and I look over 04:27 and I'm like, "Oh, this girl is here," 04:28 I'm like, "Oh, what I'm gonna do now?" 04:30 Like, "I already made an impression, 04:32 what I'm gonna, I don't know. 04:33 What's the next step? What's the next step?" 04:35 So that's when we became friends 04:36 through Facebook 04:38 and we started talking and I know, I guess, 04:40 our friendship started growing once 04:43 she had a situation happened to 04:45 where she need me to step in. 04:46 Oh, somebody calling her, somebody randomly calling her 04:49 so I called their number back and spoke to the person 04:53 let him know, you know, what they were doing was wrong. 04:55 And as a favor she later on asked me to go on a Groupon. 05:01 Okay. 05:02 You know, I don't know what that was. 05:03 Groupon, I'm thinking group, group on, group. 05:05 And she asked me to go out to eat. 05:07 So I'm thinking, okay, we're gonna go as a group. 05:08 Okay, okay. 05:09 You know, I'm trying to do the Christian thing go 05:11 as a group. 05:12 So there, you know, 05:14 I'm sitting there and I'm like group on, 05:15 how many people you need? 05:16 This is all through Facebook, at class. 05:18 Yeah, yeah. Don't do that in class. 05:20 I asked her she is like, how many people you need? 05:21 She is like, two. 05:22 You know, I'm in the seminary 05:24 and I'm thinking of somebody's women or husbands. 05:25 And now I'm trying to be by myself right now just me 05:27 and the Lord, I'm like, "Oh, she is thirsty." 05:29 I'm like, no, I'm like, I can't do this. 05:33 And I avoided her for the next two weeks 05:35 or so and I just, 05:36 and God just kept pushing me like, 05:38 poking on me saying, go, get to know her, 05:41 go get to know her. 05:42 You know, she is a good friend. 05:44 So that ended up being the first date for y'all? 05:46 It wasn't a date. No, that wasn't a date. 05:47 All right. I'm sorry. 05:49 I was so confused 'cause I was saying to myself, 05:53 why is he telling me, he needs to get paid from his job first? 05:57 What, all these excuses, my car needs gas. 06:00 I'm like, it's just to get sandwiches, 06:02 what's going on? 06:04 And I think now remembering, I think I was speaking to Josh, 06:08 and I was like, "Josh, do you wanna go 06:09 and get Christmas 06:11 'cause this person just keeps stromboling me off." 06:13 Oh, that was the Christmas day. Yes. 06:15 You know what, let not 'cause I told this person 06:17 I was going to go, 06:19 I just don't know why he keeps on avoiding me, 06:21 he is like that sounds strange too. 06:23 It was just so confusing. Yes, buddy. 06:25 So, okay, I didn't even know that was coming. 06:28 So how did you, guys, 06:29 transition from that awkwardness to actually being, 06:33 I guess dating or y'all been dating 06:35 or how did it go from there? 06:38 Our story is very unique. 06:41 And that's when I started to do seminary, 06:45 I realized there was a lot of things 06:47 that happened to me 06:48 that I didn't address growing up. 06:51 I was abused 06:53 and I never really spoke about it, 06:58 didn't really, it didn't really click in my mind 07:01 until I started to do seminary 07:03 and we started taking these classes 07:05 to help us realize how messed up we really are. 07:09 And I was really broken and I was going through 07:14 a lot of things sort of point that, 07:17 I even had depression and I was suicidal, 07:21 and Xavier was being that type of person 07:25 where when nobody else really realized 07:27 what was going on, I don't know how he had an inclination, 07:31 how he had a feeling but he did 07:35 and he kept on being there and supporting me. 07:38 And I think even once I told him I hate you, 07:40 go away and he still was there. 07:42 Wow. 07:43 There was just so many things going on. 07:47 Wow. Yeah. 07:48 The Holy Spirit using him to be there for you 07:50 at the time. 07:52 Wow, that's beautiful and I see, you know, 07:54 it's very emotional for you to talk about, 07:55 you know, powerful story. 07:57 So you all have an awesome journey, 07:59 first how you met and find a funny story 08:01 but then really got serious 08:02 and how Lord kind of really brought you all together 08:04 for a specific reason, that's powerful. 08:06 Now I'm gonna transition to the Douglas's 08:09 and y'all top in now. 08:11 But how did y'all meet. Let's go and talk to you, guys. 08:14 You got that, go ahead... 08:16 So we met at while studying in Oakwood, then college, 08:20 now university and we actually had friends, 08:24 mutual friends that were dating each other. 08:25 I had a friend from New York, a young lady that Kim met 08:28 that was I believe from Atlanta. 08:30 And they were dating, they were, you know, 08:32 all into each other, 08:34 we were kind of just the wing man and woman, you know. 08:37 And so we just ended up in the same places 08:39 all the time. 08:41 And eventually, I don't know if there was any initial, 08:45 you know, attraction like that, 08:47 you know, Kim is not ugly so but I wasn't. 08:49 I'm not saying I wasn't like spooning, I wouldn't, 08:52 honestly wouldn't really thinking about, 08:53 you know, anything and I think one day 08:55 I just was paying attention to her 08:56 and I was like, you know, it's kind of cute. 08:58 And I started asking my friends like am I crazy as, you know, 09:00 she is kind of cute. 09:02 And then eventually I said something to her, 09:04 she really won't have anything to do with me, you know, 09:07 because at that time I really wasn't living that kind of life 09:09 with that any girl would wanna have, 09:11 well, some girls would want to have something 09:12 but she would not, not the girl... 09:13 Not the good girl. He's gonna hold some girls. 09:15 So and eventually we started talking 09:19 which it was also a pivotal time 09:20 in my life as well 09:22 because I was going through a serious phase, 09:24 I was Jonahing, I was kind of running from God 09:28 and, you know, I was at the point 09:30 where I didn't really care about life 09:32 and Kim kind of helped me through all of that good stuff. 09:34 I think after talking we eventually started dating. 09:39 And so, Kim, from your perspective 09:40 how did the meeting take place? 09:44 It's pretty, I guess my version is pretty close to what he said 09:47 but yeah, he's right. 09:49 The Kory that you see today was not Kory, 09:53 you know, back then and so... 09:54 He had beads... 09:55 He had beads. He had beads? 09:57 Yeah, beads. Mercy. 09:58 Wow. No. 10:00 Yes, he has beads. 10:01 And so, and then I guess at that point too, 10:05 I always had this, I'm not dating you 10:08 if I don't know you kind of thing. 10:10 And so I wasn't going to rush into anything and so, you know, 10:16 it took a while for us to get to that dating point because, 10:21 you know, I just wanted to feel okay... 10:23 Okay, well... 10:24 I thing one of the interesting thing is, 10:26 most interesting thing when we met was that I was 10:28 and I didn't care 10:29 and I was having an ideally crisis, 10:31 I knew that God wanted me to go to study theology, I don't why. 10:35 And at the same time she had kind of always grew up, 10:36 people telling her she is gonna be a pastor's wife... 10:38 Yes. 10:39 So we had that conversation eventually on a phone, 10:41 it was one of those, ah-ah kind of moment. 10:43 Right. 10:44 And so... That was hard. 10:45 Yeah, that's something 10:47 that we really need to talk about as well, a good one. 10:48 I wanna ask you next about, what's was most romantic thing 10:51 that you all had or had done to you in the relationship? 10:56 Before that, I'll tell you how me and I wife met. 10:58 So you can have time to thing about that. 10:59 Yeah. 11:01 Me and wife, we met the most Adventist best way possible, 11:06 I'm sorry, guys. 11:07 We met at a potluck. 11:11 So it was the best place, a potluck, you know, 11:12 good place to meet. 11:14 But we were in the seminary. Well, I was in the seminary. 11:17 She was at Andrews in the graduate program. 11:20 And I actually thought she was undergrad as well. 11:22 And I know, I saw her and quickly we locked eyes, 11:27 found out later she actually, 11:29 well, I'm gonna say the part two but anyway, 11:32 went up to her, you know, I approached her, 11:34 you know, and drop the good line, 11:36 of course, you know, I'm sure, 11:37 so she's not here to counter this. 11:39 So it's great, dropped a really good line, 11:40 I was so smooth, you know. 11:42 But we actually didn't really exchange numbers 11:43 or anything then. 11:45 She actually left later. 11:46 I guess, my line was so good and it was so swap 11:48 and whatnot that you know, 11:49 she end up adding me on Facebook later 11:51 and that's kind of how things progress from there. 11:55 But yeah, we had a interesting meet, 11:57 you know, we got to know each other a little bit 11:59 through social media. 12:01 And then we end up going on a few dates 12:03 and progressing from there, and one thing I love about her 12:07 and liked about her was that, 12:08 we connected with a lot of things in common, 12:11 we were able to communicate very well 12:14 and that was something that I really, 12:15 you know, valued and also, 12:17 you know, she was really good, she is a really good listener. 12:20 And as far because she is a counselor by nature 12:22 but I definitely value that. 12:24 So that really attracted me to her, you know. 12:27 So that's my story in short, I'm sure she is like saying, 12:30 there's a lot more to it. 12:32 But let's hear from you, guys, about the most romantic thing 12:35 that has been done to you in this relationship. 12:41 I think I can go first. Okay. 12:43 I think the most romantic thing that I can remember, 12:46 well, there's a bunch of stuff he did 12:47 but if I had to go at the most. 12:50 I wasn't feeling well, 12:51 I was going through one of those moments 12:53 of just feeling down emotionally, 12:56 and I think I posted something about am I good enough, 13:00 am I this, am I, something, 13:02 and all of a sudden he comes 13:03 with this huge bouquet of flowers 13:07 just to say you are beautiful, 13:09 don't listen to what other people say 13:11 yadda yadda yadda 13:12 and I was just like "Oh, flowers and chocolates." 13:15 I'm not a flowers and chocolate person but... 13:17 Yeah. 13:18 I don't like roses but he did not bring roses 13:21 which made it even more... 13:22 Nice. All right. 13:23 Okay. I love those flowers. 13:27 I still remember them too. This is nice. 13:32 All right, what about you, guys? 13:37 It's hard, no, it's I'm pausing not because... 13:40 I'm just not romantic. That was it is. 13:42 No, he is really good about paying attention 13:45 to little things. 13:47 And I'm a, you know, little things person, 13:49 detail person. 13:51 But I think the first thing that came to mind, 13:53 I have, I don't know why 13:55 but I've always wanted a chuppah at my wedding. 13:59 And that's, I don't know, it's like a canopy 14:02 that in the Jewish religion 14:04 they get married under the chuppah, 14:06 and I've always wanted one. 14:08 And somehow I told Kory about this and he, 14:12 I'm telling you he ordered, what is it? 14:16 Birchwood from Wyoming. 14:17 Birchwood and all this other stuff 14:18 and I knew nothing about this stuff 14:21 until the night I think of the rehearsal. 14:25 No... Or maybe... 14:26 He kept hinting with my dad 14:28 about package coming to the house. 14:31 I'm like, "What package coming to the house..." 14:32 "And why are they talking about package?" 14:34 Like, "What's happening here?" 14:35 So I'm trying to put A and B together 14:37 with all these little pieces of conversation 14:39 that I'm hearing and I couldn't figure it out 14:41 until the night of the rehearsal 14:43 and he's there trying to put it up from scratch. 14:46 This is not something that you buy a kit 14:48 and you put it together. 14:49 No. Yes, he did. Yes, he did. 14:51 We went and we bought material in Manhattan 14:55 and he worked the night to put it up, 14:58 he and my dad and some other men. 15:01 And the funny thing is... 15:02 I helped a little. And you did help. 15:03 The funny thing is it was not going up... 15:05 Yeah. 15:07 And I saw the stress on his face 15:09 and everybody kept saying, 15:11 "Well, it's okay, you can stop." 15:12 But I knew he was not going to stop 15:14 until that thing was up. 15:16 And we ended the rehearsal 15:18 and I hear that morning or something... 15:22 I got up early and went to the church 15:25 and pretty much tried to finish it. 15:27 Yeah, and all I know is when I walked in, 15:30 my chuppah was there and it was amazingly beautiful. 15:32 That is nice. That is so sweat. 15:33 Yeah. That's good, it's good. 15:35 All right, well, hey, y'all, doing some big things, 15:37 I don't know if I have anything to top those. 15:40 I'm gonna ask you all next about the proposal 15:44 and then what you thought about actually getting married, okay? 15:47 Now so then I'm, and I have to share mine. 15:48 Okay, the most romantic thing that my wife did for me, 15:52 so it really kind of maybe small to some people 15:54 but she wrote down 50 things 15:57 that she liked or loved about me 15:59 and she gave it to me. 16:00 And I still have it today and I still look at them 16:02 and they were all very thoughtful, 16:04 very well thought out and for me, 16:05 it was my love language, so it was really nice. 16:07 No one ever done that for me, 16:09 no one ever thought too much to ask like how I felt, 16:11 so that was something I was thinking about today 16:13 and she still makes a point to make sure 16:15 she is saying something positive 16:18 and nice about me. 16:19 And just that to me, it makes me love her much more. 16:22 You know, I know. 16:24 Anyway and this is getting kind of... 16:26 Message. 16:29 All right, so let's talk about the engagement. 16:31 Now, okay, because that's really 16:33 when it get serious, you know... 16:35 Yeah. 16:36 Well, how did you felt, how did you all take 16:38 or maybe we start even how the proposal went, 16:39 but how do you react to when you all knew, 16:41 hey, this is, we need to get married? 16:43 I was nervous. I hear you, brother. 16:46 And nervous is to say at least I was like, 16:48 should I do it or should I just run the other way. 16:51 I was scared. All right. 16:53 I was scared. Amen. 16:55 I was like, "Lord, help me. Give me the courage." 16:58 It's just like the whole thing would get in... 16:59 Yeah. I'm just a little guy, man. 17:04 I don't know, you can tell them you're take on, and go ahead, 17:07 you know, when they got the rain, right? 17:10 I knew it's going to happen the day... 17:12 I didn't know it days before 17:14 but one of our friends kind of hinted to it. 17:20 Yeah, I think he read it first, I'll call his name, 17:22 but I won't. 17:23 And he just started saying, 17:25 "Hmm, you guys are going to Antigua." 17:27 Yes. "Where the two shall become one." 17:29 I'm like, "What are you're talking about?" 17:32 And then I saw at Xavier and he was acting all nervous. 17:34 He was like, "Oh..." 17:38 So well... 17:40 So then how it happened was 17:41 he had to get the special package 17:43 and he was coming back and he kept on talking, 17:46 "Are you sure you love me? 17:47 Are you sure that..." 17:49 I knew he was just extremely nervous 17:52 and then he brought out the ring 17:54 and with the ring, 17:55 that was actually his mom's and dad's ring. 18:00 And it has so much history behind it 18:03 and that's what he presented and they even sent like 18:05 little letters behind it saying, 18:08 you know, you are our daughter... 18:09 Wow. 18:11 And that, it was really, really, yeah, I was like... 18:12 Wow, that's beautiful. 18:13 So how did you all either know, one of you know 18:15 that the other one was the one for you, you know, 18:17 was there like a moment 18:18 when God came through the clouds 18:20 and just told you, how do you all know? 18:23 I think for me was, like I said, I mean, 18:27 I know we have through that areas 18:28 but one of my pivotal points was 18:30 I've never done this before. 18:32 You know, I've been in relationships and everything 18:34 but I've never actually prayed a silent prayer request to God 18:37 in reference to the right one. 18:40 You know, I was working at a church at the time 18:42 that required security, 18:44 I don't know why I pick for security for everything, 18:47 but I prayed and I asked God, I said, 18:50 God, if you want me to get to know this girl Brittany, 18:55 you know, not to date here 'cause I don't want to date. 18:58 Whoever you have for me I wanna know them 19:00 because that's you want me to marry. 19:02 And my best friend, he was like, 19:04 he told me to just say a prayer 19:05 that don't tell anybody else about it. 19:07 And I prayed and I asked God that he's going to put it there 19:09 at the church 19:10 that she would never go to work, 19:12 not to visit but to work 19:14 and a couple Sabbaths later I saw the back of her head 19:17 and I was like, I looked up by the sky, 19:19 I was like, "Cool, man." 19:21 Because now I had to do my part. 19:23 Yeah, yeah. 19:24 He promised, He kept His end of the bargain, 19:25 I had to keep my end of the bargain. 19:27 Yeah, amen. I like that. 19:29 Well, for me, I think it was in a counseling lesson. 19:35 Counseling session, sorry, where I was just sitting down 19:37 and I was talking to the counselor about Xavier, 19:40 he was like, "Hmm that is the most balanced perspective 19:43 I've ever heard about a person." 19:45 And I was like, "Hmm that does make sense." 19:49 And I think it was also when I had told him, 19:52 I hate you and instead of storming off, 19:56 he sat down beside me and he held me. 19:58 He said, "You have never been loved 20:02 then I'm going to be here to help you in this process." 20:04 Wow. That's powerful. Mercy. 20:06 And that was just, yeah... 20:07 That's the moment. 20:09 Yeah, yeah, that's beautiful. 20:11 All right, Douglas, so let's have you all share 20:13 about engagement little bit 20:14 and how you all knew each other with the one? 20:16 I'm the designated engagement storyteller. 20:17 All right. 20:19 So our situation was different as well 20:22 because we weren't dating when we got engaged. 20:26 Matter of fact, I'll just, you know, be honest 20:28 and it's probably good for me to be honest. 20:29 Well, it is good for me to be honest. 20:31 Yeah, that's true. 20:33 I was actually dating somebody, I was dating somebody else. 20:36 Well, I'm not really dating them, 20:37 we weren't like officially dating 20:39 but I was getting to know someone else 20:40 and I had actually been praying about that person 20:42 because, you know, we had grown closer 20:45 and that person was real gung-ho. 20:47 You know, like from the time we met, 20:48 she was like "Oh, my goodness, 20:49 when we're going to be get married." 20:51 Sounds like... 20:52 At first, but then I started praying about it 20:53 and it's actually praying about that person 20:55 I got answer to my prayer with Kim. 20:57 So it was very weird but, you know, 21:00 I've kinda learn not to disregard, you know, 21:02 when God says to do something. 21:04 Yeah. 21:05 We went to South Africa on a trip, 21:07 we ended up on a trip together to South Africa. 21:09 It was a mission trip and while on the trip 21:12 that's when God started answering the prayer. 21:14 I mean, He just started saying something to me. 21:16 It was like almost I could hear Him talking like, 21:18 "Okay, Kory, I don't know 21:19 how much more clear I can make this..." 21:20 Yeah, 21:22 "You know, but this is what you need to do." 21:23 And I'm just like, you know, we do had history, you know, 21:26 we had dated for about four years 21:28 before we finally broke up the first time, 21:30 we went back and forth, so I'm kind of like, 21:32 "God, I really don't wanna go through that again." 21:34 But at the same time the more and more, you know, 21:37 He revealed to me, the more and more just became clear. 21:40 And so we were in this diamond shop in South Africa 21:44 and in the shop they also had some tanzanite diamond, 21:47 you know, rings whatever. 21:48 And she was in there parading around a ring on her finger 21:51 and it's kind of interesting... 21:52 I had no clue he was watching me. 21:53 Because she didn't know I was watching her, 21:55 you know and as soon as we got back to the States. 21:59 I went to a jewelry store and I said this is what I want 22:04 and they were like, we don't have it. 22:06 And I was like, "Well, you're gonna get it?" 22:07 And, you know, I picked stuff out, 22:09 you know, I basically had it made 22:11 and they sent it and I believe 22:13 I was invited to a friend of mine's wedding, 22:16 Pastor Joshua Nelson, we'll discover later 22:19 and I asked her to come with me, 22:21 and the day after the wedding 22:24 we went on a nice tour of Manhattan, 22:26 we was just hanging out 22:27 and I kept on this something I had to talk to you about, 22:28 something I had to talk to you about. 22:30 So she is nervous, she didn't know what to expect, 22:33 we have been around in circles before. 22:34 So she is thinking, 22:36 he's probably gonna break it off, 22:37 you know, and I'm such a bad person 22:40 'cause we walked and we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, 22:43 we got to the middle and I said to her, you know, 22:45 we've been through this before 22:46 and, you know, things haven't worked out, 22:49 so she is like, "Oh, God, shall we go, this is it." 22:51 And then eventually, I just pull out a ring, 22:52 it was like, you know, the only other option, 22:55 you know is, you know, "Will you marry me?" 22:56 And she, you know, she sobbed for a little while, 23:00 she snorted for a little while... 23:03 You really said that on TV? 23:05 So she looked absolutely wonderful 23:06 after I asked her. 23:08 Keep it going. 23:09 And she kind of asked me if I was serious a few times. 23:12 And then she finally said yes and I'm not going to lie, 23:15 it was like a cloud was lifted, 23:19 you know, because before that I didn't know, you know, 23:22 and so God made it plain what I think. 23:24 So that's kind of also with how you knew 23:26 and how you had the proposal. 23:28 And how did you know that you should say yes to Kory? 23:32 Oh, man. 23:33 And this is where story gets weird. 23:40 It's one of those things that you pray about 23:42 or that I pray about, 23:44 and I think this was what 2013, 23:50 so about three years prior, we're not dating, 23:52 we're not talking, I don't know 23:54 if he's literally dead or alive. 23:57 And in the middle of the night, 23:59 it's like 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning one night, 24:03 I wake up and God is like, "Get a pen and paper." 24:05 Wow. 24:07 And I'm like, get pen and paper, 24:08 I'm sleeping, "Okay, Lord." 24:10 Sleep, jumps pen and paper 24:12 what am I getting pen and paper for. 24:14 And he is like start writing a letter to Kory 24:18 because it's him. 24:20 Wow. She is so sick. 24:22 And I know it makes me sound crazy 24:25 but it's what happened. 24:27 That's what happened, wow. 24:28 So on my wedding day, I'm reading her letter 24:32 that was written like three years earlier... 24:34 This is not, I'm not crying, I'm rubbing my eye. 24:36 It's' all right, Kory, it's all right. 24:37 I'm reading a letter on my wedding date 24:39 that was written like three years earlier dated 24:41 like October I believe... 24:42 October 10th. October 10th, 2011. 24:47 Well, 2010... '10. 24:49 And it saying it's our wedding day. 24:52 And I'm like, "What is happening right now?" 24:55 You know, but sometimes we talk about relationships 24:58 and, you know, I really wish we can leave a principle. 25:01 I don't wanna people to look like, 25:02 "Oh, what a beautiful story." 25:03 We talk about relationships and people always talk about 25:05 oh, the right one and, you know, 25:07 and making different decisions 25:08 and trying this on, trying that on. 25:11 You know, there really is a trusting in God 25:15 to show aspect. 25:17 Amen. Yeah, yeah. 25:18 And not even aspect, there is really just the story. 25:20 You know, that God really does speak, you know, 25:24 and if anything else our relationship to me 25:26 has proved that God exists, you know. 25:28 Yeah. Amen. That's powerful. 25:30 Well, that's beautiful, you know, 25:31 and I definitely had a moment, an ah-ah moment 25:35 when I felt like God was speaking to me 25:37 and saying this was the one I should be with, you know. 25:40 Our story is little bit different as well, 25:42 you know, we were, you know, and I used to going, 25:44 I was used to dating the people, 25:45 I don't want this to be the same thing, 25:46 I want to be different, you know, 25:48 and there are some various things that 25:49 my wife now did that was, 25:52 that showed me that she was different. 25:54 You know, something she didn't allow me to do, 25:56 you know, didn't let me do in the relationship 25:58 that taught me that she was different. 26:00 And the main thing that really kind of brought us together was 26:02 when it was time for us to end school, 26:06 she ended first and she went back home. 26:08 And of course, I was gonna end few months later 26:12 and I was looking for the conference 26:14 to let me know where I'd be placed. 26:15 And of course, I'm in the South Atlantic Conference 26:17 I knew that at least I'll be placed 26:18 in Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina. 26:20 I didn't know which one. 26:22 She was trying to relocate down South as well 26:25 but she wasn't sure exactly where to go. 26:27 And she just prayed, we both just prayed 26:28 and said, "God, if you want us to be together forever, 26:31 put us some place close because we ain't doing 26:33 a long distance relationship thing." 26:34 So we prayed, 26:36 she ended up getting a job in a place 26:37 called Camden, South Carolina. 26:39 She got it first, she by faith, she went down there and said, 26:42 I'm gonna move there and she ended up going. 26:44 And so maybe a month later I got word 26:47 that I was actually gonna be going to pastor in a city 26:52 that was literally 45 minutes away from 26:54 where she ended being. 26:55 And so we were like, "Wow, God, you're so good." 26:57 All the places down south where she could have been, 27:00 you knew before where I was gonna be placed 27:02 and He put us close together. 27:03 And that kind of started us on a journey of really getting 27:05 to know each other. 27:06 And it will help the church kind of transition to know 27:08 who we were as a couple. 27:10 And it's been a journey, I'll tell you, 27:11 it's been a journey for both of us 27:13 and I know that you even as pastor's wife, 27:14 you know, it been a little while for us now 27:16 and she is been able to transition. 27:18 But I'll tell you this, marriage is a beautiful thing 27:21 and a lot of people feel 27:23 and maybe those even viewing this 27:25 will say, you know, what? 27:27 That was, all the story sound great, 27:28 but I don't know if it ever gonna happen for me. 27:31 And I believe that God has a special plan 27:33 for each and every one of us. 27:35 And He has everybody on a special track. 27:36 And so keep trusting in God 27:38 and look for that ideal relationship 27:40 because God has a special plan 27:42 just for you to find that person 27:44 that God has ordained for you. 27:46 I don't think it could happen really, 27:47 but God directed when I least expected it. 27:50 God brought me 27:52 my beautiful flower Kimberley Nelson. 27:54 I love her so much and I'm so happy for that. 27:56 But this is where we have to draw the line. 27:58 At the end of the day everyone, remember to make pure choices. 28:01 God bless. |
Revised 2017-06-29