Kimberly Zweygardt – Real life Romance – Part 1 of 4

Shannon here: My guest this week, inspirational author Kimberly Zweygardt, has such a lovely romance, it will take four posts to share it all. I usually only post Mon., Weds., and Fri, but this week I’m squeezing in an extra on Tues. Kimberly has two giveaways. One winner will receive a copy of her nonfiction book: Stories from the Well and a second winner will receive a gorgeous fused glass paperweight from Kimberly’s very own kiln. Leave a comment for a chance to win by July 23, 8:00 PM Central. Here’s Kimberly: 

We Took a Detour on the Way to Happily Ever After

 In 1979 I’d followed the Yellow Brick Road out of small town Kansas seeking fame and fortune in a land far away. I didn’t find it and instead found heart ache and heart break.  In 1993, I came home to Kansas to raise my 3 year old daughter putting my city dreams on hold to raise her in a town much like where I’d grown up. Though I thought I’d given up my dreams of “happily ever after,” instead God made my dreams come true.

I dated a little, but with my history of disastrous relationships I only wanted what God wanted for me, but I didn’t know how to find it, so I made a list. Everyone I dated was like a job interview. “What are your views on this?” Check! “What are your views on that?” Minus! It wasn’t working very well. I wasn’t even sure I should look for love since I’d failed so often. I even thought maybe God planned for me to be single, but my little girl wanted a Daddy and began to pray that God would give her one. It’s hard to argue theology of marriage with a four year old! Finally, a dear friend of mine said, “Kim, if that is the desire of your heart—to have a godly husband—ask for it! God wants to give you the desire of your heart.” I went home that night and got out my prayer journal and poured out my heart’s desire to God.

Kary lived about 40 miles away. He’d been divorced for five years and though he wanted to find a special someone, he’d made up his mind he wouldn’t settle for less than God’s best. He would concentrate on raising his two sons and wait on God.

A mutual friend gave Kary my number, but I was casually dating a guy and Kary was sort of dating a girl from another town, so he didn’t call. For six months!

I tried to break off with the guy I was dating, but he kept calling. I didn’t have anyone else calling me, so I’d give in and see a movie or go out to eat. He asked me to go to Portland with him on business and I agreed to go since I have friends there.  I had misgivings, but I told myself it was fine since I was paying for my own room. The trip was scheduled for mid October.

In the meantime, Kary stopped seeing the other girl and decided to call me.  We’d never met, but we talked for over 3 hours. About everything! We had so many things in common it was uncanny. We laughed. We talked about the Lord.  We talked about our kids. Our hopes and dreams.  I knew this guy was something special.  At the end of our conversation he’d said he’d like to go out sometime and I replied, “Well, I’m going to Portland this weekend, but I’d love to go out another time.” He said he’d call.

When I hung up the phone, I knew in my heart that I could not go to Portland. I really felt the Lord was giving me a choice.  He said, “You’ve been praying and I am answering. You can go your own way or you can go My way.” The guy I’d been dating went to church, but I knew he didn’t have the relationship with the Lord that I wanted my man to have. I also thought he would try to make me compromise my vow to be pure when we went to Portland.

I called him to say I wasn’t going, that something in our relationship was missing and I’d just met someone who had what we were missing.  He was furious but I was relieved. Except that I’d told Kary I wasn’t going to be around that next weekend. Now what to do to actually meet the man of my dreams?

About Kimberly: Kimberly Zweygardt is a Christ follower, wife, mother, writer, blogger, dramatist, worship leader, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and a fused glass artist. Kim performs first person accounts of women in Scripture and is the founder of Lamplight Ministries. She has been published in The Rocking Chair Reader anthology; Family Gatherings, Chicken Soup for the Soul; Healthy Living series on Heart Disease, Rural Roads magazine and numerous webzines. She is a staff writer for Full Spirit Magazine. Kim’s testimony was included in the book, Remarkable Women of Faith. She is the author of Stories From the Well and Ashes to Beauty: The Real Cinderella Story. Recently Kim became a Girl on Fire when she opened Girl on Fire Fused Glass studio where she makes kiln formed glass. Kim is married to Kary, the man of her dreams, who has done a fabulous job of making all her dreams come true. They have three children but an empty nest and enjoy conversation with friends over good coffee and great food. They enjoy travel, the arts and taking a nap. For more information: www.kimzweygardt.com

Come back July 20th for Part 2 of Kimberly’s real-life romance.