Shannon here: This week, my awesome critique partner & Revell debut author, Lorna Seilstad shares her real-life romance and a chance to win her book, Making Waves. Comment on any post dated Aug 30 – Sept 4. Deadline Sept 4, 8:00 PM Central. New rules: I’ve been e-mailing the book winners each week, but my messages have been getting caught in Spam filters. I’ll post the winner’s name in the comments on Sept 4. If you find your name, go to the contact page on the website and send me your address. Hopefully, this will be more efficient. Thanks! Here’s Lorna:
How I met my spouse:
“And then, when you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream. You see, until you are ready, I am working even now, this minute, to have you both ready at the same time . . . . but, until you are satisfied exclusively with Me and with the life I have prepared for you, you will not be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me which is perfect love….Know that I love you always; I am God Almighty.”
The quote above was a portion of “On HIs Plan for Your Mate” and the author is unknown. (You can find the whole narrative here http://www.majesty.org/tract/mate.html.) I had this letter hanging in my bedroom all of my teenage and college years. I’d read it often, sometimes tearfully, when I worried what if I never met the right person.
The night before I left Iowa for my senior year at Lubbock Christian College in Texas, a very tall man named David came to visit our congregation on a Sunday night. He told us he was moving to the area.
Several of the couples, including my parents, took the young man out for dinner. I went along as well. We sat at a long table—I on one end and David on the other. The young man, about five years older than me, spoke about his life—how he had left North Dakota to teach agriculture in Thailand through a 4-H program, how he’d become a Christian in Thailand and had been baptized in the shallow end of a pool, and how he’d missed the Midwest and took a job in the seed industry. As he spoke, I knew something with a certainty that scared me to death. This was the man I was going to marry.
It wasn’t love at first sight. It was a knowing. I’d prayed for a husband like this and God had brought him to me. Why else would someone leave working at the National 4-H Center in Washington, D.C., and end up in my little corner of the world if it wasn’t God’s plan?
As I said, I was scared to death. I didn’t tell a soul—even my best friend—what I felt. Instead, I wrote, “Today I met the man I’m going to marry” in my diary and left for college.
Meanwhile, back at home, my parents took David in. After all, the North Dakota farm boy needed an adopted family. They had him over for Sunday dinners. He helped put up hay and my mother doted on him.
Back in Texas, my best friend (the preacher’s daughter) constantly relayed plugs from her own mother on David’s behalf. My friend encouraged me to go home and flirt with him. I still didn’t tell her what I knew. Besides, she and I both knew I was terrible at flirting. She, on the other hand, had it down to an art.
Three weeks after I returned home at the end of the year, David asked me out on a Sunday night after services. We saw “Coming to America.” He told me later he asked me out because my mom was such a neat person and he’d always heard girls turn out to be like their mothers. He thought he’d take a chance and find out.
About Lorna: Lorna Seilstad has called Iowa home her whole life. She received her B.S. in education from Lubbock Christian Univerity. After her first child was born, she quit teaching and became a professional wiper. “I wiped noses, tears, skinned knees, baby’s bottoms, and countertops every day. But at naptime, I wrote.” Today, she writes historical fiction with a generous dash of humor.
Come back Sept. 1 for Part 2 of Lorna’s real life romance.
Ah Lorna – I’m sure that now, as a mom, you realize what a compliment it was that David liked you because he loved your mom! LOL What a great story!! I can’t wait to see you, and someday, I want to meet David, too!
Lorna – That is such a beautiful story. God is faithful, isn’t He? I can’t wait to read the next parts. 🙂
Sometimes God just drops a ‘knowing’ into our hearts that we can’t explain and don’t question. Those are precious and special times. Your guy must be very special.
Regina, it is a complitment that David found my mom so special. She was a very special woman. Unfortunately, I don’t hold all of her best qualities. David has handled the disappointment well. 🙂
Brenda, God is faithful. Thank you for stopping by.
Shirley, you said that beautifully about the “knowing” times. My guy is a very special, Godly man who I love more every day.
Lori, It is so nice knowing so much happiness has found you. I rarely find time to read, but will definitely make time to read your book : )
It is so awesome when you see God working in your life! The day I met my husband, he went home and told his father that he had met the girl he was going to marry. About 18 months later, he did just that!
Lorna, I am almost speechless from awe over what you have just told us. If you knew me personally, you would think that is very funny. Immediately I visited your website and made two copies of “On His Plan for Your Mate,” for two of my daughters disappointed in love relationships and remain unmarried. You and David are a beautiful couple and what a testimony you are, visually and personally. I am so glad you are Shannon’s guest this week and that Shannon’s message in Facebook about you was the first site I clicked on this morning. That’s what I call a Godincidence. My pc had been in the clinic for a week from a virus attack and just came home last evening. While on your website, I looked for an email letter to subscribe, but found none. If you do have an email newsletter available, please add me to your subscribers. Ok, I need to be a bit succinct and thank you for adding your book for giveaway and I’m very glad to meet you. I plan to purchase your “Popcorn Miracles” and munch away on good words. Thanks, Shannon for the chance to win. “Making Waves.” I hope I win!!
Sharing Christ’s Love,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com
I appreciate the chance that Shannon is giving me to enter this contest. Also i’d love to win a copy of your book. So bring it on…. I want to finish the story…..Please…………?
Mary, thank you for stopping by. I sure wish we lived closer so we could catch up.
Wendi, your husband must know a good thing when he sees it. 🙂
Barb, thank you for your precious words. “On God’s Plan for Your Mate” helped me to learn so much about loving Him first. I hope your daughters find strength and hope in it as well. I’ll add you to my newsletter list, too. There’s going to be a Making Waves basket given away to someone on that list at the end of Sept.
Rosemary, I’m so glad you want to hear the rest of story. Come back this week and you’ll hear it. 🙂
Lori,
Reading this made me miss your mom, the first of the loved and respected gone due to cancer. I can’t wait to resume fellowship with her. Should I win a copy of Making Waves, I’ll donate it to the chuch library, as I’m extremely proud to pay for my personal copy!
Hey Lorna, loved the story. Next time, maybe you ask for a sign, maybe it should be something more positive than a flat tire.
Jeannette, not having my mom alive to hand my book to has been one of the hardest parts of being published. I tell myself she got to read it before everyone in heaven. Miss you and I”m so glad you stopped by.
Lorna, that is such a sweet story and encouraging to me. I love that quote. It sounds you are very blessed.
That’s so cool! Yeah really……who just comes to Iowa 🙂 God definately had it planned!
That is such a sweet story!! I love hearing when someone knew they were going to marry someone else! 🙂
Such inspirational story, I would love to win the book.
sonflower277(at)gmail(dot)com
I love the cover art of Making Waves, it’s beautiful! Sounds like a great read and I would love to win a copy.
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
I appreciate Lorna sharing her story this week. Sylvia won the drawing for Making Waves! Contact me and we’ll make arrangements to collect your book.