Michelle Speaks On How She Knew

Wedding Anniversary Date: November 29, 2008

How she knew her husband was the one for her:

“I met Ryan at Greenville College. It was a brief encounter; he was in a band and played a show with my friend's band. I videotaped the concert and Ryan asked me to tape his band, too. Unfortunately, the taped was corrupted and nothing was salvageable.

Fast forward about six months...I was taking a journalism class and the professor was looking for articles for the paper. She asked if anyone knew art majors because a couple of senior art shows were coming up. I raised my hand. Ryan was an art major. I ended up interviewing him on a Monday night, asking him about what his art show was about and all of that. He told me about how his photography was a metaphor of how faith is believing rather than knowing. I was intrigued. He wouldn't stop talking and I wanted to ask more questions, so it didn't bother me. I wanted to know more about him.

After the interview, we started hanging out more. We played Scrabble in the Student Union... watched a couple movies...went on walks, and skipped classes together. It was a good time, but neither of us were looking for a relationship. Right before I left for Thanksgiving break, he gave me a rose (from a vase of roses he received for his show).

We talked over AIM during the break.

'I'm fond of you,' I typed. I didn't want to say I liked him.
'I'm fond of you, too,' he typed back. Knowing I speak Spanish, he said, 'Yo como tu,' meaning, 'I [am] like you' or 'I eat your', depending on how it's read, which made me laugh.

After break, he picked me up from the airport and it was an awkward ride back to Greenville. We spent the night in the Art Center taking down his exhibit. The next night, he had a concert with his band. I went and we spent another sleepless night talking. On our third night of forsaken sleep, we were both tired. We were driving around town at 5 o'clock in the morning and he suddenly said, 'I love you and I don't believe you have to be together for x-amount of months or years to say that.'

I was stunned and I didn't know what to say.

'Would you marry me?' He posed this as a hypothetical question rather than a proposal.
In this moment of hysteria, I knew he was my husband. Not because he asked if I'd marry him, but because I couldn't imagine my life without him.

'...Four weeks felt like years
Since your full attention was all mine
The night was young and so were we
Talked about life, God, death, and your family
Did not want any promises,
Just my undivided honesty...'-Dismantle.Repair by Anberlin

We got engaged in February 2008 and married November 29, 2008.”

What she loves about his mind: He's curious and creative.

What she loves about his body: His smile; the one that tells me he's happy and that makes me happy.

What she loves about his spirit: His endless yearning to learn more and delve deeper into God.

Michelle's advice to single women about marriage:

“I read something a while back that sums up anything I could possibly advise:

'Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively.

But to the Christian, God says, 'No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with being loved by Me. Until you give yourself totally and unreservedly to Me and to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with me alone, discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.

You will never be united with another until you are united with Me exclusively. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to bless you with the most thrilling plan existing, one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you.

Just keep watching Me. Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I AM. Keep listening and learning the things I tell you. Just wait, that's all.

Do not be anxious, do not worry, do not fear. Do not look around at all the things others have received or that I have given them. Do not look at the things you want. Just keep looking off and away up at Me or you will miss what I have to show you.

And when you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you will dream. You see, beloved, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready ( I am working even this moment to have you both ready at the same time)---until you both are satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I have prepared for you, you will not be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me and thus Perfect Love.

Precious one, I want you to have the most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of Grace, Beauty, Perfection, and Love that I offer you."

Believe and be satisfied!'”