The most special moment I have spent with my wife, Cara, is when we adopted our son, Jack. We went to New Jersey to adopt a 4 day old baby boy from a young couple. He was perfect in every way and hand picked by God for us. Jack was the exact size and shape of the hole we had in our hearts. He fit perfectly. The three of us "fell in love" with each other immediately. We suffered from infertility for 12 years, and the pain was instantly erased the moment we met! My wife and I learned much from our valley experience. God gave us a son, who was not formed under my wife's heart but in it. Jack is 27 months old now and is all boy. He is the joy of our lives. Our marriage was always strong, but after the valley experience, we appreciate the aspect of being parents so much more than we would have. Our marriage was given new life and an excitement that was not there. God is so Good!

The moment I fell in love with Jesus was the day He opened my eyes and showed me I was worth loving. Our love for each other began at a time when I had begun to lose faith in everything. Jesus heard my heartfelt prayer to become a mother and blessed me. In 1989, I was diagnosed with Lupus and told not to ever attempt to get pregnant. But God! Four months into the pregnancy, I lost my son and felt God had abandoned me, but two and a half months later I found out I was still pregnant. The day I gave birth to my angel, Jesus whispered in my ear, “I love you, hold on to the miracle.” During birth, my baby girl suffered from lack of oxygen and meconium poisoning. I was told she would most likely be developmentally challenged because of the fifteen minute lapse of oxygen. Jesus said “If you love Me, trust Me.” I did. Today my daughter Safirya Imani is a gifted 13 years old, taking college classes since fifth grade. Jesus is the love of my life and I’m nothing without Him or the little miracle He gave me on July 7, 1996.

The moment I fell in love with my husband was in October 1999. My friend invited me to a small get together, I really didn't want to go but they made me.  Well, when I arrived I decided to have a good time and started to enjoy myself.  About that time the conversations turned to silly impressions and who we could all imitate.  My roommate proudly announced, "Rebecca can do Chewbacca from Star Wars!" I was embarrased.  Of course everyone was saying, "Oh come on do the chewbacca!"  Just as I started to do my impression of Chewbacca I realized that there was someone else doing the same impression.  It was Donnie and from that moment on we have been in love.  It was love at first Chewbacca!

In most of the romantic movies that I have seen, I don't remember anything ugly. The lighting, background and circumstances blend wonderfully together to enhance the mood. Beautiful people, entwined together with blissful smiles on their lips. A moment in time to celebrate love.

Years ago, I had broken my foot and I couldn't put any weight upon it for many weeks. My husband and I decided to go to the Dallas Arboretum and when we arrived we rented a wheelchair as the grounds were extensive. There were many hilly places and he had to push me. Never did he complain as he patiently struggled with the extra weight so that I could enjoy the beautiful foliage and brightly colored blooms. The fragrance around us was intoxicating. Within the setting of lush vegetation, and the scents to captivate our senses, my love for my husband blossomed!

It was if he had swept me off my feet and set me upon a glorious steed as we discovered new adventures. With romance in the air and in his eyes for me, any past discomfort melted away. I felt so very loved and transformed into a Princess to my Prince Charming that day.

We met as volunteer counselors for a Christian concert in the summer of 1976. …an ex-hippie and a bookish schoolgirl who both desired to be “sold out” for Jesus. He was a super nice guy and I had no romantic interest in him, but his passion for Jesus intrigued me. As a campus Bible study leader, he frequently called to invite me to the meetings. I was always too busy to attend but we talked on the phone and whenever we bumped into each other. He offered to help me with my undisciplined prayer life and I agreed to going to a prayer meeting with him. While in deep prayer, I looked up at David and felt the Lord impress on my heart, the words, “He will be a great father.” I felt confused, but continued praying and when the meeting was over, we went to watch The 700 Club. I vividly remembered the featured guests, Jeannie C. Riley and an amazing Christian potter. After this David admitted to really liking me and I did the same. 31 years and 3 children later, I still say that our first date was viewing the most romantic program, The 700 Club!

It was in Chiquimula, Guatemala, when I first saw my husband at a distance while walking with a girlfriend.  I said to her "Behold my husband!"  My girlfriend couldn’t believe what I said.  It was a strange expression and not normal language.  It must have been the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  But I had no idea who the Holy Spirit was at the time.  It was shortly thereafter that my husband and I had the opportunity to see each other again while he was passing by my house; I was standing by the entrance of my house and we exchanged loving glances. Later, we were introduced at a high school dance where he taught as a missionary. We fell in love that night and made plans for the future.  My husband and I have been married now for 44 years and have a family of three children and five grandchildren.

Love is like a plant; it has its stages of vibrant growth, of flourishing, wilting, and of spiritual drought.  We need to learn to be happy and content during both periods of growth and drought, and the maturity of knowing that God is handling it!

I have to start my story by saying that I found out what "falling in love" truly meant when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2007 and my husband Sal of 26 years (at that time) took me to every chemo treatment, held me tight every time I felt like the ugliest women alive and still called me "his bride.  Just when we thought the disease was behind us we discovered in 2/09 that the cancer had spread to my right lung and possibly in my throat. Agressive chemo was again the plan of attack.  To this day, I am receiving chemo.  Sal continues to love me unconditionaly through all the physical side effects and emotional and spiritual valleys.  He has been the love of my life since I was 16 years old.  I am now going to be 52 this March and we are still madly in love with one another.  I can't say that it is the same type of love shared in the beginning because we were young then and didn't know the Lord so we truly didn't comprehend what "love" meant. But NOW we can attest to what true love is in a marriage.

Kevin and I will be married 20 years in March. We first saw each other at work in a hallway! We both looked up and eyes met, and there was a connection! Many ups and downs in twenty years, however, our commitment to one another is most important. Lately, Kevin has shared his heart with me in a note each morning. Here is a paraphrase of a recent love and praise note to me. "I think about God's unfailing love. How He loves us not only despite who we are, but because of who we are. My natural understanding does not work there. The only reason I have any understanding of love is because I see it in you, every day. You continue to love me despite more reasons not to. Still you do it.  It makes no sense in my natural mind, but I see you doing what not only God commanded, but what God does! Thank you. I love you." As a wife, and mother these encouraging words give me fuel to power through each day. I feel appreciated, and I reminded how much God loves ME because of my husband.

I remember the moment I fell in love with you. Such an innocent kiss on the cheek, soft and sweet If I close my eyes I can still feel it. In a room full of people, laughing and talking the smell of food and wine, but in that moment all I could hear was my own heart beat, all I could smell was your sweet breath, hot on my face.
How can something so powerful.  My husband and I have been married for 26 blissful years thanks to a cousin who introduced us at a family and friends Christmas party.  What a wonderful Christmas it was I fell in love head over heels and I have many blessings and love in my heart as I gaze in to his eyes each new morning.

In November 1972, after six years of hard drinking and partying I walked into Calvary Chapel, in Costa Mesa, California, and gave my life to Christ. I was incredibly lonely and prayed for God to bring me someone I could love for the rest of my life.
Exactly three months later, I met Karen “by accident” against all the odds. Our mutual friend refused to introduce me to her because of my bad boy reputation. One evening I was visiting them and Karen walked in. I asked her out for coffee. I sat across the table from her and saw the most incredibly beautiful blue eyes and sparkling smile I had ever laid eyes on. I remembered people telling me the eyes are a reflection of what’s in a person’s heart. I saw the heart of the finest woman I had ever known in my life. We became inseparable and ended up getting married 5 weeks later. Four months later Chuck Smith re-married us at Calvary Chapel. That was 37 years and two boys ago.

God didn’t just answer my prayer he exceeded all my expectations. Our love just continues to grow. We laugh, cuddle, pray and just love being together.