Deep thoughts from Valentine's Day...

I have yet to read all of the posts about our Small Group Valentine's Day party, but I am sure there will be many detailing how much fun the night was. It is so incredibly wonderful to have a night like that with dear friends and lots of laughs. What a great way to spend a Saturday night, and for sure, we must do it more often.

Because I know that everyone will post about the fun and laughter, I wanted to post something a little different. This may be a little long, so skip this post if you'd like. I know that we all had a chance to get to know a little more about each other that night. Some things people may have already known, and other things may have been surprising, funny, or even a little disappointing. So, I wanted to fill you all in on what is Kevin and Natalie Mann.

Kevin and I met when we were 21 and 23. Little did we know, I had known Kevin's best friend since elementary school, and we lived all of our lives literally down the street from each other. We never met because I went to private school, and Kevin went to a public school. I came from a family where church was important, but I was not raised in what many of you are familiar with as the "christian" home. My parents are incredible, and the were very big on morals and integrity. Education was important, and so was service. I grew up in youth group and was committed to school and sports.

Kevin came from an "unchurched" family. His parents are good people, with great hearts. They are great parents and love with an unconditional love. Kevin was less interested in school, at best, and he was a free spirit. He is, and always has been, a social butterfly with a love for people.

When Kevin and I met, I was in a place in my life where I had been at college, partying and attempting to fit into a crowd that I knew in my heart was not me. Kevin was continuing to enjoy living at home and hanging with a group of people that lived in the moment. I had dated a guy like him before, and knew that his heart would never change, and that we were not meant for each other. When I met Kevin, I knew there was something different. Shortly after we had been dating, and we were figuring out what we both wanted for our lives, Kevin told me that he had recently asked God to send him an angel to rescue him, and that he knew it was me. I knew at that moment that Kevin had a heart that was open and willing to change.

Don't get me wrong. We continued to have a great time, living in the moment and trying to figure out what our lives were missing. We married, and had Greyson. We had had some difficult times, and now with a child, we were seeking some stability that seemed to be lacking. I knew that I wanted to get back to the church because I knew that growing up that was such an integral part of who I am. The question was how willing was Kevin to enter into this journey with me.

We tried several churches, and many left a bad taste in Kevin's mouth. He and I knew we shared some of the same morals, it was just a matter of finding a place that did not judge and that allowed Kevin and I the chance to grow together spiritually. By this point, we had Parker, and I was in law school. Enter David Ratz. He and I were on the same board, and after a while he said, "you know, you and my wife would get along so well. You should meet." Long story short, we met and it has been a whirlwind ever since.

We were invited to ASBC and LOVED it. I started serving, and Kevin began getting interested in service and the Word. I got baptized (even though I had been baptized in the Catholic church), and Kevin accepted Christ. We met some incredible people and have formed some amazing, life-changing friendships. We have not looked back.

I guess my point is this. We all have different stories about our walk of faith. Some people's walk began when they were little, and the path has been straight ever since. Others have started down the right path, taken a few deviations and u-turns, but eventually they made it back onto the right path. Others began not knowing the path existed, but because God made it possible, they eventually found Him and surrendered to Him.

For me and Kevin, I like to think about it this way. God put us together to "save" one another. I needed to get back to Him, and Kevin needed to find Him. Ten years later, we are still together with two beautiful children and a marriage that we are constantly working on. It has not always been easy, and we have not always made the right choices in our lives. But as Mark said on Saturday, we have "really lived." And because we have "really lived," I am certain that we have grown so much together in our relationship with each other, and in our relationship with Christ. I am also certain that we were meant to be because He made it so. I am so thankful for all of the good and bad choices that I have made in my life...each had a purpose, the ultimate purpose of leading me to my husband and back to my God.

Ok, enough of the philosophy mumbo jumbo. It is my birthday, and a back massage awaits! I will catch up on blog reading tomorrow:)