An Uncommon Meeting

One morning in March of 1981, I was setting on the side of my bed, in Houston, Texas, when the phone rang. It was my new and only brother in law. I had never met Woody because he lived in South Carolina. My sister was flying from Arizona to meet with him in South Carolina. Simultaneously, my Dad was flying into SC from DC after a Soil Conservation Convention. Woody wanted me to come in and surprise the both of them. I lived in Houston, Texas and Dad was living in Arizona and neither of us had met my sisters’ new husband.

During our conversation he mentioned a friend he would like for me to meet. Then he laughed and said, "Who knows, he might be your future husband". I quickly cut that conversation short.

I was hesitant about accepting his invitation because I was scheduled to visit with the Prison Ministry in Huntsville. But just minutes after I hung up from talking to him, both of my prayer partners called me. The first one asked me what I was doing? I told her of my invitation and she felt at though I was supposed to go & God was going to do something Miraculous. The second partner listened to my story and confirmed the first. She really encouraged me to go and just see what the Lord was going to do.

I called Woody back to find out where to fly. I had never been any further South than Louisiana. Then I made my reservations. That evening, Velvet, my sister called me to visit and before she hung up she said "I feel like you are going to meet your husband very soon", I laughed and questioned "How Soon” Her reply came, Oh "Within the Next 2-3days". Now she had no idea I was in on this big surprise plan and meeting with her and Dad in SC the next evening.

Well, all went as my brother-in-law planed. Velvet arrived first, then me and finally our Dad. You could have knocked him down with a feather. He was shocked to see the both of us there. By this time it was getting late and Woody drove us all from Columbia to Sumter. We were up half the night laughing and swapping stories. I don't know what was so funny, but we laughed so hard we would half to hold our sides. I retired to the sofa and Dad had the guest bedroom.

The next morning around 7:00, Woody announced that his friend was coming over shortly for coffee. I was a wreck with only three hours of sleep. I whipped into action in the bathroom to try to make myself look somewhat presentable. The doorbell rang; it was John, there for coffee. By this time, Dad and Woody were in the kitchen visiting and setting around the table. I could hear them all laughing and carrying on while I was trying to bend my hair into some kind of Doo. About that time Velvet came by the bathroom on her way to the kitchen and I jerked her in and told her to go get a good look at our visitor and come back and give me a report. I waited; she forgot and joined in on the laughter down the hall.

I had no choice but to come out and as I walked through the kitchen toward the dinning area, my eyes met John's and deep down inside me I heard in my spirit, "This is the man you are going to marry". Well, it about jolted my socks off, but I kept walking and sat in the only seat available next to John.

He stayed for breakfast then we all rode out to a neat place in the country and walked through a wooded area. Just having fun and all getting to know one another. He stayed for lunch and on into the evening for supper. He left about 10:00 pm. Now I was careful not to reveal my secret to anyone. I knew if this were God, He would work all things out.

When I retired this time something happened that is very difficult to explain. But I was asleep but some how I felt awake. I entered into a discussion about my future husband with the Lord. Now I could not see Him and I could not verbally hear Him. But it would go a little like this. I would ask a question about John, then there would come into me, an assurance that I could not refute. I had been single for seventeen years and had not been dating for some time. I had set myself aside from all that worldly stuff and dedicated my life and service to the Lord. I really had completely given up all chance of ever meting anyone. It was strange, because sometimes I would argue with the Lord about one thing or another and He allowed me to do so. But eventuality there would come that piece until I was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt about the question.

The next morning I awoke totally refreshed and assured of one thing that truly John was going to be my future husband. Velvets husband called John that morning and asked him to come back over. He did for a little while and seemed restless. He invited me to ride with him to run some errands. We loaded into his big GM Pick-up truck and off we went. This was our first time to be alone. It was really kind of neat, every time we got back into the truck the radio would play, " I'm just an old chunk of coal, but I'm gonna be a diamond someday". What did that mean anyway?



We came back to my sisters for lunch, and then John asked me to go for another ride. This time he drove me to Poinsettia Park located back in the Woods. There was a little pond there with some picnic tables. We strolled down to the beach area and he took his jacket off and put it on the sand for me to set on. Just as we both got comfortable he said, " Teri, I have been praying for a wife for a year and a half and I believe the Lord has sent me you!" I don't know why it was so hard for me to believe the Lord had told him too, but it was. He then turned his back and waited to see what I was going to say. I came back with, " If you really believe that turn back around here and kiss me and lets see how that goes". When we got up from that beach we began making plans for our future and trying to reveal as much of ourselves to each other as possible.

Well, the rest is history. Dad and I flew back to Houston three days later. The following weekend, John flew to Texas, we got our marriage license on Friday and we were married that Saturday. Velvet & Woody flew out and Woody was our best man.

We were married Ten Days after the day we first met. It must have been God because we are still very much in love. Now I didn’t say that we haven’t been through some rough times and have endured many storms. But I love being married.

We were married on April 11,1981 in Houston, Texas at my home. Dad and Velvet were there as were my two half grown sons. All my buddies from church and my very best friend, Nettie (this was my very best friend) and her husband from Mineola, Texas were in attendance. We had a beautiful ceremony in my living room. Then one of my Bible teachers and her family brought us a huge dinner for the reception.