We Trusted in God: The Maiden’s Dream Fulfilled

Toward the end of the third year at the publishing house, my burden for the work there begin to lift. I had consecrated to stay single if that was what the Lord wanted. There had been some who had shown interest but I could not get a clearness from the Lord, so I stood on my consecration. I asked the Lord, “What am I supposed to do now?” It wasn’t long after that, that I had a dream in which a young man whom I knew just appeared and was gone again. Then another night in a dream I saw him preaching, and yet in another dream, we were getting married. After each of these dreams I committed them to God. I told Him no confidence would be put in them unless I received some attention from this young man, knowing that dreams can be of God or from other sources as well. My mind hadn’t been dwelling on him and I wasn’t going to start now unless I knew this was of God and not some inner unconsciousness of my own desires. To my mind it seemed unlikely; he was living quite a distance away and I never before received any attention from him. I kept all these things locked in my heart between God and I. No one else knew.

A month or so later while we workers were assembling a publication, one spoke directly to me and asked, “Did you know Mark Spinks is moving to Oklahoma City?” (That was 30 minutes away.)

I calmly answered, “No, I didn’t know.” But I immediately thought of the three dreams, as this was the young man in them. I did begin to wonder if the Lord indeed was working. But I continued to commit the matter to the Lord and quietly waited.

After Mark got moved and settled, he begin to come to the young people’s meeting we had on Friday night at a young married couple’s home. This went on for several weeks. Then a certain night, which I remember like yesterday, Mark drew me out in conversation as I was about to leave. He had broken his leg in playing softball and was sitting in a chair near the door. After a while I turned again to go, and he arose from his chair to go also. The man of the home then volunteered to carry Mark’s Bible to the car for him, it being rather hard to walk on crutches and carry anything! Mark said, “Well, I thought maybe Sister Elois would do that for me?” When we reached his car he asked if I would like to go eat at the Heritage House sometime.

I affirmed, very calmly, that I would, but inside I remember thinking, “This is actually happening!”

I believe it was at this point that I called my parents and told them, mentioning the dreams and how I had prayed. I knew they wanted God’s will to be done in my life and would be praying.

The planned evening arrived, and I was a little nervous. Being of a quiet nature, talking wasn’t easy for me. But somehow the Lord made this different. Visiting came easily and I enjoyed his company. However, when he took me home, he didn’t say he had enjoyed the evening or if he would call again. So I thought perhaps that was all there was to it. I committed it back to God. But in about a week or so I received a beautiful arrangement of spring flowers. The attached note read, “I never spent a more enjoyable evening.” I was so delighted I didn’t know what to do with myself! The first thing I did was fall on my knees and thank the Lord. It seemed the Lord was in the matter, but again I gave it back to God to block if it wasn’t His will.

There was an older sister who had often mentioned that she was praying for me. She had told me that she had waited for 10 years and the Lord had given her a jewel! I told her and asked for her continued prayers. She gave me her blessings and some advice which had been of help to her.

As the news got around to our large circle of friends, not everyone was pleased. It reached my ears that some thought it would never work, while another whispered to me that she thought it was wonderful. Some advised us to have a short courtship and others said to not be in a hurry! The one who was filling the place as pastor at our congregation told my parents they were glad to see us together. Yet another one called me on the phone and proceeded to say everything bad she could dream up about Mark. I kindly thanked her and said I would pray about it. After hanging up the phone I was just in tears. I knelt in prayer and poured out my troubles to the Lord. I again asked for a revelation of His will. I surely couldn’t go by people’s advice: there was no agreement. I cried unto the Lord for His direction. I promised to listen to Him and not to man. I had thought I was following His will, but I had to have more assurance. I opened my Bible and my eyes fell on, “fear not the rumor in the land.” I had not even known this verse existed! Surely God had opened it up at my hour of need. Thank the Lord! He is faithful to those who put their trust in Him. It is safe to trust God! “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”* (Proverbs 3:6)

The courting time is a getting acquainted time. A time to explore one another’s minds, goals, values and ideals. A time of continuing to “check out” whether this is indeed God’s plan for your life. If you are sensitive to the Lord, He will guide you by His Spirit. If you are about to make a mistake, He will cause you to feel uneasy about the steps you are taking. However, if all is well, you will be blessed and happy.

Mark enjoyed reading to me in some of our times together. This piece of poetry seemed just for us:

“Even as rivulets twain, from distant and separate sources,
Seeing each other afar, as they leap from the rocks, and pursuing
Each one its devious path, but drawing nearer and nearer,
Rush together at last, at their trysting-place in the forest;
So these lives that had run thus far in separate channels,
Coming in sight of each other, then swerving and flowing asunder,
Parted by barriers strong, but drawing nearer and nearer,
Rushed together at last, and one was lost in the other.”

Now, 21 years later, we have enjoyed many books which drew out family conversations, thus communicating together and establishing values for our children. At that time I saw his love of reading and discussion from a key-hole view. Now I view the full bloom of the experience and the enrichment it has brought to us.

The night he asked me to be his and I answered “yes” took place on a moonlit June night among the tall Louisiana pines in his parents’ back yard. We had gone for a walk and upon returning sat down in a large swing, he on one end and I on the other. A kitten was roaming around playfully and a Chuck-Will’s-Widow was singing in the treetop! I believe the Lord arranged this romantic scene for us. I had long ago chosen not to read the “Christian” romance stories, for fear they would fill my mind and make the real experience seem uncolorful. The Lord rewarded me exceedingly! It surely pays to listen to those little “checks” the Lord gives. He wants to give us the very best! Why fill your mind with stories the world has to offer? Why be in a hurry to get married? Enjoy your young life, filling places of service for your Master. There may be some whom He designs to get married at a young age. But for the most part, I believe with some years and experience, you are better able to make a wise choice. It takes time for God to teach you His voice and how to find the mind of the Lord. Look to Him now about the little decisions of life. Don’t rush ahead with your own desires and wishes. Wait on Him. Pray for His direction in your schooling and areas of service. He will prepare you if you let Him.

You may say it is a scary thing to just let God choose. What if He chooses someone you don’t like, let alone love? Never fear. When God chooses, He also gives the love. Do not under any circumstances vow to love and cherish someone you don’t know if you love or not! Don’t be pushed into something. Some marriages have been arranged by a religious group for the advantage of the group with no consideration as to the love between the two. Our hearts ache for these dear couples. Parents should be praying for God to bring the right person into their child’s life at the right time, and be afraid to actually do the choosing.

As we continued in our courtship, my respect, admiration and love grew for Mark. I felt this was the man I could look across the table at for the rest of my life! This was the man I wanted to cook for and prepare the things he liked. I felt this was one whom I could submit to, “as it is fit in the Lord.”* (Colossians 3:18) How important is this love! You need it to carry you through the ups and downs of life. While Mark and I were going together, I remember telling a sister I felt sure this was the one to marry. She said, “hang on to that, you will need it.” When hard times do come to test your love, then we can go back to God, reminding yourself and ask His help to live with him as you should.

As is most usually the case, the man wants to get married as soon as possible and the woman says, “not so soon.” He wanted to get married in August and I thought it would be nice after his birthday in October. Finally we agreed on a September date.

We had been taught that our weddings should be plain and not an excessive show. I was much impressed by a chapter on Christian weddings in a little book, Keep Yourself Pure, Sister Marie Miles and Sister Stover passed out in the year of 1972 at the Monarch Springs camp meeting. We endeavored to carry it out with the best understanding we had. The following excerpt is a sample of its content:

You can easily draw the line between modest dignity and ostentation…. It will also help you to know what to do if you will plan everything to please your most honored Guest, the Lord Jesus Himself, who will surely come if you invite Him.

Remember, girls, the important thing is not how pretty a bride you will be, but how fine a wife. Your wedding clothes are not nearly as important as you who wear them. The wedding day is not an end in itself. Elaborate attire and excessive decorations over-emphasize the unimportant and draw the attention away from the spiritual meaning of a marriage ceremony in the Lord.

May God help us to plan weddings that are in keeping with Christ and His principles. It is the spirit of the world to veneer, to be artificial, and to glorify man rather than God. Let us not get caught in this worldly spirit in our weddings. Plan your weddings so that they are beautiful in their simplicity. Let them be experiences that Christ will honor with His presence, and ones that will bring dignity and honor to this sacred ordinance.

…Remember that the sacredness of the wedding hour is often lost and forgotten by the activities that follow the ceremony…. One thing that ought to be definitely ruled out is the after-wedding wild auto race with tin cans rattling and horns screaming. Not only are life and limb endangered, but worse still, the spiritual atmosphere of life’s most treasured scene is forever damaged. The new couple should be allowed to leave in peace, with the echo of their vows and the heartfelt good wishes of their friends lingering in their hearts.

[Keep Yourself Pure]

I am so thankful to the Lord for the love and happiness He has given us. As the years change us, our love continues to grow richer and stronger. I am so glad we trusted God. We look forward to growing old together—walking hand in hand into the measure of time God sees fit to give us.

“What is love, anyhow?”…

“Why, hit’s—hit’s—jest a caring fer somebody more’n fer ary one else in th’ whole world…. Hit’s a goin’ t’ live with somebody an’ a lettin’ him take care o’ you, ’stead o’ your folks…. An’ hit’s a cookin’ an’ a scrubbin’ an’ a mendin’ fer him, an’—an’—sometimes hit’s a splittin’ wood, an’ a doin’ chores, too….”

“It’s a heap more’n that; it’s a nursin’ babies, and a takin’ care of ’em till they’re growed up, and then when they’re big enough to take care o’ themselves, and you’re old… it’s a lookin’ back over it all, and bein’ glad you done married the man you did. It’s a heap more’n livin’ with a man… it’s a doin’ all that, without ever once wishin’ he was somebody else.”

[Harold B. Wright; The Shepherd of the Hills, “What Is Love?”]