“You’re moving to Ontario?”

“Yes,” I said.

The expressions on my family’s faces radiated surprise. I clearly shocked them.

Me too. After all, I was a homebody Maritime girl. I didn’t venture far from my family. Being an introvert, I never dreamed I would move 1800 kms to a city where I only knew one person. What was I thinking? Yup, I was certifiably crazy.

However, here I am. Through a series of events, God brought me to the Forest City. I look back at my move to London and I see God’s hand in all of it. It’s that big picture thing again. And trust.

I had gone through my painful journey of divorce and was ready to move on.  At this point in my life, I knew it was time to take a leap of faith. And boy was it ever a big leap!

Let me tell you how God brought me here. He used a friend to peak my interest in London. I was living in Halifax at the time and I decided to go for a visit. I even applied for a job at London Life’s head office, not ever dreaming I was qualified for the role (I was currently working for London Life, but in a branch office). I had the interview on that visit. I enjoyed my stay and went back to Nova Scotia.

“You’re hired,” I heard them say. “Can you be here in a month?”

I almost dropped the phone. Seriously Lord? You really want me to move?

I left Halifax in September of 1994 and headed to Ontario. I soon fell in love with the city, but I did struggle with loneliness. I missed my family dearly. I woke up many mornings with that dreaded ache in my stomach. However, I knew God had brought me here for a reason, so I kept trusting…and waiting.

A year or so later, I sat beside a fellow alto singer (we’ll call her Diane…oh…that IS her name!) at a joint church choir practise. We chatted. A few weeks later we ran into each other in the halls of London Life. We hadn’t mentioned where we worked, so we were shocked and pleasantly surprised to re-connect! There’s God’s hand again.

We became friends quickly and months later Diane invited me to the “turtle races” in Ailsa Craig to meet a mutual friend. He was singing and playing the guitar for a group called the Chapelaires. (It was his first sing with them. No pressure…singing for the first time and meeting a girl all in one night!)

I hesitated. Did I really want to open my heart? Trepidation set in, but I said yes anyway. On the night of the “event,” a family of butterflies made a home in my stomach. I struggled with what to wear (what girl wouldn’t?), what to say, and even if I should go.

God pushed me out the door. I’m so grateful He did, because it was that night I discovered the reason why He brought me to London. To introduce me to a 6’3, handsome man of God. My future husband and treasure, Jeff.

See…God DOES work in mysterious ways!

Friend, if you have gone through divorce and are scared to open your heart again, take it from me. Do it! You won’t regret it. I didn’t.

Psalm 21:2 (KJV)

You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips.