I’ve worked in the forest industry since my early 20’s. I work hard and I’m disciplined which helps me be able to achieve what I want. I like to move the ball forward.  But there was one area of my life where I had not succeeded the way I wanted to.

I always wanted to be married and have a family and it just wasn’t happening.  I had a good career, but I was starting to wonder if I was in the wrong place.

At this time I was living in southern Alberta and I found a group of people who really helped me get closer to God. I had learned about God growing up but these guys helped me see the importance of living your best for God every day. I was building a good life for myself, but I knew that it wouldn’t mean much if it wasn’t what God wanted for me.

I started asking God what he wanted me to do with my life. As I got closer to God I realized that in my search for a wife I had gotten off track with the qualities I should be looking for. I put together a new list of five things.

And then I got offered a job back up north in a town with a population under 4000. Not the ideal place to be if you’re looking to meet someone. I remember thinking, “Maybe my wife is here?” But although I was dating, I couldn’t find her.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Proverbs 3:5-6 which talks about not relying on your own wisdom but trusting God instead. Trust isn’t easy when you’re used to making your own decisions and setting your own goals. But God was teaching me that I needed to wait for him. I needed to have faith that God had a plan. When I take on something new I tend to want to go hard and get to the finish line or get to the completion point.  God doesn’t do it that way. He asks me to walk with him and I’m learning how to do that. Waiting with God can be hard. It’s so easy to focus on what you don’t have.  But I discovered that God is always there for those that are looking for him.

Although there were many blessings living in a small northern community, I was really struggling with being single and living in such a small town. It was at this time, I had applied and interviewed for a  job in southern BC.   I really prayed about it. I wanted to know if this was the next thing God had for me. I told God that I realized he might have different plans for me and I was putting it all in his hands. I wanted him to make the next move and he really did.

Within a period of  two weeks I got the job, sold my house before I even had a chance to list it and I met Amy on a blind date.  Everything was changing, but this time God was the one calling the shots.

When I was waiting I hoped and believed that God would bring a very special woman into my life. I wanted someone who shared my faith, someone who was committed to God.  The more I learned about Amy the more I realized that she far exceeded all of my prayers.

Making a deeper commitment to God was totally worth it. Making that decision was step one. Like any relationship you have to invest time to learn more about God and grow in your understanding of who he is. I also know there’s always going to be ups and downs but I know with God that my future is secure. Amy and I are getting married and I know that God has big plans for us. I can’t wait to see what comes next.