Mark credits the Holy Spirit’s promptings for bringing the greatest blessing into his life, his wife.
When Mark was a junior in college, he went on a road trip with the Newman Singers, a music ministry group. He played saxophone with the group, and was assigned to ride in a car with three other people. Next to him in the back seat was Gretchen, a vocalist he had never met. The singers and instrumentalists in the Newman Singers never rehearsed together so they only saw each other when they traveled on a weekend trip to perform.
In between doing his homework, Mark and Gretchen visited during the car ride. On the way home, they stopped at McDonald’s for dinner. Mark jumped out of the car, ready to eat but Gretchen said she wasn’t hungry. He ended up bringing her back some cookies.
A couple weekends after they returned, Mark was on his way to take an exam and took a shortcut through the mall on campus. As he was walking through the mall, he passed a flower shop.
Mark thought to himself, wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to send flowers to? Suddenly, he got the thought, what about Gretchen? Mark felt like it was God talking. He decided to listen and purchased a single white rose to be delivered to Gretchen. He didn’t know what to write on the card. After a little thinking, he honestly wrote, “Thinking of you,” but didn’t sign his name.
“It was completely uncharacteristic for me to buy a flower for a random girl that I didn’t know very well,” said Mark. “I never do that stuff. I really felt the Holy Spirit was directing me.”
Gretchen happened to receive the flower after a rough day, she had failed her chemistry test.
“I was upset about my exam. What a day to receive a flower! I just knew the flower was from Mark. I felt such excitement,” said Gretchen.
A couple weeks later, Mark invited Gretchen for ice cream as a study date and gave her another white rose to let her know it was him. They eventually started dating and will soon be celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary.
“That was the beginning of our story. I’m so grateful I went out of my comfort zone and followed the Holy Spirit’s promptings,” said Mark.
Wonderful story of love!