They met on June 3, 1998 (5:45pm EST if you really want to know) at the Missionary Learning Center (MLC) in Rockville, VA. They were to be BSU summer missionaries that summer and they had come to MLC for training. Melanie had been assigned to the Children's Home of Va. Baptists in Petersburg, VA along with her two partners: Beth and Amanda. Jeremy was to be the Petersburg Baptist Association summer missionary, working with various churches in the association.

Melanie's first memory of Jeremy was when he came in late (15 minutes late for a 5:30 meeting--that's how they know the time), apologizing that the trip took longer than he'd estimated. She thought he was cute but had recently ended a serious dating relationship and was not looking for another. During training, Jeremy realized that Melanie and her 2 partners would be in Petersburg, close to where he lived. So, he took the role of a big brother and said he would show them how to get to Wal-Mart, etc. (a place very near and dear to his heart) and offered a place of refuge at his parents' home in nearby Chester.

Jeremy recalls a time during training when they were paired together to do an exercise in communication. Melanie, who is typically very comfortable with meeting new people, was strangely giddy and at a loss for what to talk about. Jeremy, however, talked about his family and life with ease. During the exercise, the facilitator asked the group to freeze in position. After speaking on body language effective for listening he complemented Jeremy on his good listening posture--apparently unaware that Jeremy was speaking at the time of the freeze.

Jeremy came to the Children's Home often to help Beth, Amanda, and Melanie with their work. During that time, a wonderful friendship blossomed among the group. After about a month, Beth and Amanda noticed some changes in the friendship, and sat Melanie down for a talk. Apparently, when Jeremy came to visit, he and Melanie "didn't seem to notice anyone else." Melanie assured them that they were just friends. In the following days however, after much prayer, soul-searching, and heart-felt discussion, the two discovered their feelings for each other had gone beyond that of a friendship. They began dating July 7, 1998.

Since then, God has blessed their love for each other in amazing ways. After two years of "long-distance growth," the couple experienced the blessing of daily growth when Melanie moved to Richmond to start graduate school. They have had the privilege of cultivating their passion for missions by serving together at church as well as international missions. Jeremy and Melanie know that God has called them together, and that His plans for them are much bigger than they could ever imagine. They daily marvel at the amazing love God gives them to share with each other.

On December 12, 2002, a friend of Melanie's was going to be commissioned as a career missionary at MLC. Jeremy seized this opportunity to propose marriage to the love of his life. He does not remember much about the service other than it to drag on for hours (but he did his best to hide these feelings--she wanted to be surprised). Following the ceremony and reception, they took a walk around the campus and came upon the building. This was the first time that they had been in that room together since they met there over 4 years earlier. After some brief reminiscing (by this time she was beyond suspicious), Jeremy asked Melanie to be his partner for life. She excitedly agreed.

 

 

We are very excited to take this big step together and to journey together through all of life's adventures. We thank you for being a part of our lives and for loving and encouraging us through each step. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we seek God's direction in all things and ask the Creator of Love to teach us how to bind our hearts together as one.