A little “get to know the couple” information follows.

The bride:: Kay Gordon who currently resides in South Carolina. She is a teacher in Hendersonville North Carolina. Which is the area where she grew up, as well as raised her family. She has two grown children, a son Chris and a daughter Sarah. And two grandchildren. Her husband died in October of 2019.

She attended grade school at Fletcher Elementary before going on to Fletcher Academy. Later attending Blue Ridge Community College.

The groom: Robert Hill of Lawley, Alabama. Raised on the mountain above Dayton Tennessee he attended the Ogden Road SDA Elementary School before going to Madison Academy.

Continuing his education in the field of computer science at Chattanooga State Community College. He worked five years in that field for Blue Cross Blue Shield before deciding that was not for him. The rest of his life has been spent in the field of Transportation having a trucking business for over 30 years. He still enjoys driving and does so for Southern Adventist University in their buses, as well as “It Is Written” on an as-needed basis.

How they met.

From the bride’s perspective.

Being single for more than 2 years after my husband’s death I told God that if he wanted to help me find a person to enjoy being with and sharing life with to let me know and put him in my life. Or I would be fine being by myself. But if I was to have another companion, it had to be someone that He put in my life. I had created a list of things that I was looking for in a relationship and placed it in my Bible. I had been praying about it for some time.

It was almost as if God said you’ve got to let somebody know you’re here. I had heard about Christian Mingle as an Adventist dating site and decided to join. I later find out there are a lot of non-Adventist on the site and even some very bad people so you have to be extremely cautious.

I had not had my profile up long when I was contacted by a very friendly man named Bob. Being new to meeting people like this, I was very careful and I guess a little slow to respond. Bob kept sending messages pursuing the communication so I knew he was serious about getting to know me even though my messages were as he put it, slow as snails mail in responding.

He had told me that he drove a bus for Southern Adventist University and was making a trip up to Fletcher Academy with the music department. He asked me if I would be willing to meet up where we could meet in person in a very public location.

I said to myself if he works for Southern Adventist University, he can’t be all bad, so I agreed to meet up for the Friday evening music program.

I was nervous, actually petrified. I had not dated in 40 years so I wasn’t sure how everything was supposed to go these days. But I was also intrigued and excited to meet this good-looking courteous man that seemed determined to meet me.

Friday, he had driven up to Fletcher and after unloading the students at the church was looking for me. I wasn’t in the church but when he called me, I told him I was still in my car, and before I knew it, he was coming down the hill from the church to my car. He had a big smile on his face and after opening my car door for me, he gave me a big hug. He was very relaxed and calmed me. From that time on he made me feel safe, calm, and comfortable around him.

We went in and talked for some time while the students were setting up for the evening concert and then we enjoyed the concert together.

I then watched and listen to him as he talked with a number of friends that he knew which were there also. A number of the staff as well as pastors that were there for the evening program. You see, Bob knows probably a handful of people everywhere he goes. He seems to know a lot of people. And he doesn’t know a stranger. As he put it, they are only friends I’ve not yet made. I could tell what kind of person he was that very night but I didn’t tell him, not yet. I loved hearing his stories and enjoyed watching his smile and laughter.

Then we met up again the next day, Sabbath and went to Church. We spent the afternoon talking and getting to know each other’s life stories. He said something like, I know you said you just wanted to start out as friends, but if you ever decide you want to be more than that, please let me know.

I knew right then and possibly even the night before after the concert, but didn’t let him know that I already knew. From that weekend on we have been inseparable every weekend. Either he would be coming this Direction with the gym team for a program or some other activity or I would make my way his direction.

We had found each other by God’s Providence

God had plans for Bob and I and we both know that He led us to find each other. The timing was only by God’s timing for both of us and when I shared with Bob the list of attributes that I was looking for and had ask God for in a person. He in turn shared with me a list he had created that he would be looking for in anyone that he would consider as a wife.

I feel that as husband and wife we can work together for whatever or wherever God puts us or places in our lives to accomplish. I have found my soulmate and I love him dearly.

From the groom’s perspective

Okay, I admit it, guilty as charged. I have a soft spot or weakness for teachers. My First Love after my mother was my first-grade teacher. Straight out of Junior College she was maybe 19, pretty, sweet, and I was in love. However, as I found out later, she had another love in her life and after one year of teaching she married and moved away. ☹ A few years later I did meet a teacher and did marry, and spent my life with her. I lost her three and a half years ago to a heart attack. I thought that I was fine on my own and prepared to spend the rest of my days enjoying time with my cat, my son and grandson, their families, and my very extended family through the Pathfinders and mission trip kids that I’ve been involved with. However, I opened the door by asking God that if there was someone out there that would be a good match for me to spend the rest of my life with, I was ready to meet her.

I prepared a profile and joined Christian Mingles dating site. What an eye-opening experience that was. It did not take long to realize that those hitting on me were scammers. Many not even using their own photos. I had pretty much quit even replying or getting on Christian Mingles site when I saw this new profile. Yes, she was very attractive. But there was just something about her that caught my attention. She was standing in front of a lighthouse. It intrigued me. I went to her profile, it said she liked many of the same things I liked, she lived within a day’s drive from me, and her expectations were along the same lines as mine as to a Christian relationship. But was she ever hard to draw into conversation. Neither of us got on the site very often so when I would drop her a note, it might be a week before I got a reply. And then it was just a few word reply. Having visited a lot of lighthouses, and being able to see the year built in the photo above the doorway she was standing in, I did my research as to which Carolina lighthouses were built in that year. (Be aware of the background in your photos). There were several, but upon examining the online photos of the different lighthouses I was able to determine which one she was standing in front of. My next correspondence with her included the fact that “I see you have been to see the Hunting Island Lighthouse.” To which she replied, “yes, I went camping there, how did you know?” Now I knew we had more things in common. Camping as well as lighthouses. Getting to know her was being a challenge. This was the most conversation I had gotten from her until now. I had sent her my number and said we could text back and forth a lot easier but she had replied she was good using Christian Mingles site. (That is what they recommend.) I told her that US snail mail was faster. Shortly after our lighthouse conversation she agreed to use messenger texting. Following this we had our first video chat, as I had to know that the person I was talking to was real. Soon after, I had a bus trip with Southern Adventist University going to her old academy, Fletcher. She agreed to meet in person and go to the music program with me. Timing only God could put in place.

After that night and finding out that I knew many of the pastors in the area that were at the program, and many of the faculty of the school. She began to relax a bit. Before that weekend was over, I knew that I had found who I was looking for. I just had to give her time to decide if I was what she had been looking for.

 I will say that I used the same rational this time that I did the first time over 50 years ago.  When you find what you are looking for, you stop looking. The problem for many is that they are “just looking” and don’t have any idea what it is they are looking for, they are just shopping.  If you don’t know what you are looking for, you can’t know when you find it. I am not a shopper. I decide what it is I want and only then go looking for it. With God’s help I created a list of what I was looking for, and stuck to my list.

 I love Kay’s smile and her laughter. She brings life and laughter back into my life. I pray I will be able to do the same for her.

I love her dearly and I’m grateful that our God blessed me by bring her into my life.

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