28 Days
January 2015 Abilene, Texas
The Holy Spirit: “Do you want to get married?”
Seraph: “I do. I desire it and always have. I don’t like anyone. I’m not into anyone. I’m not sure who You have in mind.”
The Holy Spirit: “I’m ready, he is ready, I think you are ready, and I want to introduce you to him.”
March 2015 Fortaleza, Brazil
The Holy Spirit: “Marriage is coming.”
June 2015 Abilene, Texas
Seraph: phone rings, “Hi Mads! How are you?!”
Mads: *with a giddy voice* “Haha, I’m good, I have something to ask you.”
Seraph: “Ok, ask away.”
Mads: “Where is your heart on a desire for a relationship?”
Seraph: “I desire it, but I’m not into anyone.”
Mads: “Would you be ok if someone were to ask you to dinner or for a cup of coffee?”
Seraph: “I’m ok with it, depends on who is asking.”
Mads: *giddy & smiling* “Haha ok, I am just curious.”
Seraph: *laughing* “Haha uhh huh, what is going on?”
Mads: *continuing to laugh* “Oh nothing, investigating where your heart is at.”
*Phone conversation ends. Mads leaves Seraph in suspense.*
Wednesday July 2, 2015
Seraph: *Sitting in Starbucks and receives a text*
Donatello: *text message* “Hi, this is Donatello. I hope it was ok that I got your phone number from Mads. Can I call you? I have something I want to ask you.”
Seraph: *text message* “Sure.” She laughs and thinks to herself, “I know what he is going to ask.” The phone rings, “Hi Donatello, how are you this morning?”
Donatello: “I’m well, just working out here at one of my gardens. Hey, I’m calling because I wanted to see if you would be interested in going to grab coffee or dinner with me?”
Seraph: Laughs, “Sure, I’m down.”
Donatello: “Well, that was easier than I thought it was going to be. I’m working the rest of this week, what about sometime next week? I’ll call you back here in the next few days and we can set a time and a place.
Seraph: “Sounds good to me.”
Saturday July 4, 2015
Donatello gives Seraph a phone call that evening. Neither one of them thought they would be on the phone for very long. Both were tired and drained after a long day at work. They ended up being on the phone for quite some time talking about life and connecting on a few topics. During the conversation, Seraph starts to pick up on something different about this guy, this conversation; the whole scenario.
Seraph: The phone call ends. “Ok, God, what is going on? What are You up too?”
Monday July 6, 2015
Seraph comes home from the gym. As she is putting the key into the lock of her front door…
The Holy Spirit: “Come take a walk with Me, I have something I want to talk to you about.”
Seraph: “Ok, coming.” said with excitement to talk with Him. She places her bags and things down in her room and leaves her apartment to go for a walk. As she is walking through the neighborhood nearby…
The Holy Spirit: “I want to talk to you about Donatello.”
Seraph: “Ok, let’s talk about Donatello.”
The Holy Spirit: “This is the man I’ve been wanting to introduce you too. He is going to be your husband. Trust Me. I’ll show you.”
Seraph is not sure how to respond as she tries to take in what she just heard. She starts thinking to herself, “I don’t know who this man is. I’ve had one conversation with him.” Seraph trusts God, His voice, His leadership, His heart towards her. He has given her a new life: He has healed, restored, and redeemed her. She trusts Him, and if He says this is the man she is going to marry then He knows exactly what He is talking about, He knows what He is doing.
Seraph: “Ok, I trust You. If this is the man for me, then as You have said, You are going to show me and I will go along for the ride!”
Wednesday July 8, 2015 Abi Haus downtown Abilene, Texas
Donatello and Seraph meet up for dinner. As they dine, the two share their life stories, dreams, desires, and what God is currently doing in their lives. Seraph walks into this date with the knowledge that this man is going to be her husband. She is curious to know what this man thinks about her, what his intentions are, and if God has been speaking to him about her. During dinner, they completely lost any concept of time and space. Hours into the conversation, they looked up and realized the restaurant was empty and the tables were being cleaned. A wonderful and polite waiter asked them if they would like to sit out front while the staff cleaned up inside in order to close. Sitting outside by the street, the conversation for the night comes to a close…
Donatello: “So, I don’t know what you are expecting from me, if anything. I don’t know what all this is, but I do know that I’m drawn to you and your walk with the Lord. I know that I am supposed to hang out with you, maybe I’m supposed to learn something from you. Are you ok with just hanging out and getting to know one another?”
Seraph: “I am totally ok with that. You are welcome to chill with me anytime.” *smiling internally*
Friday July 10, 2015
Seraph: *Text message* “Hey, I’m going to be at Mad Coffee House tomorrow morning. You are more than welcome to come and hang with me if you would like.”
Donatello: *Text message* “That sounds really nice, I think I will join you.”
Seraph: *Text message* “Great, see you then.”
Saturday July 11, 2015
Donatello arrives at Mad coffee house around 0900 and proceeds to tell Seraph about his morning, when he pauses and looks at her…
Donatello: “Do you want to go to a wedding with me today?”
Seraph: “Sure, when is it?”
Donatello: “Well, we would need to leave Abilene by 10 AM.”
Seraph: “What time is it?”
Donatello: “It’s 9:15.”
Seraph: “Well, we better go.” As she is closing her lap top and starts to pack up her things.
Donatello: *Not sure what to do with the ease of her response to his invitation* “Uh, cool! Then go get changed, pack a change of clothes, and meet me at my apartment.”
Seraph: “See you in a bit.”
Seraph arrives at his apartment with minutes to spare. They arrive at the wedding and spend the entire day together. God, just as He had said, starts to show Seraph everything He is talking about.
Sunday July 12, 2015
Seraph leaves to go out of town for family vacation. Donatello and Seraph continue to connect over the phone while she is away.
Sunday July 19, 2015
Donatello: *Text message* “When do I get to see you again?”
Seraph: *Text message* “I’ll be back in town on the 21st, but I work the next day. I’m free on Thursday.”
Donatello: *Text message* “Would you like to have dinner with my spiritual parents and myself that evening?”
Seraph: *Text message* “Sounds wonderful.”
Donatello: *Text message* “Great!”
Thursday July 23, 2015
Seraph arrives for dinner and meets Donatello’s spiritual parents. As they sit down for dinner, Seraph asks them how they ended up in Abilene, Texas as well as how they had met. The couple proceeded to share an amazing story of how God had brought them together and were engaged in less than a month. As Seraph was listening to this story, she couldn’t help but laugh and light up with joy.
Seraph: Thought to herself, “This story is insane! Haha! I think this is what is happening between Donatello and I right now!”
Donatello: Glowing with excitement because this woman is sitting next to him.
Seraph leaves the evening processing all what God is doing and showing her.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Seraph is sitting in church and Donatello walks by her acting as if he did not see her sitting there. He looks back and acts surprised to see her and then proceeds to come say hello. He asks to sit with her for the service and of course she says yes. After church, they proceed to the coffee shop to hang. They talk with one another well into the afternoon, and right before Donatello has to leave…
Donatello: “Before I leave, I have something I want to share with you.” He starts to get nervous and fidgety; he decides to go for it and looks Seraph right in the eyes. “I like you. I want to be around you. I think about you all the time. You make me want to be a better man. You make me want to work on my relationship with the Lord. Basically, what I am saying is, I am interested in being more than just friends with you. Also, a few weeks ago at the wedding, the Lord said ‘Seraph, is waiting for you to lead,’ and I think I am supposed to step up and start leading in this relationship.” He then proceeded to ask Seraph a question or two about her heart and where she was at in life and her desires to be in a relationship. She answered his question extensively and with great detail, leaving him hanging in regards to his desire and request to be more than friends with her. Finally, she answers him…
Seraph: “…so, to answer your question. Yes, I am interested in being more than friends and yes I have been waiting for you to lead.”
Donatello feels relieved. He had been giving himself a hard time about whether or not to pursue Seraph or not, and whether or not Seraph was even interested in him. He leaves the coffee shop a very happy and excited man.
Wednesday Evening July 29, 2015
Donatello: *Text message* “Do you like surprises?”
Seraph: *Text message* “I do. I may not respond by screaming or crying; I’m usually pretty chill. But yes, I like surprises.”
Donatello: *Text message* “Ok, great!”
That evening was Mad’s birthday and fundraising event for missions with YWAM. Towards the end of the event, Donatello and Seraph are sitting on a love seat. Seraph is talking to Donatello on her left and is in and out of a conversation to her right. As she is talking to someone on her right she starts to feel this strong radiating vibe coming from Donatello…
Seraph: Thinks to herself, “I think this guy wants to be all over me right now, haha! I’ve told him that I am interested in being more than friends, why doesn’t he just grab my hand? Maybe he is trying to honor me, or maybe he still has no idea where I am at in all of this. This is hilarious. Hmmm, I think I’ll just slip him my hand and see what happens.” She moves her left hand and slips it under his. He immediately grabs her hand and leans into her shoulder. Seraph laughs, and from that point on, Donatello held her hand anytime he desired.
Thursday July 30, 2015
Donatello: *Text message* “Are you free this evening?”
Seraph: *Text message* “Yes, I am free.”
Donatello: *Text message* “Ok, I’ll pick you up around 7 pm.”
Donatello wanted to surprise Seraph by cooking dinner for her at a beautiful home he was house sitting. What really happened was not on Donatello’s radar, and he ended up receiving the surprise of his life. Seraph was aware this was coming, but did not realize it would be happening so soon. As they sit down to eat dinner, the conversation starts to shift, and the Lord’s presence comes into the room. Donatello starts to get nervous and begins to have an internal battle between himself and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not allow Donatello to remain silent. Donatello starts to share the depths of what is in his heart and soul, and his facial expressions do not match the words that start to flow from his mouth. He cannot believe what is happening. He looks at Seraph and begins to speak…
Donatello: “Seraph, I see myself being with you for the rest of my life. I can see you being my wife. You make me want to be more. You make me want to be a better man. Your relationship with God makes me want to know Him more. I can see us in ministry together, living life together….” As he continues to pour out his soul…
Seraph: Internally to herself, “Lord, is now the time for me to share with Donatello everything you have told me and where I am at in all of this?” Immediately after she was done praying, Donatello’s face and demeanor shifted. He looked at her with an intense stare …
Donatello: “…wait a minute! Do you know something? Have you been hearing from the Lord about all of this? About me?”
Seraph could not contain herself any longer and busted out laughing. Donatello was taken back by her response. He had just told this woman the depths of his heart and soul that he wants her to be his wife and here she is laughing hysterically.
Seraph: *Laughing* “Yes, He has been talking to me…back in January..”
Donatello: “What!?!? What do you mean back in January?? Oh, no you better tell me everything. What is going on?”
Seraph, still laughing, tells Donatello about her conversations with the Lord starting in January and her end of the story leading up to the first date…
Seraph: “Two days before I met you for our first date, the Lord said you were the man He has been wanting to introduce me too, that you are going to be my husband, to trust Him, and that He is going to show me and that’s exactly what He has been doing this entire time.” *Still laughing*
Donatello: *Looks like he just got punked* “Wait a minute! You mean at our first date you already knew?!? You mean when we were at my friend’s wedding you already knew?!?!”
Seraph: *Still laughing* “Yes.”
Donatello starts to outwardly verbally process the last four weeks he had been with Seraph. The Holy Spirit starts to show Donatello where He had been speaking to him about Seraph and how Seraph was to be his wife the whole time. While Donatello is processing out loud…
The Holy Spirit: “Seraph, Donatello is going to ask you to marry him right now.”
Seraph: “What!?! Right now?! Well that would make sense since he just told me he wants me to be his wife.”
…as Donatello is continuing to process out loud, he starts to share a thought he had been internally processing…
Donatello: “Well there is no surprising you, is there? I always dreamed of doing some amazing proposal for my future wife, but the Lord just stole my thunder! I was thinking maybe I could somehow close this conversation and come back and ask you to marry me in three weeks, but that doesn’t make any sense.” He pauses…
The Holy Spirit: “Donatello, now is the time to ask her.”
Donatello: Looks at Seraph..”Well, then will you marry me?”
Seraph: *Still laughing* “Yes.”
Donatello and Seraph go into shock over the next 48 hours as they process all of what just happened and at the thought that they are now engaged to be married. The Holy Spirit has kept His word; and He has only continued to show Seraph that Donatello is for her and to continue to trust Him with her life. From this point on, Donatello and Seraph started to tell their close family and friends all of what had happened and start to dream about this new adventure they are stepping into.
