Our Love Story
by Michelle Myers on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 4:50pm
For those who were asking about our story after last Sunday's college group... here it is... It's just part of our story.
Rob and Michelle’s Love Story
What is your spiritual background?
Michelle: I’m the oldest of seven kids. I grew up in a strong Christian home, and was saved when I was young. My parents were really involved in my life, and we communicated about a lot of things.
Rob: I came from a very different background. I’m an only child, and my parents didn’t raise me in the Christian faith. I didn’t start to care about or seek out answers about Christianity until I was a junior in high school. I gave my life to Christ as a freshman in college, and began being discipled pretty soon afterward.
Did you two date a lot before you met each other?
Rob: Honestly, almost not at all. I had gone on one or two dates in high school, but it really wasn’t that significant a portion of my life at that point. Many of the friends I was around weren’t all that interested then either, so I didn’t have the external pressure. (Okay, okay, I was a nerd in high school; do you feel better now?) I’m actually very glad I didn’t; some of my friends in college that dated around a lot later told me they had a lot of experiences they regretted.
Michelle: No I didn’t. I kinda set some high standards from the beginning, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t getting to know the guys around me. There were plenty of opportunities to get to know guys and for them to get to know me. I knew I didn’t have to sit at the theatre or fake a face being alone with him at a restaurant to get to know him. I was doing my best to make my singlehood days count for God and not allow dating to distract me. Many guys asked me out, and it gave me a chance to let them know that I was waiting until I was ready and I didn’t want the pressure. Sometimes they would pressure me to just give it a chance, but they would in turn respect me all the more for my consistent stand. The question came up sometimes, “So what are you waiting for?” I would answer, “So far, the right one hasn’t surfaced, so I want to wait till I know I am more ready for marriage.” I just knew I wasn’t ready for a serious commitment, so until then, I would keep working for God and keep my eyes peeled out for a guy who encapsulates the desires of my heart.
How did you meet?
Rob: Michelle doesn’t remember; she’s already admitted that to me! But I remember the first time I saw her. I was discipled by a young man from St. Louis, along with two other very good friends of mine. The four of us went to a youth group at someone’s house one night, and when I went down into the basement, there was this really beautiful young woman standing there talking to someone else. Over the next few years, we got to know each other through group interactions and common friends.
Michelle: It was at a Teens For Christ meeting at some point. He was a freshman in college and I was a Sr. in high school. We had a tight group of friends we both knew pretty well. The whole group hung out very regularly. Whether it was going out to eat, serve in ministry opportunities in the community, at church, sit around to discuss theology, worship and pray together, or just have fun, most of us have remained good/best friends to this day and have been at or in each other’s weddings.
What attracted you to the other person?
Michelle: Lots of things. His walk with God was a biggie. He made God first, which is the way I wanted things. God first, then me if we were to be married. He was tall, dark and handsome, of course... even more so now than ever. His integrity, honor and respect for others stuck out. He had a special knack with kids too. Something about him made them attracted to him. He was smart and used his wisdom to edify, encourage and speak truth at the right time. I really liked that in him.
Rob: While I was (of course) looking for beauty and intelligence, my primary focus in a potential wife was her heart for God. I had heard from a lot of married couples how important that was. Michelle had a big heart for several ministries that she was actively involved in, including the local Crisis Pregnancy Center and the church worship team. She had a tenderness and desire to seek Christ that I didn’t see matched in too many other ladies around me.
What made you decide to start dating?
Rob: Actually, we didn’t “date,” per se. The concept of “courtship” was becoming more popular at our church at that point. I know “courtship” sounds kind of old-fashioned. Some people (including my mom!) thought that we were getting engaged! Basically, courtship is a commitment between a young man, a young woman, and their families to explore the potential for a long-term relationship. We “went out,” but only in large-group settings at first, or over to each others’ houses to have dinner or spend time with our families. Our families were a lot more involved in the process, which helped us be more ourselves. I initiated a relationship with Michelle’s dad (whom I highly respected), and sought his advice and counsel on a number of things.
Michelle: I could seriously see him as my potential husband in a lot of ways. I viewed our dating as a way to get to know each other in a more serious and down to earth way. I wanted to know who he really was, not just on the surface. We just called it courting and we involved our parents a lot more than others normally do. Also, we had a similar goal in that we wanted this experience to be the best and to make it the most God-honoring we could make it. We decided not to kiss. We wrote a ton of letters and talked a lot on the phone. We made dinner for a friend at her house so we could watch her new baby while she and her husband took a walk around the block and enjoyed a few quiet moments together. We did lots of other projects together and it was well worth the investment. My love for Rob grew more with the progress of our courtship.
Did you know that they were “the one”? If so, how?
Rob: I honestly don’t know if there is a mystical “one” out there for someone. I do know that God seemed to have brought us together, and Michelle had all the characteristics of a godly woman that I was looking for. I prayed for a while before approaching her, and prayed even harder about the decision for us to get engaged. God confirmed (through various Scriptures and the godly counsel of others) that Michelle and I should keep moving forward in our relationship. Looking back, I can definitely see better now that I could back then; God does have a plan, and now that we are married, we see how He’s created us for one another.
Michelle: I wrote in my journal, around age 15, the specific qualities in the man I’d want to marry in the future. I added to it over the years and right before I found out Rob was interested in me I started to doubt, thinking my standards were just too high. Up till then no guy I knew could quite fit the “list” I asked God for. I really did believe God would give me the desires of my heart and the things in a man that I thought were important; a heart after God, respect towards his parents and a love for children/family. Even the little things, like being tall, were on my list. Yes, I prayed for a tall husband! I also asked for him to have musical talents, specifically with the guitar. Guess what? He plays that and a romantic violin! Anyway, only Rob fulfilled ALL the qualities I had asked God for and then some! Also, my parents were always praying for my future spouse and they knew the “list.” I shared it with them often to talk about potential guys. They counseled me along with my pastor and his wife on whether or not to go for it with Rob. Obviously they thought it was a great idea.
How did you guys get engaged?
Rob: I’ll let Michelle tell this; I hear that guys leave out all of the “good parts.”
Michelle: Rob was very romantic. It was so fun. My family lived on some acreage with a pond. Rob slipped a letter on the dining table and set off to the pond to set up his surprise. I read the sweet letter which simply asked me to come to the pond. When I got there I saw a blanket laid out with wine glasses(for sparkling grape juice), roses, and Hershey kisses everywhere. But Rob was nowhere in sight. I stopped and took the scene in. My heart was already racing, and then Rob came from behind a tree wearing his tuxedo and looking so handsome. Of course I cried. He approached me and knelt on one knee and spoke many sweet somethings to me which to this day I cannot remember it all. I just melted. He had won my heart months ago but this was just the beginning… he had special plans for the whole night. That evening we dined at a John Minios restaurant, then we drove around looking at Christmas lights, then finally we wrapped up that cold, beautiful December night with a special carriage ride in St.Louis. We finished the evening by hanging out with my parents watching a movie together. I was so excited I don’t remember the movie. I just wanted to talk about the night with my sisters and mom.
Any other special things about your relationship?
Rob: Our first kiss was on our wedding day! (I’m talking, my first kiss ever, and hers as well!) Some people think that’s freaky, but we wanted to save ourselves physically until the day when God was bringing us together in a permanent commitment. I would say it helped a lot in keeping our heads during our courting days.
Rob and Michelle’s Love Story
What is your spiritual background?
Michelle: I’m the oldest of seven kids. I grew up in a strong Christian home, and was saved when I was young. My parents were really involved in my life, and we communicated about a lot of things.
Rob: I came from a very different background. I’m an only child, and my parents didn’t raise me in the Christian faith. I didn’t start to care about or seek out answers about Christianity until I was a junior in high school. I gave my life to Christ as a freshman in college, and began being discipled pretty soon afterward.
Did you two date a lot before you met each other?
Rob: Honestly, almost not at all. I had gone on one or two dates in high school, but it really wasn’t that significant a portion of my life at that point. Many of the friends I was around weren’t all that interested then either, so I didn’t have the external pressure. (Okay, okay, I was a nerd in high school; do you feel better now?) I’m actually very glad I didn’t; some of my friends in college that dated around a lot later told me they had a lot of experiences they regretted.
Michelle: No I didn’t. I kinda set some high standards from the beginning, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t getting to know the guys around me. There were plenty of opportunities to get to know guys and for them to get to know me. I knew I didn’t have to sit at the theatre or fake a face being alone with him at a restaurant to get to know him. I was doing my best to make my singlehood days count for God and not allow dating to distract me. Many guys asked me out, and it gave me a chance to let them know that I was waiting until I was ready and I didn’t want the pressure. Sometimes they would pressure me to just give it a chance, but they would in turn respect me all the more for my consistent stand. The question came up sometimes, “So what are you waiting for?” I would answer, “So far, the right one hasn’t surfaced, so I want to wait till I know I am more ready for marriage.” I just knew I wasn’t ready for a serious commitment, so until then, I would keep working for God and keep my eyes peeled out for a guy who encapsulates the desires of my heart.
How did you meet?
Rob: Michelle doesn’t remember; she’s already admitted that to me! But I remember the first time I saw her. I was discipled by a young man from St. Louis, along with two other very good friends of mine. The four of us went to a youth group at someone’s house one night, and when I went down into the basement, there was this really beautiful young woman standing there talking to someone else. Over the next few years, we got to know each other through group interactions and common friends.
Michelle: It was at a Teens For Christ meeting at some point. He was a freshman in college and I was a Sr. in high school. We had a tight group of friends we both knew pretty well. The whole group hung out very regularly. Whether it was going out to eat, serve in ministry opportunities in the community, at church, sit around to discuss theology, worship and pray together, or just have fun, most of us have remained good/best friends to this day and have been at or in each other’s weddings.
What attracted you to the other person?
Michelle: Lots of things. His walk with God was a biggie. He made God first, which is the way I wanted things. God first, then me if we were to be married. He was tall, dark and handsome, of course... even more so now than ever. His integrity, honor and respect for others stuck out. He had a special knack with kids too. Something about him made them attracted to him. He was smart and used his wisdom to edify, encourage and speak truth at the right time. I really liked that in him.
Rob: While I was (of course) looking for beauty and intelligence, my primary focus in a potential wife was her heart for God. I had heard from a lot of married couples how important that was. Michelle had a big heart for several ministries that she was actively involved in, including the local Crisis Pregnancy Center and the church worship team. She had a tenderness and desire to seek Christ that I didn’t see matched in too many other ladies around me.
What made you decide to start dating?
Rob: Actually, we didn’t “date,” per se. The concept of “courtship” was becoming more popular at our church at that point. I know “courtship” sounds kind of old-fashioned. Some people (including my mom!) thought that we were getting engaged! Basically, courtship is a commitment between a young man, a young woman, and their families to explore the potential for a long-term relationship. We “went out,” but only in large-group settings at first, or over to each others’ houses to have dinner or spend time with our families. Our families were a lot more involved in the process, which helped us be more ourselves. I initiated a relationship with Michelle’s dad (whom I highly respected), and sought his advice and counsel on a number of things.
Michelle: I could seriously see him as my potential husband in a lot of ways. I viewed our dating as a way to get to know each other in a more serious and down to earth way. I wanted to know who he really was, not just on the surface. We just called it courting and we involved our parents a lot more than others normally do. Also, we had a similar goal in that we wanted this experience to be the best and to make it the most God-honoring we could make it. We decided not to kiss. We wrote a ton of letters and talked a lot on the phone. We made dinner for a friend at her house so we could watch her new baby while she and her husband took a walk around the block and enjoyed a few quiet moments together. We did lots of other projects together and it was well worth the investment. My love for Rob grew more with the progress of our courtship.
Did you know that they were “the one”? If so, how?
Rob: I honestly don’t know if there is a mystical “one” out there for someone. I do know that God seemed to have brought us together, and Michelle had all the characteristics of a godly woman that I was looking for. I prayed for a while before approaching her, and prayed even harder about the decision for us to get engaged. God confirmed (through various Scriptures and the godly counsel of others) that Michelle and I should keep moving forward in our relationship. Looking back, I can definitely see better now that I could back then; God does have a plan, and now that we are married, we see how He’s created us for one another.
Michelle: I wrote in my journal, around age 15, the specific qualities in the man I’d want to marry in the future. I added to it over the years and right before I found out Rob was interested in me I started to doubt, thinking my standards were just too high. Up till then no guy I knew could quite fit the “list” I asked God for. I really did believe God would give me the desires of my heart and the things in a man that I thought were important; a heart after God, respect towards his parents and a love for children/family. Even the little things, like being tall, were on my list. Yes, I prayed for a tall husband! I also asked for him to have musical talents, specifically with the guitar. Guess what? He plays that and a romantic violin! Anyway, only Rob fulfilled ALL the qualities I had asked God for and then some! Also, my parents were always praying for my future spouse and they knew the “list.” I shared it with them often to talk about potential guys. They counseled me along with my pastor and his wife on whether or not to go for it with Rob. Obviously they thought it was a great idea.
How did you guys get engaged?
Rob: I’ll let Michelle tell this; I hear that guys leave out all of the “good parts.”
Michelle: Rob was very romantic. It was so fun. My family lived on some acreage with a pond. Rob slipped a letter on the dining table and set off to the pond to set up his surprise. I read the sweet letter which simply asked me to come to the pond. When I got there I saw a blanket laid out with wine glasses(for sparkling grape juice), roses, and Hershey kisses everywhere. But Rob was nowhere in sight. I stopped and took the scene in. My heart was already racing, and then Rob came from behind a tree wearing his tuxedo and looking so handsome. Of course I cried. He approached me and knelt on one knee and spoke many sweet somethings to me which to this day I cannot remember it all. I just melted. He had won my heart months ago but this was just the beginning… he had special plans for the whole night. That evening we dined at a John Minios restaurant, then we drove around looking at Christmas lights, then finally we wrapped up that cold, beautiful December night with a special carriage ride in St.Louis. We finished the evening by hanging out with my parents watching a movie together. I was so excited I don’t remember the movie. I just wanted to talk about the night with my sisters and mom.
Any other special things about your relationship?
Rob: Our first kiss was on our wedding day! (I’m talking, my first kiss ever, and hers as well!) Some people think that’s freaky, but we wanted to save ourselves physically until the day when God was bringing us together in a permanent commitment. I would say it helped a lot in keeping our heads during our courting days.
January 2007
Michelle's sister, Beth Jacob's wedding
Michelle's sister, Beth Jacob's wedding
Summer 2006
Penthorwood Wedding
Penthorwood Wedding
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