And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 28:2

Eighteen years ago today, we were joined together in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We believe that was the fulfillment of God’s promise to us.

We were both widowed, and in the midst of our grief, God encouraged both of us with this verse from Jeremiah: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). We held on to these words tightly as the days, months, and years passed by without our beloved spouses.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:56-58

Our mourning was not in vain. God indeed did have a plan for our lives. Through God’s providence, we met on Ave Maria Singles and started a long-distance relationship. Rose was in New Jersey and Dennis in Michigan. After a few weeks of exchanging emails, we had our first phone date which started at midnight and lasted for three hours. After having shared our hearts with each other in writing, that conversation flowed like that of two longtime friends.

God was taking the broken pieces of our lives and crafting them into a beautiful mosaic. He was showing us that we had a future filled with hope, as we discerned His will for our lives. Just two months after connecting online, Dennis traveled to New Jersey to meet Rose and her two children. When we first met in the airport, we could not stop gazing into each other’s eyes. Before we knew it, we were alone in the baggage claim area, and Dennis’ suitcase was the only one left on the carousel.

The next night, under a starry sky, Dennis proposed, and Rose said “Yes.” God knew the deepest desires of our hearts and He brought us together in Holy Matrimony. We listened to His voice and followed His path. He has blessed us richly for our obedience.

Praise the Lord…For great is his steadfast love toward us; and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Praise the Lord! Psalm 117:1-2

We know many couples struggling in their marriages. They are despairing and without hope. For this reason, five years ago we founded Calling Couples to Christ, an apostolate to help couples joyfully live out God’s plan for marriage. Scripture and the teachings of the Church on marriage and family are the bedrock of everything we do whether it is marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, or marriage restoration.

We can testify that if you give everything over to God His blessings will overflow in you and through you to your marriage, family, and the world. There is no issue too big for God. He wants you to come to Him with all your cares and concerns.

Let us help you live out your marriage vows fully and faithfully.

A threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12