The Story of the our Friendship

First Impressions

Dave:		I first met Wenda at College and Career group at Willingdon Church. Our group would often do lots of activities, like going out for food, playing volleyball and hanging out all night. One of the most active people in our group was Wenda. She was always full of ideas, and had a ton of energy. I found her to be an exciting person, yet somewhat mysterious. Tony, Wenda and I were the die-hard trio that would get together often to talk about deep topics and situations in our lives. During this time, I found myself wishing to build a deeper relationship with Wenda. However, some things don't happen right away.
Wenda:		Dave was the skinny guy behind the sound system.  He didn't say very much.  When Dave became roommates with our common friend Tony, we ended up talking quite a bit after my late night outings with Tony.  I didn't think that Dave and I would ever become close friends. He was into computers and more planned events and I was more into spontaneous outdoor adventures.  Our most common thread was our interest in helping others and listening to people in difficult times.

Life's Little Adventures

Dave:		During the last year, I've come to develop a whole new level of relationship with Wenda. It started when over the period of a week, she had two different flat tires. The gentleman that I am, I strongly felt the compulsion to assist her. (I've come to her rescue in the past). We got her car fixed, but not without my car going out of commission too. We had to depend on each other as we both took turns fixing cars. As a result of these times, we got to spend more one-on-one time together, going for food, hanging out, going for drives, etc. It was somewhere during this time that I finally (after 8 years) told her that I thought of her as more than just a friend. I mentioned that if I ever found someone I'd like to marry, I hoped she'd be just like Wenda. In other words, what do I have to do to get her to take interest in me. Little did she know, many other mutual friends were thinking the same thing. She of course shot me down, because she would never have considered me as the man of her dreams. I was disappointed, but I wanted her to be happy, and our continued friendship was the most important thing to me.
Wenda:		I'm sure that many of you are now asking why I wasn't mutually interested.  My first explanation is that I had a long list of who I expected my future husband to be.  In the past I have mostly dated athletic "buffed" kind of men.  I wanted the perfect ideal package.  Somehow I thought that kindness and thoughtfulness would come included.  I have since learned that appearance is a secondary shell.  Talking to an attractive self-focused or inconsiderate person is a waste of time.  In other words, Dave's positive qualities have made him a more attractive person.  I'll give more details about how my interest eventually developed in a later paragraph.
Dave:		From my perspective, Wenda and I were pretty much dating for about a year, she just didn't know it for much of the time. We did all the things a dating couple would do: hanging out, watching movies, going for walks and drives, eating dinner, shopping, and being involved with our church group and other friends. I was hoping that she would see me as someone important to her, and remained consistent in my relationship with her.

God Answers Prayer

Dave:		One day, Wenda came over and we spent the evening watching our favorite TV show. She told me that she needed to talk to me, and that she would shock me with what she had to say. In my head I was thinking "no way, she CAN'T be thinking what I'm thinking about". I was really hoping she was going to maybe bend a little. As it turns out, she did have something very significant to tell me...
Wenda:		I couldn't imagine hearing myself say what I had to say.   I had been wrestling with God through several months.  It was as if God was telling me to tell Dave that I was ready to begin a relationship.  The confusing part is that I was not experiencing any romantic feelings.  It was more of an act of obedience to God, with a whole lot of fear.  I admired him greatly, as I admire him even more today.  His desire to help others was a huge attraction.
Dave:		Our first formally recognized date was at a nice seafood restaurant. Jennifer was there to help Wenda get prepared. We had a great evening at a Seafood Themed restaurant in Surrey, thanks to a suggestion from my parents. My dreams were finally becoming reality, and I am so happy that I was patient, never giving up on my goals.