It was August of 1980 when the company I worked for transferred me to Chicago. All the people I knew in the city would fit in a VW Bug at the same time. And they were co-workers. So I was feeling very alone. I knew how to get from the hotel I was staying in to my office and back to the hotel.
On the last Sunday morning of August (it was the 24th in 1980) I took a drive looking for a church and to feel "connected" again. Not knowing where I was going I made a left, made a right, drove for a ways and saw a church. The sign said "Grace Gospel" and they had quoted John 3:16 on the sign out front and I thought this place will do.
"It will do" would be an understatement. When I walked in I was greeted by a young guy (Rick) about my age and we chatted for a couple minutes. A few days later I came back to the church and met his fiance Gail, and her best friend Holly. I can't begin to tell you how under-whelmed Holly was with me at the moment we met. She had had root canal work that afternoon and it didn't seem like the evening was going to be any better.
That evening a group of about 20 of us went to IHOP for coffee together and I managed to end up sitting across from Holly. We were married a year and a half later on Feb 14th 1982. There's a lot more to this story and if you ask Holly she'll tell you about it when we meet in person.
