The Dance Floor Awakening

We are taking this December, my favorite time of year, to make my blog posts more personal. I hope it will provide you a little insight as to why James and I created covenantstrong.org to share our story, our voice, discovered resources, relationship information, and hope - mostly hope - for couples everywhere to become examples for healthy, happy, successful marriages. This blog is the first of my Christmas series. I hope it blesses you enough to share my articles with others. Happy holidays. We love you.  

There are moments in life you don’t plan for; moments that sneak in quietly, tap you on the shoulder, and whisper, “Pay attention… everything is about to change.” I didn’t know a causal night out to celebrate a December birthday of a close friend would be one of them.

The room was lit with soft reds and golds: the kind of warm glow that feels like Christmas even when it isn’t. People laughed, the music played, and I remember thinking I was just there to support my friend, not to be seen… not to feel anything. I wasn’t dating. I wasn’t even interested. My heart had been placed on pause for a long while.

Then the lights dimmed and the room went dark. 

And there was James.

Still the same man I had laughed with over lunch breaks; the same dependable coworker; the same quiet, nerdy friend who drove my best friend to the ER and stayed all day, even when she insisted that James leave; the same man who drove me to work for more than a month when I needed transportation.  

Except suddenly — he wasn’t the same.

The music wrapped around us, and before I could understand what was happening, it felt like the entire room disappeared. It was just the two of us, moving in rhythm to the beat of a song I never wanted to end in a moment that was louder than the music.

Something in me changed. And without warning, without permission or explanation, my heart opened.

I still feel the warmth of that moment. It was the beginning of something neither of us were bold enough to name out loud yet. 

I didn’t know it then, but that night was the beginning of my Christmas miracle, the first spark of a love that would grow into our blended family. Sometimes God turns the lights down low so He can illuminate what your heart has been too busy or too broken to see.

That night, He illuminated James. And my whole world changed.

Practical Step:
One of the best gifts you can give to your spouse is your focused time. Create moments to remember, not only during this holiday season, but weekly. Then protect your time to make moments momentous.