Our Story

This story begins six years ago when God used a number of circumstances to bring me (Wayne) to surrender to Him completely, and to stir in my heart the desire to get married. He used three distinct things to impress on me that this getting married thing was His idea, and that He would turn it into reality. The first was a weekend message from our pastor in which I heard how God plants desires in our hearts and then bring them to fruition. The second was a bold query from a casual acquaintance about my marriage aspirations. Number three was a scripture passage which declared to me that God knew my heart’s desire and that my petition had been heard!

I sensed God asking me if I would be willing to wait five years for the right person. I felt this was indicating that I would first spend a season of caring for my mom during her journey with Alzheimers. Through this time of caring I felt God was instructing me about sacrificial love, and that this was preparation for the marriage He had planned. I experienced great blessing and indescribable joy during this time!

One day during this period, while out walking in my favourite city park, the idea struck me to make a photograph to present on the day of my proposal. I had an image in mind that I knew would symbolize the joining of our lives together. With very little time in those days to pursue photography, I realized the odds of finding what I was looking for were against me. Then I realized that if God was in it He was more than able to bring the opportunity to pass. Some time later while out in this same park, I was surprised to find amongst a bluff of trees I had passed hundreds of times before, the very scene I had imagined. Later that summer God also provided me with the perfect lighting and clouds for the backdrop of the scene, and this on the morning of my first day of vacation, granting me the luxury of time to capture the image perfectly. All this further fueled my conviction that He truly would complete His plans for this marriage.

Time marched on. Long periods passed without thinking about the promise from God. Then during a Saturday evening service I noticed Donna Staddon walk in and found myself being drawn to her. I wondered if she might be the one. We first became acquainted while I served as the sound technician for her daughter Marissa's funeral service. I had also recorded her testimony for the church some years later. Still it seemed a stretch to think that we could ever get to really know each other, and so I dismissed the idea. Yet God planted a seed that day!

As the five year time attending to Mom’s needs drew closer, my sister and I discussed the fact that mom could easily live on for a number of years. There were no outward signs suggesting otherwise. We celebrated her birthday and had a wonderful time, and then the day after Mother's Day she took a sudden turn for the worse. God called her home to be with Him one week later! I realized that there was now nothing preventing Him from revealing the person he wanted me to marry. 

God had also planted the idea that I would meet this person at my sister Elaine's bible study. Later that fall as I was discussing the idea of marriage with Elaine, she mentioned that she already thought she knew who it was! Because she knew of my wish to have God reveal his choice to me she did not reveal the name she had in mind. Though not yet attending the bible study I got an invitation to a New Year’s Eve party. I learned that it was a small guest list, all people from the bible study and Donna was on that list. God had my attention!

Meeting Donna under these informal circumstances had me feeling quite excited, and I had a sense that this was who God had in mind for me! In the new year I started attending the bible study, and over the course of the winter had a number of opportunities to engage in conversation with a small group of us (including Donna) who would linger after the study. Initial impressions were substantiated and my feelings for Donna grew stronger as the months rolled by.

As May drew to a close and the study was ending for the summer, I decided to ask Elaine the name of the person she was thinking of, believing that if God had led both of us to same women it would strongly support this being His choice for me. I was not surprised to hear Elaine tell me it was indeed Donna! Feeling now that the next step was mine I spent an intense weekend querying God to be sure this was His plan for me. I knew from His word that my responsibility as a husband would be beyond my ability to fulfill apart from His equipping me, so I needed to be sure. He reminded me of His rescuing Israel from Egypt and how after all the signs and wonders He performed in accomplishing this, they had still turned back at the border of the Promised Land. He reminded me of all the signs He had given me over six years, and I knew I had the same choice to make.

I felt Him say, “Just pick up the phone and watch what I will do!” So mustering up my courage I made that call, and God more than abundantly fulfilled His promise! In less than two months we were engaged! Reflecting on this later Donna could see how God had also been working in her life, granting her a heart content in the Lord and fully surrendered to His will. This work of the Lord was truly completed at the end of May, the very time I  became fully convinced that Donna was indeed God's choice for me. His timing is always perfect! We both marvel at the evidence of His impeccable matchmaking skills through all we have in common and the depth of love we have for each other. God is so good, and we celebrate the gift of His love in bringing both of us together! We will formally celebrate this on our wedding day in early Jan 2017. All praise, glory and Honour belong to Him!

Donna Staddon

This girl loves Jesus; so grateful for God's goodness and in awe of His wonderful gift of Wayne in my life; loves being "mum" to Brit and her most amazing husband, the Canadianized 'Kansas-kid', Sam; hanging with friends; loves volunteering as a worker bee (don't ask me to lead)😉; a walker, a marathon talker - always includes generous amounts of laughter; gardening gal; farm girl at heart; more than a bit of a neat freak; enjoys all things food - wandering grocery stores, reading recipes,eating, savouring; now 'cheffing' with Wayne🙂; frequents Starbucks; loves road trips; favourite past time - shovelling snow! (say what??)😉

Wednesday?

Yup! January 4 is indeed a Wednesday. 

Gifts?

Please, NO gifts - we are simply so glad you will be taking the time out of your week to celebrate with us! Besides we already have enough chef knives in the drawer to sharpen 😉