Tim and I, Part 5

The final installment!

I turned up to NTE and hit my first hurdle. At NTE people get placed within different college accommodation- and Tim and I were in adjacent but different colleges. This meant we eat meals in different places.

I saw Tim alot, but it was never at a good time to talk. The first day, he was with his friends and so all I could say was hi. The second day, I saw him while I was busy talking to an old school friend I hadn't seen for 3 years. Again, no time to talk. My sister (who knew about Tim) and I hatched up a plan. She was in the same college as Tim, so we swapped name tags and I ate in Tim's dinning room. Not that it did any good, again we said hi, but I was too shy to go up and sit with him and he didn't approach me either.

As it got to the second last night I started to despair. As I went to a special question time about mission, I looked around for Tim, but he wasn't there. I tried not to get too discouraged.

Tim was going to the question time, but he was late because he was talking to his mentor Ben. You see, Ben was staying in the same College as me with his family. I had been helping out with his kids, and this had a big impact on Ben. So Ben pulled Tim aside and told him how I'd been helping them out, and that he should ask me out. After this conversation Tim walked in to question time and saw me.

After question Tim, his friend and my friends walked back toward our colleges. Tim and I lagged behind and talked. It was a good conversation, and I opened up quite a bit about how I was feeling generally about life. It was our first really deep conversation and I was touched by Tim's concern for me. As I returned to my room I began to feel more optimistic about my chances with Tim.

The next day I didn't see him until the last talk. After the talk I hoped to be able to walk back with him, but it was raining so everyone was driving cars. Then I thought I'd go up and talk to him, but he was praying with Mike Veith so I couldn't. I decided to go 'visit' my sister Sandy at her colleges supper and see if I could talk to Tim that way. He wasn't there, and I settled into what I thought would be a disappointing evening.

So what was Tim doing during that time?

This next bit of the story still humbles me, and I often feel I don't live up to it! That nights the talk that we had heard actually covered the character of a godly wife. Tim had been listening and thinking. At this stage he still wasn't sure about asking me out. During the talk Tim was struck that I was the most godly women he knew (see what I mean about feeling humbled!) and he decided right then and there that he would ask me out.

The praying he was doing with Mike Veith was about asking me out!

He went to my supper room to find me but I wasn't there. He returned to his own supper room and there I was. He came up to talk to me, and my perceptive wonderful Sandy excused herself and didn't come back! Tim and I talked for probably about an hour that night. It was getting late, I was pretty sure I knew what was coming, and so I said I probably had to go to bed. Tim asked if he could walk me to my college and I said yes. Tim asked me how I had found the talk, and I said it was great. Tim said during the section about a godly wife he thought about me! He said he thought I was a wonderful person and he'd love to have the chance to get to know me better. Would I like to have dinner sometime? I said yes, and offered him my number. As we were about to part he said "I was hoping you would say yes!". I laughed and said "I was hoping you would ask!". Up until that point Tim had no idea that I had been interested!

So that is how God brought together Tim and I. I am very, very thankful because my funny, godly husband is such a blessing and I can't think of anyone else in the world I would rather be married to. God knew exactly what I needed and he gave it to me. I am so thankful!

Hope you enjoyed our story!

love B