Since I used to work in the healthcare world, this story has a special place in my heart. Does anyone working in healthcare want to date a doctor?!

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We Weren't But God

My husband, Dan, claims I ignored him the first time we met. I don't remember that "meeting." I am pretty sure he is wrong, but he insists I ignored him during our first introduction.

I remember meeting my husband at a restaurant on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Several female friends and I went out to eat after church. Not long after we arrived a group of guys from our church showed up as well. Since the restaurant was crowded, the two groups decided to sit together. Dan was the last one to sit down and the only seat left was next to me.

As we introduced ourselves Dan mentioned he was a doctor.

A sly smile spread across my face, "I'm an ICU nurse."

That was the relationship death knell. No doctor wanted to marry an ICU nurse and no ICU nurse wanted to marry a doctor.

Surprisingly our conversation didn't stop there. We talked about the struggles we dealt with as new healthcare providers. Some of our friends started turning green as we shared unusual stories. Our conversation was deep and I don't remember saying much to anyone else.

Later that day I talked to my sister on the phone. I told her, "I met a nice guy, but he didn't ask for my number. I'll probably never see him again." Our church was huge and the singles group alone had thousands of attendees.

That evening I went to evening church with some girls from my Bible Study. Not long after I sat down, I noticed Dan filing into the pew behind me. I tell Dan it was God's way of saying, "You didn't get her phone number the first time, get it now."

Dan claims he didn't remember any of the sermon because he was too focused on me. After the service, he asked for my phone number. He says the cookies I gave him encouraged him. Let me explain. I brought cookies to a Bible study that met at the church just prior to Sunday evening service. I had tons of leftover cookies. Since I lived alone I didn't want store bought cookies in my apartment. So I offered the meager leftover cookies to Dan. I guess that offering was just the encouragement he needed to ask for my number.

Two weeks passed and he didn't bother to call me. I figured he wasn't interested, but he was studying for a test for his medical license. Once the test was completed, we saw each at church and he asked me out. About two years later we met each other at the altar – the doctor and the ICU nurse. God's ways are certainly not ours, but they are so much better.

Angela Mackey lives in the Arkansas River Valley with her wonderfully supportive husband and three amazing children. She is passionate about teaching women to renew their minds through God’s word so that they may live transformed lives. Angela is a writer, speaker, nurse, and stay-at-home mom who openly shares her struggle with infertility. She loves college basketball (especially the Kansas Jayhawks), reading, writing, and laughing at herself.