When I was 16 yrs old, I remember asking the Lord to bring me a wife. When age 21 came around, in November of 1997, I came to the end of my rope in life. I had seen what goes on in the church and what goes on in the world. I was disgusted with both sides of the coin, so I turned to God and finally gave my life over to him. I said, "Lord, what do you want to do with me; I can't play this game of life anymore." 1 week later, a man by the name of Nick Coetzee was having a christian concert at United With Christ in Johnson City, NY. I decided to go. When I went, it changed my life because I asked Nick if he would take me under his wing and teach me what he knew. I told him I would leave everything in New York to run after God in Florida. Nick agreed and so I went. On February 14, 1998 "Valentine's Day", I arrived in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. In going I wasn't lokking for a relationship with a woman, but rather a relationship with the Lord. But the Word of God says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

In November of 1997, I attended a lady's Conference at Sandestin (a resort in Florida) called Light the Fire, again. Early Saturday morning, all the single woman went to hear a lady named Gloria speak on the blessings of a single life. I wondered what she would say, as I myself was recovering from another unsuccessful attempt at finding Mr. Right. Gloria told us - "You don't have to go around looking for a husband! God will bring him to you; he'll bring him from Africa, from New York, from across the world to be your husband." I thought, "but what if the Lord waits till I'm an old maid to bring me a husband." Then I remembered, "Seek first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." One Tuesday night in early February, the Lord spoke to me in my bedroom and said; "Melanie, I will bring you someone soon." The Lord came again to me in the form of a vision on Friday Night in March. He showed myself, standing next to Jesus. The Lord was lifting my hand high into the air. Then, I saw the rest of the picture. My hand was held by that of a man, and Jesus was between us holding our hands together. What a tremendous message on marriage I discovered. Jesus desire to be the center of every marriage.

One Friday Night I went to a ministry called "The River". I went seeking the Lord, but I came across this woman who was worshipping the Lord with all of her heart thorugh a 'Human Video' that her and her team were doing. She had the countenance of Jesus on her face, a glory about her like no other woman I had seen before. I asked the Lord that night to let her come to my church (which was 25 min. away) that following Sunday morning.

One Sunday morning, I felt an unusual urging to go to church where I had really been to before. I hadn't felt like going because I was extremely tired. I went anyway, not knowing that this day would be the start of a whole new life for me.

Sunday morning I was playing guitar for our worship service, and all of a sudden, who walks in but Melanie and her mother. I was so blow away that I could not even focus on what I was doing. I had forgotten how to play guitar. I was so distracted that whole service. I remember completely messing up the band that day. Everyone was getting annoyed with me because I was over the place with the music. At the end of the service, there was ministry time and I was playing the piano while the Pastors were ministering to the congregation. Melanie had gotten up with her Mother and proceeded to leave out the back door. I knew at this moment that if I did not present myself to Melanie, I would loose my chance to get to know her. So, I simply stopped playing and ran out the bcak door after her. By the time I got to her I had slowed down and I appeared like I was casually walking to her.......

This guy came up to me and said, "Hi, my name is Roy, and I'd like to get to know you." So, my mother got ecstatic and gave him my name, address, phone number, and life story.

The Lord told me right there - "this is the one I have chosen for you." After courting her and going through the stages of the realtionship, she said, "Roy, your moving to fast. I need my space." I calmly replied that I would wait 5 or 10 years for her. Then, I told her to ask the Lord what he thought. When she opened her heart to God he spoke.

When I realized God brought a wonderful man of God in my path, I asked myself, "Is this the one I have been waiting for?" Finally on Mother's Day, the Lord spoke. I went to Grace Tabernacle to worship the Lord one night with Roy. As I walked into the sanctuary with an Arby's bag in my hand, Roy was playing a song called, The Spirit of the Sovreign Lord". The spirit of the Lord gently said; "this is The One." The Lord had created a match made in heaven that no man's hands could possibly create.