People often ask how we met, so here is a quick synopsis from each of our perspectives:
Holly’s perspective:
John and I have similar backgrounds. We were both homeschooled for part of our education. Our families attended the same large church, though not during the same years. Consequently, we had many overlapping acquaintances. Our earliest memories are from the AWANA kids’ program at the church we attended on Wednesday nights. I don’t think we ever met or spoke during that time, so we really only knew each other’s names and faces.
Fast forward to the end of high school. We both participated full-time in the dual-credit PSEO program offered to junior and senior high schoolers in our state. We never crossed paths during those years. However, at the end of this program, we officially met at an orientation for PSEO students who were staying on at the university. After reconnecting, John invited me to attend InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), a campus ministry he had been a part of for the previous two years. I kept busy as a music student. However, I managed to attend InterVarsity meetings on a semi-regular basis, where I got to know John a little better.
John’s perspective:
I knew Holly’s name from our years attending AWANA. She always received pins and plaques at the annual awards ceremony for completing her handbook. She even played her violin at one of these special events. At the end of high school, we recognized each other’s names at a university orientation meeting. After talking for a bit, I invited her to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, which had been an influential part of my campus experience.
I’m not exactly sure when my crush on her began, but by spring of 2002, I was head over heels. Over the next two years, I scheduled my work hours so I could attend InterVarsity meetings and events where I would likely see her. However, I didn’t reveal any interest in her, beyond making small talk. Since I knew she had a heart for ministry in Japan, and I didn’t really see myself moving there in the future, I didn’t want to distract her from her goals.
By the summer of 2004, we had both graduated from college, and I embarked on a two-week missions trip to Ukraine with my church. As I left the country, I naively thought that I would never cross paths with Holly again, and I resigned myself to putting her out of my mind. Much to my surprise, the Sunday after returning from Ukraine, Holly was performing at my church with her musical ensemble. Seeing her again sparked intense emotional upheaval and uncertainty.
That night, I went on a long walk with my father. I had always had a lot of parental support for whatever I wanted to pursue. I would be hard-pressed to think of a time when my dad had pressured me into any decision. Towards the end of that long, mostly silent walk, my late father, who seldom voiced his opinions, worked up the courage and nerve to open his mouth and say, “John, you know I don’t like to tell you what to do. But, gee whiz, son, you’ve gotta do something!” That night, I emailed Holly to see if we could meet up for coffee, and the rest is history!