Perry and Lucretia's story-April 2008

"Eight years ago today Lucretia and I were married…I became hers and she became mine.
And if I had a choice to do it all over again knowing what I know now…I WOULD DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT!
She’s my lady…my bride…my princess…and so much more.
I cannot emphasize how much I value the covenant of marriage.  It’s not something that should be taken lightly.  (Single dudes…please don’t think that marriage is just about sex…if that is the ONLY reason you want to get married then you are USING a young lady to merely satisfy your sexual desires…uh…that would be wrong!)
So many people ask how we met & began dating…here is my version (her version is slightly longer…which is about like saying the Pope is slightly Catholic!)  :-)
I first saw her in 1993…she began attending a church in which I was the youth pastor.  I was dating someone pretty serious at the time…so…no sparks or love at first sight stories.
About a year later the relationship I had been in had came to an end…and I began to take notice of ‘Cretia…SERIOUS notice; however, she pretty much intimidated the CRAP out of me.  (It’s true…beautiful/godly women ARE intimidating!  Some single ladies wonder why you can’t get a date…it’s because most guys are scared as heck to asking you out!  Trust me!)
We began to hang out “as friends–in groups.”  I tried to flirt and play games…but she didn’t dance to that beat.  SO…I kept trying–even asking her to chaperone youth retreats because I thought she was a good role model for our young girls.  (AND she was/is SMOKIN’ HOT!!!)
(Single girls–don’t flippin’ play games…if you don’t want to date–DON’T.  If you do–then DO!  And when he asks you to dinner…don’t stay up until four in the morning evaluating what in the heck “dinner” might mean!!!)
In 1995 I decided to “go for broke.”  I called her at home and basically said, “Here’s the deal…I need to tell you something and I don’t want you to say anything until I am finished.”  She agreed and then I pretty much spilled the beans…told her how I felt about her…that I wanted to date her.  (Guys…I DID NOT SAY, “God told me that you were to marry me and I saw a vision of you in a white gown on a horse…”  If you are doing that–stop it you freak…you are scaring her!!!)
And guys…I called her…I didn’t get my “best friend” to do it.  Be a man!
After I finished there was silence…and then she said, “Well, I won’t say yes…but I can’t say no!”
I WAS PUMPED…I was expecting a, “HECK NO!”  This was good news…and so when she came back to college that fall I thought we were going to begin dating…I was wrong.  She never said that we would…but for some reason I just assumed that…so…uh…yeah…I was pretty much disappointed and actually began dating other girls.  (For the record…NOT A GOOD MOVE!)
In January of 1996 God finally got my attention and I decided to hang out with her…just her…and be her friend…no expectations…all I wanted was to build a solid friendship and, if something happened…it happened.  If not then I had a great friend.
Guys…if you can’t pursue a woman with no strings attached…if you can’t be with a woman and it not have to be physical…then I say you are a pathetic wuss!  Show her you want to be with her…and not just for her body!  Step up and treat her like a LADY!
From January until May was incredibly awesome!  We did something just about every weekend.  I didn’t think it was going anywhere until one night at a friends house someone said to her, “Hey Mrs. Noble, get out from in front of the television.”  I wanted to CRAWL under the house–but THEN the dude said, “It is going to be Mrs. Noble one day–isn’t it?”
She said, “I’m praying about it!”
I didn’t sleep for three days!!!
We talked about dating a few times in May of that year…then she graduated and moved back to Thomasville.  We talked on the phone often…and so one Sunday afternoon I asked her, “So, are we ever going to date?”  She was very non-committal…not because she was playing games…but because she said she knew that if we ever began dating that we would get married!  (She is a prophetess!)
After we hung up I sat down and wrote her a two page letter…and sent it to her certified mail.  In it I basically said, “I’ve got to know…yes or no–but I can’t go on not knowing.”  She called me after getting the letter…and so on July 6, 1996 we began dating.
We dated until she finished medical school in 2000 and were married at Dawson Street Baptist Church in Thomasville, GA.
It was awesome…I pursued her like crazy to get her…and I am still pursuing her even today!  I love my wife…and I pray that the next eight will be as great as the first eight.
I love you ‘Cretia!!!  :-)
Single guys & gals…there is NOTHING like dating and marriage when it is done God’s way!  Dating and married should be valued…treasured…and completely directed by Jesus!!!  Just my opinion!!!  :-)"