IMC: Welcome Carolynn and congrats on your recent engagement.We are excited to hear how God brought the two of you together but before that I’d like to ask you a few more questions.
You wanted to meet and marry a good man. Did you ever try unconventional ways of meeting someone? like, online dating? What was your experience like?
Carolynn: I did want to meet a good man to marry over the last few years of my life ,hmmm but I had some okay and bad experiences over the years. A lot of my friends had tried online dating and some were successful and a lot had disasters this made me very weary of going online, but nevertheless I decided to try it and I can tell you it lasted just a few days. The site I went on felt like I was in a Pool of sharks LOL and it was no joke it was unreal and I could not keep up and it felt so un natural I went out on one date and I knew this was not for me I felt like I was trying to force a date and that was not me. So lets say that experience was not successful for me.
IMC: What life lessons did you learn from previous dating experiences?
Carolynn: The best life lesson I learned from my past dating experiences was to wait on God.
Get right with God and everything else will fall into place after. Sometimes I did not stay prayed up and got caught up in society and just kept searching for that mate or love and nothing worked in my favor, the minute I concentrated on My spiritual life and church Blessings started to continue to flow.
IMC: What does the words Single, Ready and Waiting mean to you?
Carolynn: Single, ready and waiting to me means that I was worth God’s best and I had to wait for God to bless me.
It was better to be single and not in the wrong relationship and I had to be ready and be prepared to accept the mate God had planned for me and the wait meant that it was not in my time but in God’s perfect timing. And indeed it took years and I was not looking for it was sent to me at the right time.
IMC: What kinds of things did you do to become your best self while waiting?
Carolynn: I read your book Single ready and Waiting. I also went to Marlene’s class Plan and Prepare and I learned a lot through Christian avenues of dating instead of the traditional secular dating seen. I started to attend Christian functions for singles and groups to associate myself with like minded people. Both the Single Ready and Waiting book and classes taught me a lot and I used the tips during my single walk.
IMC: In the “Single Ready & Waiting” book I talked about three ways that singles can avoid what I call a “relationship collision.” One of them is to know whether the time is right. You had met your now fiance some years back…tell me, how did you meet again and why was the time not right then in comparison to now?
Carolynn: Yes I remember your book talking about the relationship collision and the right timing. I knew my fiancé from 18 years old and I was definitely to young for anything serious back then , life went on and we met again at 40 which was five years ago, we courted for almost 1 year but again I knew in my heart it was not in Gods timing I myself was not ready and neither was my fiancé so once again I let the relationship go, I prayed to God and asked him for guidance and I believe I did the right thing and I continued to keep myself in church and around the like minded people to keep me grounded in the word. Funny over the years we were not together we always bumped into to each other for some strange reason. My now fiancé always kept in touch with me even when I did not reply. This went on for a few years.IMC: What qualities do you admire about him?
Carolynn: The qualities I adore about my fiancé is that he knew what he wanted and was persistent to be with me
I love that he saw my worth. He is so kind and strong , but also gentle caring, thoughtful, loving and spiritual and a provider. I love the fact that he is patient because sometimes I am not that easy to deal with. I love that he adores my children and treats them as his own. I love that he sees a future with me. He is my best friend!
IMC: How did he pop the question?
Caroylnn: We went to Niagara for a day trip with his family from the states and we were at an Italian eatery and he asked me the question in the eatery in front of his family and a few staff , I knew it was coming but I just didn’t know when. He had asked me about the style of ring that I liked. I am not fussy so I was glad it was done low key and intimate.
IMC: How are you preparing your children for this major transition in your life?
Carolynn: We both have children from our prior marriages, My children are teenagers and it was a little easier for me to prepare mine for this relationship, my kids wanted me to be happy and live my life My fiancé and I took them to a restaurant for dinner and we told them there and they were truly excited and happy. I let them into the relationship slowly once I knew it was solid and going forward. My fiancé has two teenaged daughters who also are happy with the relationship. He has a son who is 9 so we broke him into the relationship much slower. He is great now and we will be one big blended family and times.
IMC: Now your ready and waiting…..what will you miss from the single life? and what are you looking forward to in marriage?
Caroylnn: I am so happy to be in the waiting stage in life , waiting for the day to be joined as one.
What will I miss from the single life to be honest I have lived alone for years with my children and lets say turned my own key so I have adjustment to my life now having to share and discuss everything with someone else will be new and will take sometime to get used to.
I am truly looking forward to becoming one with my fiancé, we will be able to do things together as a couple and live out our dreams together for the rest of the life that God gives us together, financially I will also get a break now that I will have a spouse we can work together as one unit. I look forward to a bright future with my fiancé and our new blended family. It can be done.
IMC: Any advice for singles/single moms looking for love?
Caroylnn: My advise for singles and single moms as I was for years Truly stay prayed up and trust Gods word, keep praying and don’t settle just to have a spouse, we are worth Gods best. Wait on the lord. It will happen in Gods perfect timing! Keep the faith, join church single groups, stay around like minded people, keep praying and Don’t give up. When feeling down just keep your head up and your eyes on the prize. Serve God in all ways possible God knows best! My favorite scripture verse is Psalm 37 vs 4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. And that is what he did. Amen!
IMC: Thank you Carolynn for sharing with my readers. Looking forward to the BIG DAY.