The Start of My Love Story
My love story began in early October of 2009. At the time, I was living in Augusta, Georgia, while my mom and younger sister were in Ohio. I would occasionally drive up to visit them, and during one of those trips, I became friends with some of my sister’s friends. We exchanged numbers, and I would often send scripture verses throughout the week to encourage them.
One morning at work, I was getting ready to open the office and decided to send an inspiring text to all my contacts—a verse from Philippians. Just as I was about to hit send, the office phone rang, so I saved the text as a draft and completely forgot about it. Later that evening, around 8 p.m., I finally sent the message.
A few minutes later, I got a reply—but not from the person I thought I was texting. Instead, it was someone I had never met.
Him: “Amen to that, who’s this?”
Me: “This is Brenda, Roxi’s sister, remember me?”
Him: “I don’t think we’ve ever met. My name is Isaiah Stearns.”
I apologized for the mix-up, but he replied, “No worries. How’s your day going? I liked that verse—what does it mean to you?”
We started texting about faith and life, and I learned he also lived in Ohio. When he asked if it was okay to call me sometime, I hesitated, unsure about talking to a stranger. But eventually, I agreed. I still remember the first time he called—I purposefully didn’t answer, hoping he would leave a voicemail so I could hear his voice first. He did, and it wasn’t creepy at all. I called him back, we talked, and exchanged Facebook info. What started as a simple online friendship quickly grew into something deeper.
As we got to know each other through calls, texts, and Facebook Messenger, our connection became undeniable. We planned to meet if I ever visited my family in Ohio. The more we talked, the more I liked him—but a small part of me was nervous. I didn’t even know him!
I mentioned Isaiah to my mom, and being the adventurous woman she is, she immediately suggested, “Why don’t I meet him first?” So, my mom and little sister went on a “friend date” with him—without me there. They ate, talked, and seemed to really enjoy each other’s company. I waited nervously by the phone for updates. When my sister exclaimed, “Oh my God, sister, he’s soooo tall! He’s even bigger than the door!” I smiled—height aside, it sounded promising.
I called my mom to get her honest opinion. She rated him an 11 out of 10 and said, “You’re going to marry this guy!” That was so out of character for her, especially having just met him, I knew Isaiah had to be someone truly special.
Initially, I had planned to move to Ohio around June 2010 when my lease ended. But God—and life—had other plans. On November 29, 2009, I moved to Ohio and finally met Isaiah face-to-face on December 1st. Just two months after my accidental text, we began dating with the intention of marrying each other. I was 22, he was 27, and the connection was instant.
We spent as much time together as possible. Each meeting deepened my feelings for him. On Valentine’s Day, he prepared a special dinner at his place, complete with rose petals and a red carpet down the stairs. During dessert, he knelt and asked me to be his forever wife. That day remains one of the happiest moments of my life.
We married on June 27, 2010. Nearly ten years later, with five beautiful children, we are more in love than ever.
The thing that amazes me most? Just minutes before I sent that initial text, Isaiah had gotten a new phone plan. The number originally given to him didn’t work, so they issued a new one. If I had sent the text in the morning—or if his first number had worked—our paths might never have crossed. The Lord orchestrated every detail with perfect timing, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
