"The Fairytale Written By God"

That is what we put on our wedding invitations; it was the theme of our wedding, remains in countless love notes, and will probably be the title of our book! If you were to ever learn the whole miraculous drama of our family story, you will never doubt there is a God, never say there is no such thing as destined love, and you will gain mountains of hope and faith in your own life.

When I was 20 I asked God in prayer “What is the name of my husband?” That very night, I had a dream with a huge black theatre screen, and across it, one at a time, came giant letters in bold white M-A-R-K. I awoke feeling a strong sense of that being my answer!

I soon married a man (whose middle name was Mark), ignoring the doubts in my mind, and many years went by full of chapters of drama I never imagined my life would contain. But I believe in the sanctity of marriage and the sacredness of the marriage covenant, resolving that whoever this “Mark” was, if he existed, he had to have gone on with his life and, whatever God had planned, was now in a new mode. I was no longer in a position to hope for anything else but focused on helping this man and being a committed wife; hiding the secrets of abuse within the four walls of our home. I poured my tears before God in the private corners of a basement or behind closed closet doors. My daughters became everything to me – raising them to be strong, hopeful women of faith became my “powerful purpose”.

After 16 years, I found myself in another scary place in life: I was a single mom, abandoned by a person caught in the sickness of alcohol, but with many suitors knocking at my door. Suddenly feeling very vulnerable, one morning, I had what is now in the history of my life referred to as “my sunbeam prayer.” On the floor of my living room with my face turned up to the sun, I prayed for God’s perfect will for my daughter’s and my life. Knowing I would be married again someday, I even asked if that man He originally planned for me was still available that He would somehow by a miracle lead him to me in His perfect timing. Five days later, Mark Gilewicz called me. M-A-R-K! How that even happened is another series of miracles that had been leading us to each other for a long time, unbeknownst to us!

Mark had been waiting for 10 years, after a short-term wife, whom he had also ignored doubts about at the start, abandoned him for another man, taking his daughter with her. He suffered his own period of grief, unjustly robbed of not being able to utilize his fathering skills to a daughter now so far away. Though he was a “good catch” and sought after man, he was still patiently waiting for nothing less than “God’s perfect will” this time. (Is there a lesson here?) How we personally redeem each other’s losses in life is a lesson on the goodness of God in itself: he gains an adoring wife who knows the sacredness of the marriage covenant and has lived out its commitment, and two daughters whom he gets to exclusively raise as his own on a daily basis. I gain a man whose deepest and longest heart’s desire has been to be the best husband and father to his own family, and fulfills that devoted role in the most exceptional way I only dreamed about. The strange paradox is: we wish we would have meet 20 years ago and built this family, as it would seem best, but had we not had our undesirable experiences first, we wouldn't be more of who we need to be for each other - or as grateful! God is such a master at blotting and blending the canvas of each life when necessary. 

The rest of the story of our courtship filled with miracles that would seem unreal, leading up to the most amazing “story” wedding production that left people cheering in tears at the finale, the effortless building of this family which feels like we were always suppose to be together…well, I guess I better get started on that book…!

We both still weep over where we had been and where we are now, having difficulty believing the “Fairytale” we both dreamed about as children actually came true for us. If anyone also has that desire, I think the keys are prevalent in our story:

1. Surrender your life to God Who knows you better than you know yourself and Who already has all your days written – Psalm 139. (Therefore, has also planned the person you are suppose to share those days with)

2. Never make decisions in doubt – just because you happen to fall in love with someone does not mean you are supposed to marry them! Don’t settle for less than God’s perfect will. He will confirm it.

3. Remember you are worth waiting for - while you are patiently waiting for the right person to come into your life, as well as sexually, once they do. Keeping sex out of your relationship until that wedding night will make all the difference in the world in many ways and for many reasons. That’s another book!

Mark, Valorie, Vanessa and I share a busy but exuberant daily life. The girls and I are in our 5th year of home schooling and Mark and I both have a business out of our home so it is a good thing that we adore each other’s company! All 4 of us like the same music, the same food, the same movies (we are Lord of the Rings and action junkies!), share the same views and standards of life, and each of us know how to make light of each others’ weaknesses and celebrate each others’ strengths.

When we’re not working together or schooling together, we are all involved in church/ ministry together or playing together. A lot of our playing is simply talking and laughing which we all seem to do a lot of and are each gifted in inducing. But our other “family things” are playing PlayStation games projected in giant view on the wall, Spongebob!, vacationing on the beach, getting our “fix” of roller coasters at amusement parks, and dream shopping for our favorite cars! Mark about flipped when he learned that a very feminine woman like me had a bit more testosterone when it comes to classic hotrods, motorcycles, guns and boy-toys. Our dream would be to have a garage as big as our house! Anyway, we are amazed daily at how much we see all 4 of us were designed for each other.

God is the perfect Father Who desires to give us the very best, and lovingly offers second chances. When we allow Him, He will also be the author of our lives - the One with the power to turn any life into “The Fairytale Written by God”.

Victoria has been blessed with skills of a creative nature and uses her skills to commemorate special people and events. Learn more about her art business by clicking here: Victoria's Art Business.