Our Story!

By popular demand, it has been requested we share more of the details of "our love story!" You don't have to persuade us too hard on this! We like to tell it...

Daniel's Story: (journal excerpts)

I’m on duty today and Erin is out of town. It’s probably the first real down time I’ve had in our whirl wind relationship, and I wanted to document some stuff that has happened so far.

The first time I met Erin was during the summer at New Covenant. We met briefly in passing (as I was trying to conceal and give a cocktail recipe book to Julie Petersen), but I was immediately attracted to her! What can I say, I’m a dude…and she was hot! She also made a comment like “I’ve been waiting to meet you” or something that definitely got my attention. At this point, I was INTERESTED.

However, after a night of conversation at our second meeting (the party at the Petersen’s), I was totally blown away and infatuated with her. I knew hands down that God had made her for me, and I was going to marry her. Now all I need to do is convince her of that.

I had been praying for a godly wife, and that God would make it painfully obvious when I met her. I also prayed that He would close the door with any other woman abruptly. I saw this happen with other women and also with my work and neighbor situation – no prospects. Finally, God did not allow me to become attracted to anyone at church for nearly a year, AND He never let any of my friends/brothers/sisters set me up. It was Erin’s love for Christ, our numerous similarities, and my uncommon attraction toward her that I knew, without a doubt, that she was the one.

It’s funny how God works things out. He brought Erin to Virginia Beach via other circumstances. She got settled at New Covenant during the summer when I was NEVER there due to the Gulf Coast mission trip, house guests (the Godwin’s, Michael, Joseph) and races. Then once these distractions were gone (Joseph went home and the summer was almost over) I met her…and I haven’t stopped thinking/praying for her since…or gotten anywhere close to my normal amount of sleep! God worked it out that I didn’t go on IA, my house was presentable, and Erin lives 5 minutes down the street (with Godly roommates)!

Joe and Brenda Mullen (our pastor) have been praying for me, and Hayley and Rob (Erin’s close friends) seem to approve of our relationship. Our relationship is EASY because I love her…and not me. I only want to serve her and honor her. Our conversations are AWESOME and she really helps me to feel comfortable and communicate. Praise God!

Erin's Story:

My best friend and college roomate came to visit last August as final "baccalaureate weekend" before her wedding this June. I remember some of my friends here asking her how she met her husband and her replying "At church! It was easy." I thought, "If only it WAS that easy!"

As God had so perfectly planned, Daniel and I were to meet each other at church. We had actually met sometime in early July after the service. I mistakenly thought he was a friend's fiance and introduced myself saying "Oh, I've been waiting to meet you." Well, of course I'd been waiting to meet him--he was my husband!--but I had no idea that's who I was introducing myself to.

Daniel and I saw each other at several church social events over the next few weeks. We would talk occasionally but I honestly put no thought into it. In fact, it wasn't until later that I clued into the fact he was isolating ME in conversations! The first time I realized Daniel's strategy was an afternoon a bunch of us went out to lunch and then to the beach after church. Daniel and I sat across from each other and I remember him asking several questions about me and my life. But, it wasn't until we got to the beach where I was given a formal, intense "interview"!! I remember thinking, "This guy is nosy!" Of course he was, at this point he knew he was going to marry me so he better start getting to know me. Though still a little stunned by the interview, it was obvious to me (and my friends of course who sat on the beach watching all this!) Daniel was being intentional. Over the next week we corresponded through email and that Friday marked our first date! Who ever said you had to take it slow?

To this day I don't think Daniel actually counts this as our first date, but when you pick a girl up and walk her to the door at night, well, that's pretty much a date! Daniel's cousin Sarah had come in town for the weekend and they were going to see Leann Womack at the Little Creek base. Daniel emailed asking if I had plans and then called to see if I would like to go. Well, that's a dumb question! I went into my friend Deborah's office and screamed, "I think Daniel Lutz just asked me out!"

I hardly remember the concert. This was probably because I couldn't concentrate when I had the full attention of a hot date! Daniel couldn't keep his eyes off me and I think we finally bored Michael (Daniel's brother) and Sarah enough they got up and left! We talked through the whole concert, well I probably talked the most in order to answer Daniel's top 100 questions for the night! (If you ever need good silence breaker/first date topics, ask Daniel...he pulls out the most unique questions to ask!) But, I didn't mind. For the first time in my life, I already felt loved by and very important to this guy. He didn't play games and made his intentions clear...something I had prayed for for years, but especially in the weeks and months prior to meeting him.

Virginia Beach in the summer is the place to be! The boardwalk always has free concerts on the weekend and if all else fails, you can always spend the day at the beach with friends playing ultimate frisbee or volleyball. Daniel invited me to come join them the next day on the beach. As to not look too interested (you gotta play somewhat hard to get!) I begged my friend Deborah to join. That evening, again, was unforgettable. The thing I remember learning the most about Daniel that evening is how much he loved his family and how he has this unique way of making everyone feel important. Even though Daniel's cousin was in town, he made sure I felt welcomed and important to him. Daniel would sweetly walk by me, sit by me, and talk to me while still paying attention to his teenage cousin. I knew if he treated his cousin that well, he would always treat me well. At this point, I was willing to respond to Daniel's intentional pursuit. How could I resist?

I could say the rest is history, but it's too good of history to stop here. Over the following weeks Daniel and I began spending more time together, but primarily in group settings. The work weeks were long in between fun filled weekends with each other. Labor Day weekend brought more concerts, Daniel cooking dinner for me and my friend Stephanie who was in town visiting, beach volleyball, and a fabulous Labor Day cookout at my house.
Chef Daniel cooked about 50 burgers and after everyone finally left that evening, he stayed and helped me clean up. Who would have ever thought cleaning could be so romantic? That evening we took a moonlit walk around the lake. I think it was here that Daniel clued me in on the fact I would be his wife. And, he pretty much said it like that, too! Even though I still wasn't too sure about that, I knew Daniel was more special to me than anyone else I knew. And, he was right...a year from that weekend marks our wedding date!

Daniel is God's most abundant gift to me! When I prayed for a husband, I had no idea God would so far exceed my every expectation, need and desire. Daniel has romanced and pursued me like the Lord does with us. This has been so evident in his self-sacrificial, tender cherishing love. Daniel and I know God created us exactly for each other and has been preparing us to enter into this relationship and marriage. I can't wait to marry this man who is more than my wildest dreams!

We look forward to you sharing this special day with us!

"My lover is mine, and I am his..." Song of Solomon 2:16a