June 16, 2000, is when everything changed.
I’d just finished my sophomore year of college and was one of four summer interns working in the missions department at my home church. The other interns were Kay Bridgwater, whom I’d grown up with, and Jerrell Altic, a college student from Missouri. Kay and Jerrell had met the previous summer as missions interns and by the end of it they were in l-o-v-e. The fourth intern was going to be another guy from Missouri named Curt Jones. Everyone already knew him well but I’d never met him. Strangely, our two bosses, William and Bob, seemed to think This Curt Jones Guy and I were going to hit it off and get married.
Seriously? For once I was hoping not to be distracted by a boy. I didn’t really want to hear about my supposed future with some guy from Missouri named Curt Jones. At the same time, Curt Jones was having to hear about some chick named Amanda Moore down in Houston and he didn’t really want to hear it either.
The week of June 16, 2000, we were in Missouri helping lead an event called Mission Vision. Mission Vision consisted of a handful of youth groups and leaders staying in Hamlin Baptist Church. We did missions training and various projects during the day and at night we had speakers, a drama group called Clear Vision, and worship with By the Tree.
After Mission Vision, This Curt Jones Guy was going to come back to Houston with us and work for the rest of the summer. I hoped that at least he’d be cool and we’d get along well.
I should mention that I didn’t even want to go to Mission Vision. I can’t remember how I justified to my boss, William Taylor, that I would need to come home early. He conceded and I had a plane ticket to get me home in the middle of the week. I was such a good intern! Bless my heart, we were only a week into the job and I’d not yet realized how much dying to self ministry requires. I’m definitely not done learning that lesson.
Back to June 16, 2000.
Mission Vision hadn’t yet started. Jerrell, Kay and I drove over to the home of This Curt Jones Guy to pick him up and go to a water park in Branson for the day. Curtis got in Jerrell’s Chevy Blazer and had his cap so low over his face that I couldn’t even tell what he looked like. Of course I was trying to figure that out. Even though I was trying not to go there, I remember reasoning that if our bosses’ predictions turned out to be right, I would always remember meeting him there in the driveway. But surely they were wrong.
We had a great time at Whitewater with no shortage of awkward moments. Really, who wants to be in a bathing suit the first time they meet a new co-worker? At one point we were waiting to get our tubes to take up to the top of a water slide. I was first in line and the next tube that came was a double. If I took it, then I’d have to get in it with This Curt Jones Guy I barely knew. No thank you. I let it pass and took a single. Awkward! Jerrell, of course, called attention to the weird moment and I’ve never lived it down.
I couldn’t tell what Curt’s personality was like until the four of us had a little brainstorming session while sitting in front of the wave pool on some lounge chairs. Curt was in charge of student recreation at Mission Vision and we were helping him think of a theme. Here’s what we came up with in our 20-year-old humor and brilliance – The Toilet Bowl: Like the Super Bowl, but Different! Nice, right? The daily rec prizes were a plunger, a toilet paper roll, a toilet seat, and a bed pan. We spray painted everything gold. And that is how I bonded with my future husband.
That night – June 16, 2000 – found the four of us praying in Jerrell’s parents’ living room. We prayed for Mission Vision and for our summer serving together. I got a peek into the heart of This Curt Jones Guy as he prayed for God to be exalted.
The recreation ministry required many, many trips to Walmart and Curtis always invited me to ride along with him. I’ve never been a big fan of Walmart, but I have a lot of affection for this one particular store where I happened to fall in love with my husband. We’ve never really had a song, but we do have “our Walmart.”
I remember seeing Curt’s sweet Grandma Dixon for the first time. She was serving food to all the students and I thought she and Curtis looked alike. Curt’s younger sister, Lindsay, was attending Mission Vision as a high school student. We shared a mirror one morning in the bathroom and I wondered if I would be getting to know her soon.
It was only by God’s grace and sovereignty that I ever got the job as a missions intern. Unfortunately, I’d skipped out on the youth group experience in high school and had never been on a mission trip. We were training kids how to share their faith and I had no idea how to share mine! Every day we took a group of kids to a different setting to share their faith. Curtis took it upon himself to be my partner and teach me how to do this. I’m naturally a pretty shy person and witnessing to someone I didn’t know was way, way, way outside my comfort zone. But Curtis was amazing at it. I was blown away watching him turn countless conversations with strangers toward Christ.
Not only was This Curt Jones Guy funny, not only was he great at leading rec time, not only did he have beautiful blue eyes that both of my children now have, he was passionate about leading people to Christ. I liked this guy! Curtis and I have a deep sense of partnership in ministry and there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s because of those times we went out and shared our faith together.
Needless to say, I decided to cancel my mid-week trip home.
On the last full day of Mission Vision, we went to do some evangelism on Commercial Street. I really liked This Curt Jones Guy but I didn’t know if we would be more than friends. Another leader even asked me if we liked each other and I denied it. A few minutes later Curtis and I went into a soda fountain type of place and sat down at the counter. We ordered Dr. Peppers and hoped to share the Gospel with the server. The first thing out of the server’s mouth was, “Are you two married?” It was becoming clear that God was growing our hearts together. That night we finally admitted to each other what had been obvious to everyone else.
The day after Mission Vision wrapped up, I was supposed to fly home with Kay and Jerrell and Curtis was going to drive his car down to Houston. I decided to cancel my flight – again – and make the drive with Curtis. We had twelve hours to talk about everything under the sun. Every time we make that drive from Springfield to Houston, we point out all the places we stopped on our first trip. A lot of times we play the old Shane and Shane and Enter the Worship Circle CD’s we listened to. I had no idea how familiar I would become with those small towns along the road in Oklahoma. There are some very creatively named churches along the way, which inspired a game called “What would you name a church?” When we stopped to get gas in Huntsville, Texas, I called Mom and said that This Curt Jones Guy and I would be home soon and to please make Dad behave. They instantly knew.
Next week we get to celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary and our tenth year of being together. There’s something so great about knowing we’ve been together for a decade. I love it. It feels like something to celebrate.
A few years ago my engagement ring cracked where I’d had it re-sized. I had it repaired but it was wearing very thin again. While we were in Missouri I took my engagement ring to the jeweler it was purchased from and had them make me a new white gold tiffany setting. I handed over my ring and watched the jeweler pry open the prongs and dump out the diamond. It had an unbelievable amount of gunk underneath it. If nothing else, it would look a hundred times better just from the stone being cleaned! They handed the old ring back to me empty. I waited in anticipation for five days and finally, on our way home from Silver Dollar City in Branson, I got to pick up my diamond in a brand new band. It was beautiful! My round solitaire looked so happy and shiny. It had been a long time since it looked like that. I sort of wished I’d made this investment sooner. If Curtis had given me a brand new diamond three times as big as that one it would not have thrilled me as much as seeing that same one looking just as pretty as the day he gave it to me. Prettier, really, since it represented everything that we have been through and done together.
Our marriages are somewhat like my engagement ring. The core – the diamond – holds a great love story with lots of passion and commitment. But everyday wear and tear and the occasional traumatic event can do a number on the metal that holds it together. Some of our rings could just use some polishing while others need some real restoration. God can do both! Remember that He loves marriage. He created it, after all. I’m praying that God will show each one of us a specific way we can invest in our marriage to strengthen it and bring out its beauty.
Happy Anniversary to you both! What a precious story. Thank you for sharing it with us. You two have a wonderful family and a ministry that blesses so many.
Lawan
Phil 4:8
What a sweet post, Amanda! Congrats on your 10 years together – that is something to celebrate.
Hugs,
Adrienne
This is beautiful, Amanda! Thank you for the encouragement!
Wow. That last paragraph really got me. Who doesn’t need a little work on the metal in her own marriage? Thanks for the reminder.
Thank you Amanda, I really needed this post. I am in the polishing and cleaning stages of our twenty year marriage and I so needed this encouragment today! Thanks again.
Praying for you sweet Siesta. God is showing me in my young marriage how much we have to work daily…and I look back and think…wow how on Earth did we get through that?!?! But I have found that sometimes it is simply from HIS divine protection that we make it through!
Love you,
Andrea
April 14, 1990
Sitting in the hospital orientation session for my first nursing job. Really cute guy walks in the room and I think “I’d like to meet him – but what are the chances in a hospital this size.” Later that week, I find out he’s the pharmacist assigned to my unit. 🙂 We’re both really shy, so it was about two years later before we went on our first date. This year we are celebrating 15 years of marriage and 18 years together. We have two beautiful kids.
He is even more wonderful than I imagined when I was sitting there in that hot stuffy room two decades ago. He has been my biggest encourager and my greatest support as we have faced some really big stuff – like my brain tumor and the deaths of 14 of my family members in the last 7 years. Life has not been easy but God found the best possible partner for me.
What a precious story and a lovely reminder about marriage
God was so patient with me when He introduced me to my future husband (I would not go out with him until after the 3rd time God brought us together)
Congrats on your 10 yrs together – it just gets better and better 🙂
Much love
These words were much needed. We’ve been married 22 years, and been through a rough patch recently. Thanks for the illustration. I think I’ll go home and clean my wedding ring.
What a sweet story. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary! This year will mark our 17th anniversary, but we’ve been together for 20 years, which is just over half our lives. Absolutely the best half!!
I feel like I can hear angels as I read this, Amanda. You two were brought together divinely. Celebrate well this anniversary and may God bless your sweet love for each other with a very large dose of cheer and delight.
Happy Anniversary Curtis and Amanda!
I got a copy of Curt’s Drive Thru the Bible II CD – good stuff!!
Very happy for you and your adorable children, may God continue to bless you!
I love your story. Congratulations and thank you for sharing. I am off to facilitate your mom’s study When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. Great study by the way.
Have a wonderful anniversary!
What a sweet story! June of 2000 holds dear memories for me too. While you were meeting the man of your dreams I was marrying mine. My 10 year wedding anniversary is coming up on June 17th. We were set up by one of my 2nd grade students. Neither one of us were too keen about a blind date. Apparently God and our friends knew otherwise. We are happily married and the parents of 3 boys ages, 7,5,and 2. Have a Happy June and thanks for sharing your story.
What a Drive Thru The Story of Amanda and Curtis that was! Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us. I always love a good, romantic yarn – and this was certainly that! Congrats on a decade of knowing and loving each other!
Your heart for your marriage is beautiful. It is easy to get caught up in the press of life & not give full appreciation for your spouse & the marriage you should be treasuring. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for that insight Becky. I don’t treasure my husband or marriage enough….I needed that reminder today!
In Him,
Andrea
Congratulations Amanda and Curtis – may you share many more wonderful decades together!
My husband and I will be celebrating our 13th anniversary this year – just a few weeks before the anticipated arrival of our second child together (after 9 long years of infertility, God has blessed us with a little girl – to the delight of her 10-year-old brother!) and we could not be more excited! Back when I was pregnant with our son, weird things began happening to my body – one of which was that I became allergic to all of my jewelry. This includes my beautiful wedding set that my husband designed just for me. I was sick over it for a long time…and I still cannot wear jewelry. We looked for options that I might not be allergic to, but everything was well beyond our price range. Well, a couple of years ago (during the winter) my husband and I went to Target. He took his gloves off inside the store, and his ring flew off…we never found it. He was miserable. I had learned in the years before that happened: as much as I would love to wear my rings to symbolize my commitment to my husband, the ring is only a symbol. We have been blessed with 13 years together and most of that time has been full of positives…we’ve had our issues, sure, but we married young and have grown so much. I thank the good Lord that He allowed me to see that my wedding rings are only a symbol and that I was able to calm my husband when he lost his ring instead of being angry or upset! In the years since we have gone ring-less, we’ve seen many more ups and downs…but our commitment to each other remains steadfast. He’s my hero, my provider, and my best friend – but most importantly, he’s my gift from God to show me how much God Himself really loves me. I truly didn’t know before my husband…and God has blessed his efforts to become the man God wants him to be. He’s not perfect…but he’s perfect for me.
i totally identify. in our 36th year of marriage i lost my little diamond from its very old setting. i had learned earlier in my marriage when i lost something precious, that it is only an earthy “thing” that can;t be taken with us. when i lost my mom and dad several years ago due to cancer, i was so assured of eternity that my life was totally refocused so much that when i lost my diamond it did not matter at all. i have no desire to replace it- i wear a simple band which is really all i wanted when we were engaged. i did not want to spend the money then on a diamond and still dont. my husband cannot wear a wedding band becuz he works in carpentry and with saws and things. it is the committment of heart to one another and the Lord that is the glue that binds us forever together.
Amanda,
Thank you for the beautiful analogy you used about our rings. My 22 year-old engagement ring and 21 year-old wedding ring bands are both wearing thin. I’ve been thinking they needed some TLC, but feeling sad as if I hadn’t properly cared for them somehow. But, thinking that our love and life is just plain wearing them out lifts my soul and reminds me how much life and love they’ve seen {and a few dings as well}.
Thanks for sharing your story of love – I always enjoy hearing about how the Lord brings people together! A blessed anniversary to you and “That Curt Jones Guy”.
I am convinced that you are the creative one in your family:) You visualize and tell stories so well:)
Seriously.
I loved reading this. That Curt guy is pretty neat:)
I totally get this though, all of it…God’s timing is truly everything;)
Happy early anniversary to you guys:)
xoxo
ang
Thank you Amanda. I really needed this encouragment and reminder. You would think after 32 years I’d remember to treasure my marriage and treat it carefully. God bless you both. Have a great anniversary.
Happy Anniversary next week and celebrate.
I will praying for you and Curt Jones. Loved your story and Loved the story about the ring and the diamond.
Amanda you have a gift of putting words together.
You are amazing
Have a Great Day
Love Carol
Thank you for your prayers! We always need them. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Your stories are inspirational to young girls like myself who know nothing of healthy relationships. Thanks the little hints. They are important.
Jessica needs to get a blog…she is just too cute!! Praying for you girl. I don’t know where I would be without the Word! He makes us what we can’t be on our own!
That’s the Truth!
Patti
Thanks for sharing!! It’s sweet to read this story as I get ready to go out to celebrate my 3rd anniversary with my husband today!!! I love thinking back on how we started and where God has carved our paths. My husband told me, three different times, that we would never date. Lo’ and behold, God finally gave Zeb peace to pursue me and now we’re celebrating 3 years of delightful marriage (gunk and all!!) and a baby on the way.
Isn’t God just so wonderful?!?!?!
Happy Anniversary!
Absolutely loved every word you wrote! I met my husband when I was 14 and married when I was 18 and he 20. We will be celebrating our 22nd anniversary in July. Honestly, we love eachother so much deeper than we ever have, we are best friends, and we know it is a miracle. Not because we haven’t loved eachother, but because it is sometimes hard! It’s interesting how the valleys and mountains of life can truly grow you together when your foundation is built on the rock of Jesus. I know you, and your mom and dad can attest to that truth also. Thank God that your parents’ have been witnesses to you both. My husband and I both come from divorced parents, and still sometimes carry the burdens and scars that come from that, but when we look at our marriage and our three boys, we are so very thankful, and never take a day for granted that HE has stopped that lineage of brokeness with our marriage, for our boys. Praise God He can and will keep you together as you continue to abide in Him. I can feel the Love you have for Curtis Jones….may you have a blessed anniversary!
Love in Him,
Kelly
I’m a hopeless romantic and hearing the story of how a couple met and fell in love is one of my favorite things! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Aww, how sweet. Just FYI, you met Curt on my birthday–June 16th. How special. Now, I will always remember your story when I celebrate my birthday.
My husband, Greg and I were friends all through high school. He dated my best friend and I never had any crush on him AT ALL. In fact, we went to the prom….he went with my best friend and I went with his college roommate. My best friend dumped him in a Dear John letter after she graduated from high schoool, went to college and never talked to him again. He married someone else. Meanwhile I married another guy in 1985, divorced 3 years later and was single for 6 1/2 years. Greg and I kept in touch but never in a romantic way. I was NOT interested in him. We talked every year or two.
One day in June 1994 my telephone rang and this voice said, “Bet you don’t know who this is.” I said, “Bet I do. It’s Greg Adams.” He told me that he had divorced and was going to be in Atlanta in a week or so. He wanted to have dinner and catch up. Well, we caught up. Six months later we married and the rest is history. We have been married for 15+ years and let me tell you, I married way above me. Greg is wise and funny and smart and a great man.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Leah
It was my sophomore year in college in San Marcos that I rode to Houston with a guy. Our mutual friend was supposed to ride with us but backed out at the end, so I was riding with a virtual stranger…something that would freak me out if our college aged daughter did now! I could tell after that round trip that he was someone special. And I was right…our 24th anniversary is this July.
Love hearing your story. God is presently writing mine 🙂 Funny you should mention the jewlrey…last night I was polishing my silver jewlrey and thought how Christians are like silver. Sometimes we get “tarnished,” but the substance in us never changes…God has ‘anointed us and set His seal of ownership on us’! Sometimes we just need a good polishing!!
Wow!Great story! June 16th is my wedding anniversary so that date is quite special to me too!
Congrats on your own decade of togetherness!
Congratulations, Amanda, to you and Curtis! What a sweet story! May you have many blessed years together!
My husband and I just celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary. It’s so great that all these years later I still get a thrill when I look at him or even just think about him. We have been through our share of challenges but I’ve never doubted that God ordained our union or that Mr. Scott Edward Elston is the guy for me.
Let us ALL cherish our men and nurture our marriages! And may we be examples of godly wives to the young girls and women who look to us as examples.
Amanda, thank you for sharing that with us. I also believe that marriages are special. I’ve been married to my husband for 13 years but been together 15 yrs. I’ve also known him longer than anyone I know besides my family. He was my first boyfriend at age 16! We were together just two years and then we broke up. Then 14 years later we caught up with each other again after our divorces from our previous marriages and began dating again. I have children from previous marriages and so does he. We have no kids together but we sure do have a long history. I love what God does to create beautiful relationships. Happy Anniversary to you and “that Curt Jones Guy” 😉
Girl, this was amazing. You have to know that my prongs came loose and my diamond ring has been sitting in a lock box until we get our debt paid off and can afford to have it fixed “obligation free.” Second, my man and I fought like cats and dogs last night and carried it on until lunch time today over something ridiculous and stupid. (isn’t it always like that?) I was just sitting around- no wallowing around- feeling bad over the whole thing, but your post was perfect. Because God really DOES care about marriage and I have a good man besides! Thanks for the encouraging reminders.
this choked me up and gave me chills. I love the Lord Jesus.
My husband and I celebrated our 8th anniversary on the 1st! Happy Anniversary! That’s a great story!
Very, very cool Amanda, thanks so much for that little story and the reminder of how our lives can get gunked up and we don’t even realize it.
Love you guys!
Thanks for sharing your love story with us–very fun!
And what a great analogy/lesson with the ring! 🙂
Awesome post. I can see God’s plan and glory all the way through your 10 years together. It’s so great when I hear these kind of stories, since most of the time the story seems to end in divorce. You and Curtis are an inspiration.
Thanks,
Cindy
Exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you.
Incurable romantic that I am, I love “how we met” stories, so thanks for sharing yours. I was going to ask if your dad behaved, but the answer to that is a no brainer since you and C
I don’t know what just happened or what key I inadvertantly pushed, but to finish my sentence, I was trying to say that your dad must have behaved since you and Curt have been together ten years. I seem to remember your mom writing something in “Feathers From My Nest” about your dad and potential suitors. I’m really liking this reply feature, but I think my attempt at humor got lost in the translation.
Congratulations on your anniversary and many blessings as you and Curt continue to partner in ministry.
Patti Hayes
Happy Anniversary!!!!!
Now that is a precious story only God could have orchestrated!! Thanks for sharing with us! The best part was what rang so loud and clear through the entire post, was how much in love with your husband you still are! Ya know what would be really cool is if you had some of your favorite wedding photos at the end..okay I’m a hopless romantic what can I say..You have been truly blessed and this Siesta Sister couldn’t be happier!!!!
Precious story and extremely wise words. Thanks for sharing and Happy Anniversary!
Hearts..an early verison of Walmart here in Ohio. My then boyfriend was acting strange. I was shopping with him in the middle of that store when I read between the lines and realized he was going to ask me to marry him that night! I was a mess not the right outfit… I bought nail polish! 19 yrs and 3 kids later we are a beautiful stone surrounded by dirt too. Thanks for the prayer!!
Amanda, loved reading your story. Your last paragraph really teaches! May His blessings continue to rest on you and yours. carol
What a wonderful story of how you two fell in love… I too smiled when you mentioned your first meeting would be in bathing suits… Bless your heart 🙂 Congrats on 10 years together…
Love it! Happy anniversary – we just had 34 years – met on a blind date . . . one never knows does one????
Thanks so much for sharing your story Amanda! It was a great reminder to think about the history my husband and I share. It’s so easy at this time of our lives to put “us” on the back burner and concentrate on the fact that we’re elbow-deep in diapers and Sesame Street. 🙂 I need to take the time to remember where we’ve been and make sure I don’t forget how our family got started! Thanks again!
Our one year anniversary is the 13th 🙂
This was beautiful! My husband and I are getting ready to celebrate our 1-year anniversary this Sunday. I can’t tell you how unbelievably fast this first year has gone by, but I can’t wait for many, many more!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! It is so fun to hear your love story details as I am from Curt’s neck of the woods and those places are familiar to me. Some are even in my love story, too.
This is our year of counting down to our 20th. Every where I turn I think, “Twenty years ago we…”
I temporarily lost my wedding ring a few years ago and my husband kept wanting to go buy me a newer and better ring, but I just kept searching for the old one. One day he finally found it and I cried! You just can’t replace the value of the one that has seen you through the years!
Blessings to you!
Tracy
Fort Mill, SC
formerly from Springfield, MO
Happy Anniversary. Amanda, that was a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thanks Amanda for sharing that wonderful story! Did you get married on June 16th too? My husband and I celebrate our 8th anniversary on June 15th! I always love to hear your stories! This was such a great reminder for me this has not been our easiest year of marriage.
Thank you!
Carrie, we actually got married on June 15. And June 16 is my mom’s birthday!
EEEKKK!! Me and my Hubby’s anniversary is June 15th also!!! We will be celebrating 19 years married (after dating 6 months!!). (And June 16th is my Uncle’s birthday..LOL!!!)
Hope you have something special planned!! Hubs and I are leaving Saturday to spend 5 days in the NC mountains. Cannot WAIT!!!!!
Isn’t Hawk’s birthday around this time too??
If so, tell her we said Happy Birthday!
Yes! It’s this Friday!
You are the first person I know of that shares my anniversary! I also met my husband for the first time in June of 2000, but we didn’t start dating until November. I was 20 as well. I always enjoy hearing about your family life. I can relate so much of the time. I have a five year old son and a 2 1/2 year old daughter. Your kids are adorable! Thanks again for sharing this great story!