GOODBYE FABIO - HELLO TIM

My writing friend, Nola Passmore shares her story.

I always thought I’d be married by the time I was 25, but when 1994 rolled around, I was 32 and still single.  Through a series of events, God made it clear that I was to leave my academic job at a university and do some courses with the Christian group Youth With a Mission (YWAM).  I handed my boss a letter of resignation, but he persuaded me to take 20 months leave without pay instead.  It was nice of him, but I wouldn’t be back.  I was about to head off on a grand adventure. 

Although it wasn’t my reason for going to YWAM (really it wasn’t!), it did cross my mind that I might meet ‘Mr Right’ while I was away.  However after 18 months in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, New Zealand, San Diego and Mexico, I returned to my home town still single and ready to recommence my university job.

By then, a Christian staff group had started up at work.  In the lead-up to Orientation Week in 1997, we thought it would be a good idea to put together a Welcome Flyer to let new students know there were Christian staff members in every faculty and section.  We started contacting people we knew to see if they would like to have their names on the flyer.  One woman gushed that it was good to finally ‘come out of the closet’.  Another fellow agreed and said, ‘Why don’t you contact Tim Passmore.  He might be interested.’

I knew who Tim was, as we were in the same Faculty, but I’d never officially met him.  He hadn’t heard of the Christian staff group, but said he would come along the next Friday.  He became a regular attender after that.  I thought he was really nice, but when he rang me a few weeks later to see if I’d like to go for a coffee with him, there was a complication.  I’d just started going out with someone else. 

I suggested he come over the next night as I was having a few friends round to meet the new boyfriend.  Let’s call him Fabio.  Tim agreed to come, but much later told me he felt like a goose.  There were at least two things in his favour though.  One of my friends brought her young children with her and they instantly took a shine to Tim.  I’d also bought a puppy a couple of months before and she decided that Tim’s lap was the best place to catch some ZZZs.

Well, children and animals can tell a lot.  Before long, it was ‘Goodbye Fabio’ and ‘Hello Tim'.          We married the following year and have just

celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. I often
marvel at how I travelled all over the place with
YWAM and then found my husband waiting in my
own backyard, but God had a plan all along.  He
 prompted my boss to offer me leave so that I
would eventually meet the perfect soul mate
He’d already picked out for me.  We’re looking
forward to growing old together … if we can survive the new puppy we’ve just bought. 


Here's a photo of their newest family member I swiped from Facebook. Isn't he adorable?

Nola Passmore is a freelance writer who has had more than 120 short pieces published in various magazines, journals and anthologies (including poetry, devotions, magazine articles, true stories and short fiction).  She and her husband Tim have just started their own freelance writing and editing business called The Write Flourish (www.thewriteflourish.com.au).  She loves writing about what God has done in her life and encouraging others to do the same.  (Some call it ‘nagging’, but she calls it encouragement).

 

Thanks so much Nola, Tim, and puppy!       Follow me on Twitter @RitaSGalieh