"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
I Corinthians 13:13
(NKJV)
Graphic Design by Zach Smith
"The Love Story of Danny & Mary Grace"
"Danny and I met and bonded over music. The first time I met him, I was immediately taken by his dark eyes surrounded by thick eyelashes. He was beautiful and I knew I wanted to get to know him.
When I heard him playing “New Slang” by The Shins, our fate was sealed. Not only was he handsome, but also had good taste in music!
This story isn’t about the moment we fell in love, though. This story is about when I saw Jesus in Danny and knew I wanted to build a life with him.
Danny is warm. He has the type of demeanor that makes people want to be around him. Strangers open up to him. When he was the sous chef in a restaurant, he would bring warm soup to the homeless in the city where we live. He gave the gloves off of his hands to a man on the street. He called an ambulance and stayed with another man who was overdosing until help arrived. He does these things without a thought. Not that he is without flaws, but he is thoughtful and puts the needs of others before himself.
In 2014, Danny and I traveled together to Île-à-Vache, one of Haiti’s satellite islands, for a servant trip. One morning we left early to walk from one end of the island to the other, to visit another school and provide a meal and activities for the children there. The journey took most of the morning. It was a long, tiring day, but beautiful.
On our return journey home, we were passing through a small town that housed the largest market on the island. We passed a wall with barbed wire surrounding the top and a large metal gate. Our guide, Leon, paused the group and spoke to someone beyond the gate. He then turned to explain that this was an orphanage run by a Franscican nun and was the only orphanage on the island that took in children with disabilities. Leon wanted to check in on the children and give us an opportunity to visit.
When the gate opened, Danny and I were the first two to walk in. I was a few paces ahead of him. From about 100 feet away I spotted a little girl, around 2 or 3. She didn’t see me, though, she saw past me. She broke into a dead run, straight for Danny. When she was still feet away from Danny, he knelt down and she leapt into his waiting arms. He lifted her up and she started petting his long hair, smiling, and kissing his cheeks. He smiled back at her, looking her in the eyes and just loving her.
In that moment, I felt like I saw Jesus. In the sweet man who would become my husband a little over a year later. In his strong, waiting arms, ready to catch her. In her trusting leap. In their eyes as they looked at one another. I knew then that I wanted to build a family and a life with this man.
Danny and I will have been married 5 years this coming August. We have a two year old daughter named Selah and are awaiting the arrival of our son any day.
Bio: Mary Grace resides in Buffalo, NY with her husband, Danny, their daughter, Selah, and two fluffy tuxedo cats. She received her M.S.Ed in English Education (7-12) in August 2019 and is currently teaching sixth grade English to an amazing group of students on the East Side of Buffalo. Mary Grace and Danny are active in their church and have been blessed to serve the Lord in Haiti and in their own community.
Such a sweet, sweet story! It had me in tears! A HUGE thank you to you, Danny and Mary Grace, for sharing your beautiful love story with us! May God bless your lives in a mighty way and may He grant you many more long and healthy years together!
Dear readers, Danny is facing a full hip surgery on March 4th, and he remains in a lot of pain. Please continue to keep Danny in your prayers for a safe and smooth operation, healing, and a quick recovery.
~UPDATE~
I received this email from Mary Grace:
"Hi Cheryl!
I just wanted to let you know that our son was born!
Nathaniel David was born on 1/29/20 at 10:06 pm. 7 lbs 10 oz and 20 3/4 inches long.
He is a calm and sweet baby and Selah has taken to him incredibly well. We are so blessed!"
Please join me in praising God along with Danny & Mary Grace for a safe delivery and healthy baby boy!!
CONGRATULATIONS DANNY & MARY GRACE!!
What a beautiful, perfect baby boy! Thank You, Jesus!
And, such a sweet, beautiful big sister, Selah, too!!!
Oh, how precious!
And, how great is our GOD!!
In case you missed them, you can read previous Love Story Post by clicking these links:
Absolutely beautiful story, Danny and Mary Grace! May God continue to bless you and your family.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you for your sweet visit and kind words, Martha!
DeleteWhat a precious and beautiful story! Danny and Mary Grace...love her name......The new addition is one handsome little man and I am sure older sister will love him too pieces. Will pray right now for Danny with his hip. Thanks so much Cheryl for sharing these wonderful love stories. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteI love her name, too! Thank you so much for your prayers and kindness, my friend. Sending hugs and blessings back to you tonight!
DeleteWhat a sweet love story and I loved the story of the orphanage. I believe children know instinctively who they can trust. Congratulations on the birth of Nathaniel and Selah is a beautiful sister to him. I will add Danny to my prayers for a successful hip surgery. Please let us know how the surgery goes.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
I loved Danny & Mary Grace's story, too. SO inspiring! I believe children know, too, and they are wonderful "judges" of character. Aren't Nathaniel and Selah adorable? I am so thankful God has brought them through so much, and I know your prayers for Danny are much appreciated, Betsy. Blessings to you, too!
DeleteHow sweet... Some people the Holy Spirit shows through more than others. Strong men with strong hearts change the world.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful family! My youngest daugther's middle name is Selah. Odd, she looks very similar to your Selah.
It is so true how the precious Holy Spirit does show more through some than others. That is so neat that your daughter shares names with Selah and they look so much alike! God bless you, Floyd!
DeleteSuch a beautiful story of how the Lord brought Danny and Mary Grace together! Thankful for the safe arrival of baby Nathaniel, and will be in prayer for Danny's upcoming surgery on his hip!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your sweet visit, kind words, and prayers, dear friend!
DeleteA beautiful love story Mary Grace and Danny of God’s grace. Congrats on the birth of your son, sweet photos. Thank you for sharing with us dearest Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteThank you ever so much for reading and for leaving such sweet encouragement, my friend! You are such a blessing to us all!
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