Meridith Black

A native of Indiana, I am now a transplant in the beautiful state of North Carolina. I have worked as a Speech-Langauge Pathologist for over 10 years in hospitals, nursing facilities and schools (primarily the schools) but now am incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to be home with our two kiddos (Norah and Boaz). To back up nearly 30 years, I was mowing my mom's yard in my Forest Hils Elementary school purple and gold basketball tube socks when I looked up at the sky and said, "God, I want to know You." He was a very present friend and help...my best friend. It wasn't until my mid-twenties that I asked God to help me know Jesus. I knew He was God's Son and that He died for our sins...and rose from the dead 3 days later... And yet, I didn't know Him. In such a timely/divine manner, as He always does, God put people in my life to help me out of a very ugly pit...and revealed Christ to me. I remember praying in my little blue Saturn (1999), "Jesus, I don't know what it will look like...but I want to know you and for you to be my life." I felt such a secure and whole feeling fill me up. Peace.

Fast forward to 2006...I was single and 33... The ultimate dream of my heart was to marry a man who would go on missions trips with me. :) Upon hearing this desire, a friend & co-worker responded saying, "that is a man who encompasses less than 1% of the population." All I could do was say in my heart, "True, God, but You can do anything." Two months later an amazing friend of a friend, Steve, played 3 hours of Euchre with me...asking me out for a date nearly 24 hours later. Two months later Steve and I went on a missions trip and were married 11 months thereafter. Steve is definitely an answer to prayer! He is my best friend and someone who seeks God with a humble heart. I wanted a man who would love God more than he loved me...b/c I know that he'd pray through our growing pains. :) Those are inevitable in relationships. I have grown immensely through marriage- as I had wanted to know how to truly love unselfishly. That's all God.

Steve and I have been given 5 kiddos: a 4-year-old daughter, a 2-year-old som and 3 waiting on us in Heaven (Rose, Ruthie and Ruby all passed away via miscarriages)... We sincerely blessed beyond measure.