Comments on: Engagement

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:26:28 +0000

Thank you so much for continuing to share your story, your journey. What an inspiration it continues to be for so many. Your pictures together are beautiful and I am so happy for you and your family! May God continue to bless you richly!

By: Annette

Annette — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:39:19 +0000

Darren, thank you so much for sharing your stories. They are blessing me in ways you cannot imagine because of some things happening in my life at this time.

Blessings to you, Kristin and Olivia!!

By: Yvonne Moss

Yvonne Moss — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:20:20 +0000

Somehow I expected some out there to not be able to share in Darren’s joy. I have thoughts also on this relationship. I am a stakeholder in this couple. I have known Kristin her entire life. I was in the hospital ER when her mother was brought in. I watched her grow up and also watched as she went through times of heartbreak in her adult life. I’ve known Darren for many years. He and Misty shared meals with my family. So it is with love, grace and conviction that I say this….
God always seeks to help us find redemption in our lives. He takes the tragedy in our lives and makes glory out of it if we let Him. Sometimes, when we hurt… we want others to hurt also. It’s our nature because we’re sinners. Just like its easy to watch a football game and judge who messed up… as if we somehow could do better… we decide what others should do also. I say that we shouldn’t decide that for others. Because I know the parties here, I will say how I see it (not that it really matters) but I believe that God, in his mercy loves Olivia so much and wants her to have a step mother who will love her. No one will ever take Misty’s place. And Kristin, more than anyone knows that. She is equipped with the ability to honor Misty in Olivia’s life. She has a holy respect for link between mother and daughter So… while I think it’s great that Darren and Kristin found each other, I believe God brought two ladies together to heal each other. Kristin will give to a little girl what she knows intuitively in her heart is needed. She is doing this already. And there aren’t too many (if any) out there that could fit those shoes.
Olivia is the point here. Darren loves that little girl so much that he allowed God to change his heart by giving him an attraction towards a woman who would be the perfect role model for his child. Enough said.

By: Jolanhte

Jolanhte — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:05:50 +0000

Read through your post the other day and just saw the many engagement pictures Vanessa posted on Facebook. Amazing.

So happy for you both and for the amazing gift that God has given both of you in each other.

Jolanthe

By: Tina

Tina — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:20:16 +0000

Congratulations! I am a wife and mother of two teenagers and I have followed your story for. I am thanking the Lord for blessing you and Olivia so richly!

Thank you for giving Him all the glory in your life.

By: Molly

Molly — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:36:42 +0000

Congratulations Darren, Kristin and Olivia!
I first started reading your blog in August of 2008 while trying to find ways to strengthen my trust in God. I was 32 and still not married, I felt God was calling me to a period of waiting in trust. Darren your writing has meant a great deal to me. Today I still wait for marriage. It can be easy to be jealous. It can be hard for some of us to see God’s blessing of others with the very blessing we think we want for ourselves (and our loved ones). No doubt you felt that way when others have been healed of cancer but Misty was not. Part of trusting in God is letting go into that mystery.

I do take a couple of the comments here personally. I’m glad to “good guy” is winning in this case. But plenty of those who don’t win are really good. And another widower’s blog of grief and vulnerability should not be compared to yours. God graces you in different ways than He graces that man, his daughter or anyone else. None of us deserve the abundance of grace God gives us. We can only face the grace with gratitude and be willing to find our joy in your joy.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:51:12 +0000

O my Darren, I am so far behind! for some reason when I was checking your blog, it was not showing any updates, I figured you had stopped writing..but now I see I have missed A LOT!
Do you realize you are prince charming and you ahve your princess….
how is your daughter? sweet girl.

By: Tara

Tara — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:40:03 +0000

My heart is heavy for Rachel and Kathy, as I am not sure why they are harboring so much anger towards someone they do not even know. When my mother died, I watched my father walk away from everything in life because he felt his life left with my mom. I grew up not knowing real love from my father because he did not allow himself to be loved God. We love because HE first loved us. Love is from God, love is God. There is no anger in that. Praise Him that you can love Darren. I am humbled and encourage STILL by how you love Misty.
Anyway– I am really anxious for those three blog entries you eluded to… you’re leaving us on the edge of our seats! :)

By: McGarbage

McGarbage — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:30:30 +0000

Darren,
Congratulations! Jenny and I are happy for you. Praise God for how he has sovereignly ordained your circumstances. I wanted to say thank you for continuing to write on your blog as it gives us a way to somewhat keep in touch with you. Glad to see you are doing well. If you are ever in Hbg, please look us up.

By: darren

darren — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:02:52 +0000

Response to Kathy and Rachel

Kathy,
I’m so sorry you are enraged. I am honestly surprised though at those feelings, as we have never even met – according to your account, you just “stumbled upon my website”. Your opinions on timing are just that, opinions. We all have feelings on the subject, but at the end of the day, I am the one on this planet who God has put in charge of my family. I am the singular person responsible for making wise choices for what is best for me and Olivia. I don’t fully understand feelings of being enraged or irritated when you are not in any way a stakeholder.

I am honestly so sorry for the loss of your friend. That is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I am sure that going through that has given you some strong feelings about this topic. Please though, be courteous with your words as they are really just your subjective opinions…We are all entitled to opinions, but I feel the way you have expressed them is a bit accusatory.

Rachel,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your father and thanks for sharing your feelings. Jen is right, no one experiences grief the same way.

You note that there has been a dramatic change in my blog. Yes, there has. I used to write everyday, without fail. I felt it necessary to update the world on Misty so they could 1) pray and 2) be encouraged. I don’t have a story like that right now. Instead, what is going on in my life is a beautiful story of how God is teaching me that his intentions toward my family (though i have doubted them at times) are ultimately good; a story of how I lost more than I’d wish on anyone, but even in that dark place, God met me and has restored my heart.

There are people that find value in this story, just like those that found value in stories of the last couple years. Just today, I got a personal email from someone telling me their family has been greatly impacted (in a positive way) by seeing God’s provision in my life…and seeing my ability to date and move towards marriage again. If my story is no longer encouraging for you, I apologize, but that’s not everyone’s opinion.