Well I want to say a big thank you to everyone who participated in this year's V-Day Contest it was a huge success! But there can only be one winner & this year our winners are Chris & Stephanie Halcomb! Congrats to you both! We picked their story because it really showed what it means to stick together through thick & thin & I thought that was great. Their song will be posted on here next week so be sure to check back to hear the song & watch the video, but in the mean time here is their story so that you can familiarize yourself with their story.
"My name is Stephanie Halcomb and I would like to share with you how I met the Love of my life Christopher Halcomb.Growing up as a child in a Non-Christian home and giving my heart to the Lord at the age of 15 was a continued struggle. Each and every Sunday my grandmother would take me to attend church at the Goshen Church of God. Seeing the relationship that my parents had, my dad being an alcoholic and addictive gambler and my mom trying to struggle to make ends meet made me realize that I wanted to ensure that I was in the perfect will of God when I chose my husband. It was in 2002, at the age of 17 years old when I met Chris for the first time. I was in the annual Christmas Program at the Goshen Church of God and Chris attended the program that night. My Youth Pastor was Pastor Randy Halcomb, Chris’ brother. Soon after the Christmas Program Chris started attending the church more regularly. I had my eye on him for several weeks and thought he was very good looking. One Sunday morning the Promotional Director/Worship Leader, Rick McKinney came to me in the foyer of the church and said “Do you see that guy over there, I think he likes you.” Of course, my eyes lit up like the 4th of July. I later found out that Rick McKinney had went and said the same thing to Chris, “Do you see that girl over there, I think she likes you.” Rick then introduced the two of us and Chris and I started talking. We went out for the first time to a youth rally together. Chris being the backwards person that he is finally asked me to be his girlfriend. We dated for about 4 months and I just knew that this was who God wanted me to spend the rest of my life with. A lot of people thought I was crazy because I was still so young but when you know, you just know. After about 4 months Chris and I had a disagreement that ended up breaking us up. For seven months we never spoke, emailed, text or seen each other. I tried to date other people but just could not bring myself to do it, I was heartbroken. How could the guy that I just knew the Lord wanted me to be with be gone? After 7 months we ran into each other and we have never looked back since. On January 10, 2004, I said “I Do” to the love of my life at the age of 19. Chris and I have been married for 8 years now. Through the years life has faced us with many struggles and opportunities to throw in the towel. For several years now Chris and I have been trying to conceive a child and have been unsuccessful, however, the Lord provided us with an entire Youth Group full of kids in which we Youth Pastored for 2yrs at the Williams Corner Church of God under the direction of our Pastor Rick McKinney. Recently, Chris and I have endured some marital problems which has caused us to have to step down as Youth Pastor at our church. Through everything that has happened, my family does not understand why I would want to spend my life with Chris. To me they don’t understand what true love is. When I said my vows before God and I took Chris for better or for worse, I meant every word. People fall, they make mistakes, that’s why we all need Jesus. So from the beginning of our relationship to present time I will stand by my husband because I love him with my whole heart and I know that is who God intended me to be with. We have endured many obstacles and now are on the road to a better marriage than I ever could have expected. Never take your spouse for granted, forgive as the Lord has forgiven us and when you say “I Love You” to your spouse, mean it with your whole heart even through everything life throws at you."