April 7 Anniversary

Today is a very serious yet romantic and awe-inspiring anniversary for Anthony and me.

Last year, on this day, Anthony said to me (inspired by the Holy Spirit), “Happy anniversary, baby," without knowing why. I replied sweetly (but with no idea what he meant), “Aww, happy anniversary!” (Pause.) “What day is it?”

He replied, “I don’t know.”

We checked and it was April 7.

The anniversary of April 7, 2019. Wow. Apparently God wanted us to take note of what transpired in our relationship that day, through His leading and our surrender.

Here is what happened April 7.

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Anthony had been pursuing me hardcore, making it clear he wanted to marry me, since the beginning of February 2019. He was so sweet and checked all the boxes God had promised me about my future husband. However, I was back and forth — sometimes flirting with him, dancing with him and cuddling with him, but frequently reverting to saying, “Let’s just be friends” and telling everyone we were “just friends,” which hurt Anthony’s feelings.

Initially, I was scared. And that is what God told Anthony: “She likes you; she’s just scared.”

However, after God gave me confirmation after confirmation that Anthony was my husband, I transitioned from fear to foolishness. I was prideful, selfish and immature. And it made me confused and miserable.

I was obedient to God in other areas and wanted to live in His will in so many ways, but in the area of marriage, I was downright stubborn.

After a couple of months of this, on April 7, 2019, which was a Sunday, I was praying at Radiance International - Hollywood House of Prayer about Anthony and my future husband — which I had signs were the same person, but I was not letting myself fully believe it.

I had been telling God and people that I wanted to just be “just friends” with him but also that I didn’t want him to date anyone else. People told me that was silly and impossible, but at that time, I was unable to want anything different. I was scared to date him, but the thought of him dating anyone else scared me too. Finally, on that Sunday, I surrendered and told God that Anthony was free to date anyone he wanted. I released him to God.

As you may know, when we surrender, God moves.

(Also that day, during worship time at Radiance, I opened a Facebook message from Cindy Ellison, who later caught the bouquet at my wedding(!), saying that she believed my husband was coming super-soon, like ASAP.)

At the same time, at Anthony’s church, Mount Baldy Village Church — the beautiful mountain church where we eventually got married — God was speaking to Anthony.

Anthony asked God, “What do I do about Tiffany?” He sensed God telling him (paraphrase), “I want you to pursue her and only her. Do not date anyone else. And give her your whole heart, holding nothing back.”

Anthony told God that that sounded very difficult. I was his dream girl, but my rejections were painful and he had no assurance in the natural that I would ever reciprocate with intentionality and commitment.

God had told him I was going to be his wife, but I was not acting like it.

When Anthony shared his hesitations in prayer, God told him something like, “I want you to love Tiffany like this because this is how I