March 27, 2026

My husband shared our love story a few years ago—how we found each other at  Christian Filipina. Here is my version, and for me, it’s worth sharing again and again. In my first few attempts on this site, I thought that on this Christian platform, men would be decent enough to be called “Christians.” Unfortunately, some of them were just using it to take advantage, and if you are not keen enough, you will indeed fall into a trap. I almost gave up on my love life. I had relationships in the past that failed and told myself, this time, “I’m gonna do me.” I would focus on my career as a public school teacher and just spend quality time with my daughter. I didn’t expect that this last try would end up in my “FOREVER.” When Marcellus (now my husband) reached out to me through the site, I was so hesitant. I thought that this would be the same old story. “Why not give it a try? This would be the last anyway.” I never thought that our first chats would turn into daily, long hours of conversations. I used to bring him to my class, just watching me while I taught. We talked for hours! We fell asleep together! This gave us the chance to know and learn from each other even more. We weren’t just dating—we were actually planning for the future. We asked the most uncomfortable questions, which helped us dig into the sincerity we have for each other. He is a Pastor, a minister. All I hear from him—if not prayers—are words of wisdom, affirmation, encouragement, and above all, the Love of God that resonates each and every day. This is what makes our love story special. We share the same beliefs and faith. We pray together, fast together, and study the Word together. He financed the ministries we had—feeding my students, Christmas gift distributions, and several feeding programs in my town. As I study him day by day, I see the Man of God that I once thought would be impossible to meet. It’s his consistency. His faith has never shaken. His actions show it all. Those hours of talking turned into years until we decided to finally meet. It was never easy. It was like needle after needle. There were challenges in every single attempt. First was his canceled flight because of a misspelled name on his ticket. That felt like a heartbreak! I had prepared everything—from the travel details to the flights and preparations for his arrival. I already decorated the porch for the welcome. It was a very emotional experience because I had to travel alone to Manila and use the tickets, hotel reservations, and even restaurants that were supposed to be enjoyed by both of us. Second was the eruption of Taal Volcano, which led to the cancellation of flights. He was waiting at the New York airport when that happened. As people of faith, we battled the situation through prayers, claiming that WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER SOON! Some of my friends even questioned if this was a legit relationship or if it might be a scam. It took a leap of faith to believe that this wouldn’t be the second time the devil interrupted our plans. I slept and trusted God that in the morning I would receive good news—and yes! I woke up with his video message inside the cabin waiting to take off! I jumped and cried like a little girl. Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!!! I was also prepared to fly to Manila to pick him up at the airport. Mind you, I was there three hours before his arrival. That’s how excited I was! When I saw his flight’s arrival, I said to myself, “An angel has arrived!” Man!! He looked so good! He’s so pleasant and sooo tall! When I finally stood face to face with him, I grabbed his face and said, “You are so tall!” That day was one of the happiest days of my entire life! Almost two weeks of being with him felt so close to heaven! He is such a gentleman. He’s indeed a man of God, waking up so early to pray and worship. He finally met my daughter and my family and got the chance to have a glimpse of “province life.” We had our best days traveling around and outside the town. We enjoyed Boracay and Manila as well. Those talks, walks, and even the meals brought so many memories. I’ve never felt this good with a man. I’ve never been treated like this by a man. Those days went so fast. I was not ready to end those moments. By the time he went back to the US, I couldn’t help but wonder: Is he still gonna talk to me? Will he still pursue me? Will he still love me? He indeed was a man of his word. The pandemic delayed our K-1 process, but it was all worth it! The secret ingredients? Not new to us—FAITH and PRAYERS. We were victorious! In September 2022, we finally arrived in the US, got married, and started our journey as husband and wife. Did I ever feel homesickness? Absolutely! But my husband, as my best friend, made me feel so at home in his arms that it became such an easy and smooth transition. He never failed to encourage me and prayed for me in those lonely days. Did we have misunderstandings? Of course! There’s no such thing as a perfect marriage, and we always meet in prayer and love. He would always remind me that we are not enemies—the devil is the enemy! We are living the best days of our lives. It is so good to feel that you married your best friend. And one more thing—the fact that he is black? It makes it even more special! The romance, the surprises, the serenades, the gifts, the cuddles! Phew! All of the above! I could not ask for more! I believe in the saying, “Once you go black, you can never go back!” But seriously, black or white, red or brown, when you finally find true love—it is the closest thing to heaven! Now we are looking forward to going back to the Philippines to continue the ministry we started. We have our YouTube channel, M&M Favor, where we usually upload videos of our food and gift distributions as part of our ministry as a couple. I tell my single friends who long for a relationship worth living for that God authors every love story. You just have to ask, obey, and trust Him! I never thought I would have mine until I laid it all before God. He’s not done with you yet! His plans and timing are always perfect. ChristianFilipina, we don’t believe in coincidence. Your platform was used by God for me and my husband to meet. We ain’t looking back! No regrets! Just pure love and joy! Kudos to you and the whole team. God bless you, and may you be an instrument to others as well in finding their “happily ever after.”

— Marcellus and Mericar Garner, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States