T HE FOLLOWING JANUARY, Elaine was promoted to manage a branch in Florence. One day, a former co-worker called and told her that a certain UPS driver was looking for her. Several days later, Elaine’s sister visited and she told her about Paul. “Her
face was priceless. She knew him and said that I must come meet her at church the next
morning.” Elaine went and, as they sat at the back of the church, Paul walked out with
his fellow choir members. “I looked at my sister and said, ‘Wow! Is that him? He is cute!’
After church, I was headed out when someone tapped me on my shoulder. I acted very
surprised, and it took months before I told Paul that I indeed had gone to church to see
him.” In April, Paul and Elaine went on their first date. As she sat in her car waiting to
meet him for dinner at Redbone Alley, Elaine was nervous. “I thought about canceling,
but I heard a voice that said, ‘Don’t you dare! You have prayed for this, and it is exactly
where you need to be.’ It was a very ‘ah-ha’ moment for me.” During dinner, she and
Paul had a wonderful conversation. “We shared so many similarities and didn’t run out of
anything to say. His pursuit of me was very flattering, and I found myself so comfortable
and at ease with him. Paul was and is the perfect gentleman. For example, I have not
opened a door for myself since our first date. That took some getting used to!” It didn’t
take long for Elaine to realize he was the one God sent for her. “After leaving his house one
Sunday afternoon, I called my sister and said, ‘I know this sounds completely crazy, but
I really believe we will get married.’ She thought we were perfect for each other.” After
Elaine returned from a Spring Break trip with her sons to Disney World, Paul popped the
question one beautiful night underneath the stars.
The couple married two months later. “On our wedding day, I was both happy and
scared at the same time. We were becoming a BIG family.” So far, married life has proven
to be both rewarding and challenging. “There were so many dynamics and our children
didn’t really know each other. My mother has said many times that we were brought
together to help one another through the most difficult years of child-rearing. My
favorite memory so far is the night I heard all five of our children sitting in the kitchen,
talking and laughing. I called Paul to the door to listen. Their laughter was beautiful!
Faith has gotten us through it all and will continue to do so with all future challenges.
Paul is a wonderful role model, and he loves unconditionally. I can’t imagine doing this
all without his love and support.”
Paul shares, “I believe without a doubt that God brought us together. After my divorce,
I had it stuck in my head that it must be seven years before I would find someone (Jacob
working for Rachel seven years stuck in my mind). From December 2003 to the time we
married in June 2007, God worked it out. He was waiting on me to leave it in His hands,
not mine.” Elaine adds, “God placed Paul on a route that he had never been on in Lake
City, my sister and he were members of the same church, and he met every requirement
that I had before I were to date anyone. Only God can do that! Everyone chuckled when I
said that in order for me to date someone they had to be healthy – physically, financially,
and mentally – and they had to love God first, love family, and love children. That meant,
to most everyone else, I had set the bar too high. Well, God proved them wrong, as well.”
Elaine is perfect for Paul, too. “In one word, she is loving. No other person I have ever
met loves like she does; not just me, but God, family, her job, life, etc.”
Through Paul, Elaine has learned the true definition of patience and love. “Some of
my favorite qualities about him are his devotion to church and his family. His principles
吀䔀刀䤀 䨀伀一
never waiver from God’s word.” Because of Elaine, Paul has learned that second chances
exist. “She helped bring me back to life.” These days, they enjoy spending time together
shopping for plants and gardening, as well as taking yearly trips to the North Carolina
mountains. No matter where Paul and Elaine are, though, they’re just happy spending
time by each other’s side. “We look forward to growing old together.”
Paul and Elaine Sealey reside in Florence, South Carolina, where Paul is a driver for UPS and
Elaine is a Branch Manager for SAFE Federal Credit Union. Paul has two children, Carolina
Qualkinbush (married to Ben) and Dillon Sealey. Elaine has three children: Marshall, Preston
and Stanton Alexander.
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