A Love Story

There are some love stories that are so inspiring - this is one of them…

Luis and Noemi were high school sweethearts. When Luis moved away for college, their paths moved in two different directions.

Luis went on to become a police officer. But 3 years ago, he almost died in a car accident coming home from a late shift. His left leg had to be amputated. Recovery was going to be long and painful. Noemi, on the other hand, lived through her own challenges and spent the last 10 years content in the knowledge that she is where God wants her to be. Their lives never intersected again until the year 2020.

One day, Noemi was missing her mother who passed away many years ago. She started looking for a certain picture of her mom. It was then that she saw an old photograph of Luis and her sitting in her living room in her childhood home. The picture made her pause and wonder at whatever happened to that old boyfriend. She felt the need to pray about this man whom she hasn’t seen or heard from in 37 years.

Unbeknownst to Noemi, Luis was struggling emotionally. The accident had left him grieving as he could no longer work at the job that he loved. He felt so alone. It was in these moments that he asked God for a friend. A week later, out of nowhere, he received a message from someone in his very distant past - Noemi.

Conversations flowed and soon a meeting took place. Noemi took Luis’ breath away. His high school girlfriend was as beautiful as ever. Noemi fell in love with Luis all over again. It didn’t matter that Luis was now in a wheelchair. All she saw was this man’s gentle heart. They both started dreaming again.

This piece was commissioned for their wedding. The tree, whose branches are expansive and heavy with leaves, symbolizes God’s central position in their life. God has abundantly blessed their relationship and has planted seeds in their hearts for ministry.

On one side of the piece, I’ve placed a water fountain to represent Jesus’ living water. His written Word holds such an important place in their lives. The white bird was placed there to honor Noemi’s mother who was instrumental in reuniting Luis and Noemi. The other side of the piece has two butterflies to represent the transformative season that they had to undergo to become the strong individuals they are now.

The numbers 333, representing Jeremiah 33:3 (“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”) were placed on the back of the bench because it was in this scripture that Luis found his peace and his assurance that God still has plans for him. Their furry friend is also on the bench, waiting and excited to be in this new family.

Lastly, I built a smaller sculpture of Luis and Noemi in the intimacy of a slow dance to symbolize their dreams of a life together coming true.

Their story is a testament of how God took two broken individuals; healed and restored their hearts; and transformed their hurts and pain into a celebration that is life giving.

Anticipation

Tracy and Marla