Wild, Wondering & Found
“God wanted Jose and me together. There’s no way we would have ever met under normal circumstances. He was born in Houston, and I was born in Iran and lived all over Europe. I landed in the United States in 2009 on a student visa. I was young, wild, and stubborn—and an atheist.
“I met my first husband (not Jose) at twenty-two, and because my dad didn’t approve of my marriage, he no longer supported me financially. I was stressed and unable to legally work, so my husband and I made a desperate decision to go to church. The first sermon was about Jesus walking on water. I thought to myself, What? Jesus really walked on water? It sounded absurd to me. But over time, I encountered Jesus for myself, confronted deep unforgiveness, surrendered my life to Him, and was baptized.
“Years later, after a painful divorce, I drifted from God—frustrated and disappointed—believing the lie that He wasn’t with me. I told God, ‘I know who You are, but I don’t want to talk to You right now.’ I didn’t know it at the time, but Jose was walking the same rough road: a broken marriage.
“Jose’s journey began in Houston. He was raised by a single mom, so he grew up fast. Because he was living a dark lifestyle, Jose was furious when his mother took him to a citywide revival. But God met him there, and Jose felt Him speaking to his heart: ‘It’s Me calling you, Jose.’ Fighting tears, Jose remembers his hand raising by itself to receive Christ, but he grabbed it and said, ‘No.’ He felt God speak again: ‘Just let go.’ And he surrendered his life to Jesus in that moment.
“Jose immersed himself in youth ministry. God so radically changed his life that he wanted to help kids find Jesus. His story and leadership made a huge impact on several youth programs in Houston; in fact, many Texas pastors saw how God was using Jose and asked him to come lead their youth groups. He stayed busy serving in youth ministries and selling cars to pay the bills.
The Road That Led to Dallas
“Ironically, Jose moved to Dallas by faith after receiving a job at a car dealership that he never applied for. If Jose hadn’t moved to Dallas, we would have never met. While visiting a Porsche dealership in California in 2012, I had prayed, ‘God, would it be possible that one day I could work in a place like this?’ Years later in 2019, after my divorce and season of rebellion, I walked into that same dealership and got hired. At a Porsche training in Newport, my path divinely crossed Jose’s after both of us were rerouted from Atlanta. Even though we had an incredible time together, I told Jose, ‘I don’t have room for you in my crazy life, but we can be friends.’ Jose sort of agreed.
“We talked daily after Jose went back to Dallas, and two weeks later, he flew to see me in California. I couldn’t believe it! Not long after, I woke up with clarity: I’m moving to Dallas. Fighting tears and fear, I drove toward Texas—turning back several times, but something or Someone told me, ‘Keep going.’ And sweet Jose flew one-way to Arizona to help me drive the rest of the way. Jose still says, ‘God took two broken people and founded us on Christ.’
“Two days after Thanksgiving, I was in Dallas with nowhere to stay, so I moved in with Jose, his mom, and his sister—and yes, it was awkward. They were like, ‘Who is she?’ and I was like, ‘Hi … I’m Samin.’ The very next day, Jose gave me a promise ring and said, ‘This is my promise to you that I’m serious.’ That’s who he is—a good man.
How God Met Us in Postpartum Darkness
“When COVID-19 hit in 2020, we got married at the courthouse—masks on, glass walls. We’d both done the extravagant weddings before and didn’t want that again. Instead, we traveled and built a life together. I took Jose to Iran to meet my dad, and even though we were already married, Jose asked my dad for his permission to marry me. My dad was happy. He knew Jose was a good man. My mom responded with: ‘It’s time to have a baby.’
“Truthfully, when we started dating, I told Jose, ‘I do not want kids. Ever.’ But in late 2020, everything in my heart shifted. I surprised Jose with a positive pregnancy test! He fell to his knees, and said, ‘God, thank You.’
“Labor was traumatic with our little girl, Mila. After thirty-two hours and an emergency C-section, I flatlined for almost a minute. Then, I fell into severe postpartum depression. One night I heard a voice telling me to hurt my baby, my husband, and myself. I woke Jose and said, ‘You take nights. I can’t trust myself.’ He agreed without hesitation. For months, he cared for Mila every night and went to work every morning.
“I hated him during my season of depression. I packed my bags. I told him, ‘I don’t want to be your wife anymore!’ Medication didn’t help. Nothing helped until one night I cried out to God: ‘Please save me!’ The next morning, something lifted. I felt loved again. I knew it was God loving me. Jose later told me that he knew I wasn’t myself, so he asked God to let him feel what I was feeling, and God gave him a glimpse of my pain.
“In 2022, during a Marriage Reignite gathering at Gateway Plano, we recommitted our marriage before God and our small group. I tearfully apologized, and Jose said, ‘I never blamed you. I knew this was a battle with the enemy, and it wasn’t you.’ Here were some of Jose’s vows to me:
You are and always will be the heart of our home the love that binds us, the warmth that comforts us, and the light that guides us. I admire you for the love you give, the way you nurture, the selflessness in everything. You are extra extraordinary, not just as my wife but as the mother of our children. I love you forever and always. One day the kids will grow up … but never forget, there’s still you and me—a team, a partnership, with a love that grows.
Recursos adicionales
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Learn More About Growth Path at Gateway
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Learn More About Care and Counseling at Gateway
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