Woven by His Hand
By Anthony Peterson & Nadia Kiser
A lot of us grow up in homes where, with the best intentions, our parents give us the freedom to figure out faith on our own. Things like, “You can choose your own beliefs; we’re not going to force anything on you,” are said with love, and the idea behind them is beautiful. It’s meant to give us room to explore, to think for ourselves, and to discover what we truly believe without pressure. Growing up in that kind of environment means you’re not boxed in by strict rules or traditions right from the start. Instead, you have space to wander, to ask questions, and to search.
That freedom, as wonderful as it is, can also leave you feeling a little lost. Without a clear path or community, it’s easy to spend years searching for a place where your heart finally feels at home. Some people try different churches, some step away from religion for a while, and others wrestle with doubts, always hoping they’ll eventually land somewhere that feels true and steady. That was a big part of my story.
Then I met Anthony, and everything shifted. When our lives came together, something about it felt different right away. The separate journeys we’d been on full of questions, searching, and longing suddenly started to connect. It wasn’t slow or cautious as you might expect. It was fast, almost unexplainable, like we had both been waiting for this moment without realizing it. Not long after meeting, the pull toward Catholicism hit us both with a force we couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t just a vague idea we wanted to explore; it was clear, strong, and undeniable.
Usually, faith journeys take a long time. People dip their toes in, spend years discerning, and slowly make their way. For us, though, it was different. It felt less like we were choosing Catholicism and more like it had chosen us and we both knew it almost instantly.
That’s why, when we got engaged only nine months after meeting, it didn’t feel rushed to us. To outsiders, sure, it probably looked fast, maybe even reckless. But for us, it was the most natural thing in the world. We weren’t just choosing each other; we were choosing a shared spiritual home, a way of life that gave us a strong foundation to build on.
Our commitment wasn’t about impatience or blind passion. It was about recognizing something deep and real: that we had found not only our life partner but also someone to walk on this sacred path. Our faith gave us clarity and peace, helping us know we could step forward with confidence. From the beginning, it was clear that our story wasn’t just about us, it was about God weaving our lives together in a way we couldn’t have orchestrated ourselves.