Southern Gospel Love Stories

Southern Gospel Love Stories is a brand new feature that we hope to showcase every year around Valentine's Day. This year, we are focusing on the love stories from 3 couples from all walks of this so-called Southern Gospel life. We hope you enjoy their stories and make it a point to check out the feature again next year!

SHANNON & MELISSA BUNCH
(in the words of Shannon's wife Melissa)

Whenever I’m on the road with Shannon, people always want to know where we are from. When Shannon explains he is from a small town, Barbourville, in southeastern Kentucky and follows that up with I’m from Dallas, Texas, it’s almost always assumed that we met while he was on the road. In fact, it was just the opposite.

In early 2002, Shannon took a break from full-time ministry to help his brother run a small grocery store and grill he had recently opened across the street from Union College in Barbourville. At the same time, I took a position at Union as the Head Volleyball Coach. I moved to Barbourville by myself and fresh out of college ready to tackle life. I had a heart for ministry, so I immediately started working with our Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Baptist Student Union aside from coaching. It was at an FCA meeting where I was introduced to Shannon. He had come to provide a few songs of worship for the monthly meeting. I was immediately intrigued by him, but never followed up because I was so busy with work.

It was a regular occurrence for the coaches to go out to lunch a few times a week. At some point, a few of the coaches decided to go to Shannon’s brother’s grill to try out the food. They reported back that the food was good and cheap, so I thought I would give it a try. I had no idea that Shannon was working there at the time, so I was surprised to see him when I walked in the door. The coaches were right, the food was good and it was cheap. I started frequenting the restaurant several times a week. If I didn’t come for food, I usually stopped in once a day for my drink of choice, Ocean Spray Cran-Grape Juice.

Shannon and I always made small talk at the register, but one day he decided to follow me out of the store to my car. He gave me a list of about five phone numbers to contact him, to which I replied “I don’t call boys, they call me!” It was most likely the boldest statement I had ever made to a guy, and I have NO idea why I said it because I liked him! Shannon likes to follow up this part of the story with this “I called her and she’s called me every day since!”

It was at this point where our relationship began. We dated until the fall of 2003, when Shannon decided he needed a break. I was devastated! Things seemed to be going perfectly when one day came along and he needed a breather, but we still remained the best of friends. Early in 2004, I took another coaching position at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY. As Shannon was helping me pack to move, I could tell he was unsettled. Later he told me he was so overwhelmed with sadness he didn’t know what to do. Shannon helped me move into my new apartment in Owensboro and then returned to Barbourville.

Shannon made several trips to Owensboro to visit and we eventually decided to date again in January of 2005. In May, he proposed to me in Cleveland, Ohio at Doloff Road Church of God. I had a break from coaching and decided to travel with him for the weekend. In the middle of his concert he came off the stage to propose. I was so stunned that I really didn’t know what to say. After I realized what was going on I eventually said yes, and everyone in the church went nuts!

The same month, we bought a house in Gallatin, TN in preparation for marriage. On August 19th, we were married at a small private ceremony in Kentucky. On December 16th, we were married again at Eastern Hills Country Club in Dallas, Texas amid all of my family and friends. I retired from coaching in August and moved to Nashville with Shannon.

Perhaps our greatest accomplishment in marriage so far has been the birth of our daughter Emme Blu, now three years old. We now live in Antioch, TN (a suburb of Nashville) and I work as a physical education teacher at Stoner Creek Elementary in Mt. Juliet. Emme and I travel with Shannon all summer and during fall, Christmas, and spring breaks. Life can get hectic around our house sometimes; it seems we are all moving in different directions at different times. We have definitely seen trials; Emme had a craniofacial reconstruction in 2009 and Shannon had brain surgery in 2010, but God has richly blessed our marriage and has never fallen short of providing for our needs. Most of all, I thank God for a Christian husband who is committed to raising our daughter with the same values.

For more information on Shannon's ministry, visit http://www.shannonbunch.com.

MADISON & SHANNON EASTER
(in the words of Madison's wife Shannon)

Madison and I both grew up in Lincolnton, Georgia, a three red-light town where everyone basically knew who everyone else was. In 2004, we found ourselves members of the same youth group, which was asked to be in charge of the entertainment for our county's youth rally. The weekend that the rally was scheduled for happened to be one that Madison wasn't traveling, so he was able to participate. He played guitar while I played piano and sang harmonies. We began getting acquainted through rehearsals, found common interests in music, and quickly became friends.

Shortly there after we began dating. We dated all through high school and would often go to movies and concerts of some of our favorite artists. On October 13, 2008, he proposed. Our wedding date was chosen based on our location of choice, Sacred Heart, and it's schedule. Because it was so booked up, we ended up setting a date for December 12, 2010 which gave us a 2 year engagement and plenty of time to plan! One time we actually counted the number of people we knew who became engaged and married within the time frame of our engagement and the number was quite astounding, though I can't exactly remember it now. Though it was kind of comical, it was a great situation really. Planning went smoothly and because we were able to finish in a timely manner, there was nothing to stress over the week of our wedding.

Our wedding actually became a weekend event which was really fun. We had rehearsal on Friday the 10th, which allowed our out of town bridal party and out of town family to spend the weekend with us until we married that Sunday at 5pm. 2 years of planning also allowed us to save up and honeymoon for a week in London and Paris! Just a few weeks ago we celebrated our first year of marriage by vacationing in Orlando, our favorite vacation spot. We have also just celebrated our 8th New Years as a couple, which completely blows my mind!

To find our more about Madison and his parents, Jeff & Sheri Easter, visit http://www.jeffandsherieaster.com

CHRIS & NOEL UNTHANK
(as told through this site's Editor-In-Chief, Chris)

My whole life, as most of my family and friends can attest, I was never much into marriage or dating. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the company of women. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I had mostly "girl" friends and had many "talks" with those friends about the nature of those relationships. I always had assumed, and again, my friends and family can testify to this, that when I decided to marry - it would all happen very fast and would happen much later in life.

However, God sometimes throws a wrench in our plans. Love took me totally by surprise. In fact, Noel, my wife, was the one who pursued me. She took the initiative because I was too dumb to do so myself. She took me to see Wicked here in Nashville, and then that evening proceeded to tell me why we should at least try dating. It didn't take me long to realize that she would be the smart one in this relationship, and I just needed to trust where she was taking me. HA!

I knew after only about a month or so of dating that I was going to marry Noel - but since I wasn't the most experienced in terms of dating and it had been MANY years since I had a girlfriend - I took things embarrassingly slow. However, the Lord blessed me with a very patient girl. She waited for me - and that just won her over in my heart even more.

For her birthday/Christmas present - I bought us tickets to go see Shrek the Musical. I knew when I bought the tickets that it was on that day that I would ask her to marry me. The only problem was that I didn't have a ring - and working in Gospel music doesn't afford me many opportunities to make a lot of money. Before our date to the show, my Mom passed away suddenly. I was amazed at how well Noel adapted to the situation. She never once forced herself into the situation - rather gave me the space I needed when I needed it, and was there for me when I needed someone to talk to. I've never met a girl who was more in-tune to my own emotional needs and respected them in the way that she does.

The problem of the ring was solved, as my family gave me my mother's ring with their blessing that it was to be Noel's engagement ring. I popped the question, and Noel didn't even hesitate to answer yes!

We've been married an astonishing 5 months, yet it feels like we've been married for years. There was never an awkward moment in the marriage of our two households and lives. Today - we are even more happy than the day we got married, and on Christmas Day, we found out that we are expecting our first child - due 4 days after our 1st wedding anniversary.

Love took me by surprise, and I couldn't be happier.