The pair met by total chance and now have six children together (Picture: SWNS)
A mum who sent a text message to the wrong person fell in love with the recipient ā and now theyāre married with six children.
Brenda Stearns, 36, thought she was sending a message to her sisterās friend in August 2009, but accidently messaged a complete stranger instead.
Her now husband, Isaiah, 40, received the message, and decided to strike up a conversation.
The pair quickly became a couple and Isaiah popped the question six months after they met.
Now, Brenda says she believes their relationship was āmeant to beā.
Brenda, a stay-at-home mum from Ohio, USA, said: āI believe he was supposed to get my message and we were meant to be in this relationship.
They began messaging in August 2009 (Picture: Brenda Stearns/SWNS)
āIt was fate that brought us together.
āIf I had dreamed up a husband at the time, it might not have been him, but everything he is on the inside makes me a better person. I am so glad that he was chosen for me.ā
When the pair started messaging, Brenda was working as an office assistant living in Georgia, 600 miles away from Isaiah, a stock assistant, in Ohio.
The āwrongā message Brenda sent was a passage from the Bible about putting others first. Isaiah replied saying: āAmen to that, who is this?ā
Both releasing they were Christians, the pair began exchanging messages, and Isaiah called Brenda the following day.
Brenda said: āAt first I wasnāt really comfortable because Iād never met him. I didnāt answer on purpose.
āBut in the back of my mind I was hoping he would leave a voicemail so I could hear his voice ā he sounded genuine and authentic, so I called him back.ā
Isaiah said: āI was actively pursuing a relationship but I couldnāt find the right person. After I received Brendaās message, I read the Bible verse, and I struck up a conversation.
Romance blossomed quickly (Picture: Brenda Stearns/SWNS)
āAs we continued to talk, within two or three weeks, I realised I liked her and wanted to get to know her better.
āThereās no way this could have happed by chance.ā
As the pair talked more and more, Brenda found out that Isaiah lived just an hour away from her mum.
But that wasnāt the only strange coincidence ā due to a problem with his mobile network provider, Isaiah had actually changed phone numbers the same day Brenda first messaged him.
They got engaged on Valentineās Day, 2010 (Picture: Brenda Stearns/SWNS)
āHeād been given a new number and got my message 30 minutes later ā no one else knew he had that number at the time,ā she said.
Even more bizarrely, Brenda had actually planned to text her sisterās friend earlier in the day, but when something came up with work, she forgot to hit send.
āIf I had sent the text in the morning, he would never have got my message,ā she said.
After the pair exchanged photos, Brenda says she thought Isaiah was āvery handsomeā, and they began speaking regularly.
āHe would call me every other day,ā she said. āWe started getting to know each other and I started having feelings for him.ā
However, Brenda still wasnāt entirely sure she could trust Isaiah.
āIn the back of my mind, I was hesitant because I hadnāt met him face to face,ā she said.
āI felt like he could be lying to me, he could be a creep, so I was slightly apprehensive.ā
Eager for advice, Brenda confided in her mum about her situation, and she suggested that she meet Isaiah on her daughterās behalf.
āMy mum and younger sister ended up going on a date with Isaiah in my place,ā Brenda said.
āI was feeling kind of nervous about the situation ā it was all so abnormal.ā
During the date, Brenda waited at home, eager to hear her familyās feedback.
Brenda always wanted to be a mum (Picture: Brenda Stearns/SWNS)
āThe whole evening Iām waiting for my mum to call,ā she said. āWhen she did I asked her to rate Isaiah from one to 10.
āMy mum took a pause and said: āEleven, ā youāre going to marry this guy.ā
āThe fact she said that made me think maybe this was meant to be.
āHe must really be awesome because when it comes to guys dating her girls, my mum is very picky. Thatās when I let my guard down.
Finally, the pair agreed to meet for the first time in December 2009 ā but when it looked like Brendaās work commitments could disrupt that first meeting, she made a drastic decision.
Brenda said: āMy family were going away for Christmas, and my mum suggested I invite Isaiah.
āI was getting ready to go, then the day before my vacation, my boss said heād need me to stay in the office.
Their children know all about how Mum and Dad met (Picture: Brenda Stearns/SWNS)
āI made the tough choice to quit my job that day. I thought: āThe decision I make in this moment is going to impact the rest of my life.āā
After moving back in with her mum in Ohio, Brenda arranged to meet up with Isaiah for a walk a few days later.
āI remember seeing him for the first time and my first thought was: āHeās tall.ā I felt he was sweet and very handsome,ā she said.
āWe decided that day that we wanted to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but I told him to wait on the kissing for a little bit.ā
Isaiah said: āWhen I first saw Brenda in person, she was so beautiful, she had a really nice smile, and I thought, sheās even better than I imagined.ā
Brenda and Isaiahās relationship progressed rapidly, and on Valentineās Day 2010, he proposed to her.
āHe made a really nice Valentineās dinner and baked a heart-shaped chocolate cake,ā she said.
āWhen I cut into the cake, I felt the knife knock against something ā the ring was hidden inside.
āThen he went down on one knee and proposed to me.
āI knew I was in love with him, and in my heart, I already knew I wanted to be with him. I was very excited, and obviously, I said yes.ā
Theyāve now been married for 13 years (Picture: Brenda Stearns/SWNS)
The couple got married in June 2010 and now have six children together.
āIāve always wanted to be a mum ā I love kids so much,ā Brenda said. āWe started trying right away, and two months later, I found out I was pregnant.ā
Victoria, 11, was born in April 2011, followed by Veronica, 10, Samuel, nine, Vanessa, seven, Benjamin, four, and Ezra, one.
āWe talk about how we met with our kids all the time,ā Brenda said.
āThey think itās so lovely and amazing and want to know all the details ā Victoria hopes it will happen to her.
āThere is no right or wrong way to meet your partner. Itās so beautiful and amazing the way love can appear where you least expect it.ā
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A meet cute fit for a rom com.Ā