ATTENTION!

[Legit Elite]

emaw bible studies, total pick up parties.  Who knew?

Things sure have changed since I was in school.

[Bloodfart]

emaw bible studies, total pick up parties.  Who knew?

Also hotbeds for telepathic communication.

lol 

[Bill Clarahan]

This is the moment she realized he might play in the NFL,  I say Goldigger   


Collin would always close in prayer," she said.  "I can't describe it, but all of a sudden his voice turns into a mumble.  I remember opening my eyes and he's still praying, but I can't understand him.  I had never heard the voice of the Lord, but always sensed stuff in my spirit and my heart.  This was one of those times.  There was a voice in my head that said, `The man who is praying is the man who you will marry.'  I remember grabbing my chair and just saying to myself, `Oh my goodness.  What in the world?'  I couldn't get home fast enough."  Between the two, nothing was ever shared about these personal moments

[scottwildcat]

Good for Collin. Totally adorable story.

[Trim]

KLEIN, SPANI PLEDGE HEARTS, BELIEFS TO ONE ANOTHER

Editor's Note: The following is the second of a two-part story on the relationship of K-State quarterback Collin Klein and his wife of two months, Shalin Spani, a former member of the Wildcat women's basketball team. The writing was first published in the Official K-State Yearbook that is available at LHC Bill Snyder Family Stadium for all home games.


Sept. 30, 2012


By Mark Janssen


January 27 - The Call; January 28 - The Talk
It was on January 27 that Klein realized his prayers had been answered and put in a call to Spani's
father, former K-State All-American Gary Spani.  The call wasn't answered as "Mr. Spani's" phone was on the blink, which resulted in Klein only leaving a voice mail.

It was a weekend where Spani would meet her parents in Topeka on Saturday to informally, and unknown to Klein, share her feelings for Collin with her folks.

"My dad has always been very protective with me," said Spani.  "He said, `I know where your heart is and how you feel about Collin, BUT, if Collin does not call with the intent of marrying you, you have to walk away.'

In a pleading voice, Spani said, "I remember saying, `But Dad, Collin is a great guy.  Give him a second chance.'  But Dad said, `If his heart isn't to pursue you with the intent of engagement, you have to walk away.'  I said, `Dad, he's not ready to do that.  He's not going to make that call.'   Dad just said, `Well, that's too bad.'

"That night was hard on me.  I had to honor Dad.  There's a Biblical charge to obey your parents," said Spani.  "I had to prepare myself to walk away.  I listened to worship music on the way home.  I didn't shed tears, but I had a burdened heart."
   
But remember, Klein had already called, and "Mr. Spani" found that out on Monday when he retrieved his phone.  Still unbeknownst to Shalin, Collin did contact dad Gary to announce his intentions of engagement to Shalin.  Of the conversation, Klein said he had the calmness of being in a huddle:  "I wasn't nervous because I knew how the Lord had led me.  It had become very clear to me and I took him through it step by step starting with `the voice'."

January 30 - Engagement Date... Sort of
The call remained a secret until the evening of January 30 when the couple had their first official date at the Olive Garden in Manhattan.  Laughing, Spani said, "I guess you could call it our engagement dinner, but he really never proposed.  He was just Mr. Chatterbox talking about everything, but what I wanted to talk about." 

Finally, Klein said, " `Ok, fasten your seat belt.'  That's the first time I told her about hearing `the voice' and telling her about my prayers."

While the question was never precisely popped, Klein said, "We talked about how our hearts were engaged and the official engagement would come sooner, than later."  Spani added, "It was so strange.  Yesterday we were friends; today we're engaged in our hearts.  Heck, we had never been boyfriend-girlfriend."

February 17 - Making It Official
On February 17, the two journeyed out toward Keats northwest of Manhattan and found an area of privacy where they could be before the Lord.  Together, they had built a cross out of pieces of wood, and they prayed before it.  Exchanging lines in writing, they wrote a dedication covenant prayer, and prayed again.  On the cross, together, they carved Ephesians 1: 1-12:

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Klein told his bride-to-be, "I am not going to ask you to marry me because this is from God.  This is not what you or I put together.  Before the Lord, we were accepting this blessing given to both of us in the form of each other." 

The next day when Spani entered the women's basketball office, not even her closest friends and former teammates believed that the sparkle on her finger was for real.

"They honestly didn't believe me.  They thought it was fake... a joke," laughed Spani.  "They wanted to know who I was engaged to.  They didn't have a clue.  No one did.  We had never had a date."
   
Klein added, "We said in the beginning that God works in mysterious ways.  He has done something through us that people will look at in a different way, but we are a testimony to what he has done and how he has impacted our lives."

Spani added, "Yes, it's unusual.  I never thought it would happen to me.  When I say that, I now say, `Shame on me for that lack of faith that something like this can happen.' "

Today, the couple shares their story with hopes that it's taken in the right light.  To Spani, "This is a story... an amazing story... of two broken humbled individuals coming together.  We're not telling our story to gain attention, but we want it to be an encouragement for others."

The story is mysterious in that Spani has never had a serious boyfriend, and Klein only one previous girlfriend.  The two seldom look in one another's eyes and verbally share, "I love you," and it was only at the altar on July 21 that they shared their first kiss.

"That phrase of `I love you,' is thrown around as an emotion.  Emotions come and go.  They're up and down," said Klein.  "For us, we have a commitment that is level and constantly growing with the gift He has provided."

As for saving that first kiss, Klein said it was a promise that he made to himself at the age of 14... his first kiss would be made at the altar with his wife.

Prior to the wedding, Spani said, "My heart literally skips beats when I think about it.  I can't stop smiling.  It seems so right.  Not that I'm not the happiest girl in the world right now, but I just know on our special day I will stay the happiest girl in the world."

And afterward, Klein said, of their special day, "It was everything, and more than I expected.  It was just an amazing day."

[hemmy]

I wonder if fanning has ever used the god angle?

[j-dub]

I wonder if fanning has ever used the god angle?

i would say don't give him any ideas.. but this is probably the one angle fanning couldn't pull off.

[ManBearPig]

I wonder if fanning has ever used the god angle?

i would say don't give him any ideas.. but this is probably the one angle fanning couldn't pull off.

i've seen fanning try to work some magic at Aggie Station before...pretty entertaining

[Frankenklein]

   you could tell Jansen was really wanting to throw in some thou thee thou shalt not bible type stuff

[WillieWatanabe]

someone obviously did not share the game of baseball with Collin.

[Dugout DickStone]

I think some of that has been made up.

[j-dub]

I think some of that has been made up.

nope. it's completely and totally real. i had friends at k-state who did the same things.. i.e. getting engaged without dating, never kissing until "you may now kiss the bride"... etc.

[FP TC etc.]

they are super into god. 

[Dugout DickStone]

I think some of that has been made up.

nope. it's completely and totally real. i had friends at k-state who did the same things.. i.e. getting engaged without dating, never kissing until "you may now kiss the bride"... etc.

I believe that, it's all the total coincidence phone calls etc.

[MadCat]

God is weird; we're all just playing along.

[Sandstone Outcropping]

Klein told the KSU Cat football fans, "...this is from God.  This is not what you or I put together.  Before the Lord, we were accepting this blessing given to both of us in the form of each other." 

[MakeItRain]

As for saving that first kiss, Klein said it was a promise that he made to himself at the age of 14... his first kiss would be made at the altar with his wife.

Prior to the wedding, Spani said, "My heart literally skips beats when I think about it.  I can't stop smiling.  It seems so right.  Not that I'm not the happiest girl in the world right now, but I just know on our special day I will stay the happiest girl in the world."

And afterward, Klein said, of their special day, "It was everything, and more than I expected.  It was just an amazing day."