Praying for them!
Weddings can be a lot of things, though when we think of the term, many of us likely have quite specific ideas. When the couple get married at the end of the day, that’s a wedding— the rest on the cake are just icing.
A laundromat may not seem to be part of the dream wedding of most people, but there’s a very special reason that made it so important in the nuptials of Cheryl Smith and James Knight: it’s like home to them..
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It all started with Rev. Lisa Cook, who founded in Nashville, Tennessee, a ministry of outreach to the homeless. The group’s name is Sacred Sparks and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Cumberland.
“I meet people where they are and don’t try to fix them or judge them,” Cook told WTVF. “Homelessness is getting worse and unfortunately, it’s because of the lack of affordable housing in Nashville.”
“The service and ministry of Sacred Sparks is accomplished through (1) being present and building relationships with our friends in the homeless community, (2) providing real opportunities for spiritual growth through worship, study, and pastoral care, and (3) providing outreach and basic necessities for survival, shelter, and well-being,” its Facebook page reads.
The group’s stated objective is to minister “to the homeless community in Nashville TN and surrounding areas, and witness to the ‘sacred spark’ that exists in ALL of God’s children, regardless of circumstances.”
While that usually includes meals and laundry days, there was another kind of spark that was celebrated earlier in October: Smith and Knight exchanging vows and becoming officially man and wife.
“I thought I would never meet the right person and apparently I did,” Knight told WTVF. “Anything is possible in life, just set your mind to it take it one day at a time.”
It wasn’t an easy road either for Knight or Smith because they’ve dealt with more than their fair share of challenges and had to work through a lot of issues over the 11 years they’ve known each other.
But Knight took a knee and proposed, Smith said yes, and Cook suggested they use the laundromat where they often go to get their laundry done and get a hot meal. “Soap Opry Coin Laundry” is also where Smith works, so the place has become very familiar to the couple.
“We didn’t have enough time to get a church and Ms. Lisa says to have it here so that way we can go ahead and have the wedding,” Smith said. “I love this place.”
“I’ve always dreamed about getting in a dress and getting married in a traditional style, and today seems like a dream come true,” she added.
Knight wore a really nice suit, Smith wore a beautiful dress, and the two shared and exchanged their vows, had a meal (pizza), cut the cake and tossed a bouquet. It was an incredible ceremony.
“So happy for these two!” Soap Opry Coin Laundry wrote in an Oct. 16 Facebook post. “Glad to see them tie the knot!”
“The way I feel, this is God’s purpose of getting us together,” Smith said. “Like, I told him we might be down for now but God will bring us up. It’s like a dream come true.”
