The Love Story That Started with a Sabbatical (And Why It Almost Ended Before It Began)
Author: Ken and Mary Sue Grein
Written: August 5, 2025
Every great love story has its moments of uncertainty—those crossroads where everything
could change with a single decision. Ours almost ended before it truly began, with what Ken
diplomatically called a “sabbatical.” Looking back now, we can see how God was already
preparing us for the deeper commitments that would define our entire lives together.
Where It All Started
We headed off to Rockmont College at 18, each carrying our own dreams and uncertainties.
Ken was there on a basketball scholarship, driving 30 minutes from his family's farm each day.
Mary Sue was living in the campus dorm, chasing hopes of a musical career.
Ken was a Christian and handsome. Mary Sue was a Christian too, but shy—though undeniably
beautiful. It was the classic college setup: two young believers finding their way in a new world
of possibilities.
The Moment Everything Changed
Orientation came and went, and Mary Sue had already noticed Ken—really noticed him. Then
came their first class together, when the professor completely butchered “Mary Sue Mykytiuk”
during roll call. It’s a challenging name to pronounce, but that moment of shared embarrassment
broke the ice. Suddenly Ken was noticing Mary Sue too.
He no longer resisted the tug on his heart, and she welcomed his eye contact with relief and
excitement. It all became wonderfully real during the Glen Eyrie Retreat, when Ken was playing
a spontaneous football game with fellow students just below the balcony where Mary Sue stood
with her new friends. Something magical happens when you realize the person you’re interested
in is watching you—and cheering you on.
The Chocolate Pie Incident
Back on campus, romance took on a playfully messy turn. During a campus fundraiser, Mary
Sue bought the chance to throw a chocolate pie in Ken’s face. The money was already paid,
and she was committed to the deed. But when she wound up to throw that chocolate pie, Ken’s
defensive instincts kicked in—no thank you to a face full of chocolate! She missed completely.
But that playful act turned into something more meaningful. The laughter, the connection, the
obvious chemistry—it all drew Ken in deeper. He started showing up at the library where Mary
Sue worked, finding excuses to check her out (literally and figuratively). Their romance was
blossoming beautifully.
When Doubt Crept In
God had led each of us to this college without giving us any hint of the journey we would share
together. He had a plan and purpose for “us” but sometimes even the best plans hit
unexpected bumps. That’s what happened when Ken saw his basketball buddies getting
together after games, going to movies, hanging out in ways that his budding relationship didn’t
allow for.
He didn’t want to be the odd man out. Feeling disconnected from his teammates and uncertain
about the seriousness of what was developing between us, Ken made a decision that would test
everything: he asked Mary Sue for a sabbatical.
He needed time for soul-searching, to answer the question: “Am I ready to take the next step
and commit to a relationship?” It was actually a mature thing to do, coming from a serious
person who understood that commitments were important. If he made one, he intended to keep
it—as in “till death do us part.”
On the other hand, he was missing out on what felt like a whole lot of fun with his friends.
So our love story came to an abrupt end, just like that.
The Crushing Reality
Mary Sue was devastated. She had always been the one to end relationships in the past, afraid
of her own commitment issues. Now she knew exactly how it felt to be on the receiving end of
that decision, and it was crushing.
For a week that felt like an eternity, our future hung in the balance. Two young people who had
found something special were now wondering if it was worth the sacrifice of other experiences
and friendships.
The Decision That Changed Everything
Thankfully, after that short but intense week of reflection, Ken felt certain about what he wanted.
He wanted to pursue a relationship with Mary Sue, fully and intentionally. That careful
consideration—painful as it was—forged in both of us a bond fueled by lasting commitment that
continues to this day.
We didn’t know it then, but our son Jacob’s journey would teach us the deepest truths about
what real love and commitment actually mean.
What We Learned About Love
Our college romance taught us that true love goes deeper than any success we might achieve
through education or career. It’s love that gets tested and tried in the fire of adversity—like when
we chose love over fear in that NICU room. It’s love that chooses life, even when the world
suggests otherwise.
That sabbatical week, as difficult as it was, became the foundation of something unshakeable.
When Ken chose to return, he wasn’t just choosing Mary Sue—he was choosing the kind of
commitment that would carry us through 37 years of raising a son the world deemed “unfit to
live.”
Looking back, we can see that God was already preparing our hearts for the deeper sabbaticals
life would require—the times when we’d have to step back from our own plans and desires to
embrace His greater purpose for our family.
That was the real commitment—not just to each other, but to whatever God had planned for us
together.
Sometimes the relationships that almost end before they begin become the ones that teach us
the most about what forever really means.