When country music superstar Carrie Underwood wed dreamy hockey player Mike Fisher, they knew there would be a few strains on their marriage, given both of their extensive travel schedules and intense professions.
Yet, they both believed their deep love and faith would see them through. And thanks to an understanding hockey team general manager, the distance between them wasn’t as far apart as they had worried it would be.
Mike was in his 11th season with the Ottawa Senators hockey team when his general manager Bryan Murray ushered him into his office. In all honesty, Mike admitted he was worried about being traded.
His worry was justified, because the coach confirmed he’d indeed been traded. But it wasn’t because of the team’s performance. The coach had something else in mind…
It was because the coach wanted the newlyweds to be closer together as best as their crazy schedules would allow. So, he selected Nashville as Mike’s next home to hit the puck around. Mike was shocked.
While Mike was sad to leave behind his teammates who had become like family, he realized that the trade would be for the best in the end. It really was.
Today, Mike and Carrie have a two-year-old son named Isaiah and their marriage remainsstrong.
“I could have been going to 28 other cities, but I was actually going to Nashville, where I could finally be with my wife full-time … she has to be doing her thing in Nashville … so we had been going back and forth between Ottawa and Nashville. As a newlywed couple, it wasn’t easy. I knew I was incredibly blessed to be going to Nashville.”
Mike and Carrie knew that he could’ve been traded anywhere in the country, but for the general manager and owner to select Nashville was truly a blessing.
The general manager thanked him for his time in Ottawa and then said something to Mike that he will never, ever forget.
“You know Fish, I just wanted you to be with your wife.”
When Mike spoke with his parents about the trade, they agreed that it was divine intervention, that God had a bigger plan for the hockey star. He agreed. His mom felt it in her heart and told Mike so.
“Maybe this is the Lord’s way of having Mike traded to Nashville so he can be with Carrie.”
Now as captain of the Predators hockey team out of Nashville, the young family has been able to spend as much time together as they can. Carrie and Isaiah attend as many of Mike’s hockey games as possible and Carrie loves singing in the car with Isaiah. For now, she’s off the music touring circuit and spending quality time with her family.
It’s truly wonderful how God’s love and grace can be seen shining through in our lives, just like it has with Mike and Carrie.
