May e-update: Anniversaries!

It was a Friday night, May 25, 1984, I walked down the aisle on my hands. The preacher of the church there thought I was nuts (at least that was the expression on his face). He probably thought I was going to break something—in the church or myself. I made it all the way down without falling. It was my wedding rehearsal and I determined that it was going to be fun. Connie, my dear bride, was feeling under the weather. She was downright sick actually. She was sipping on 7-up trying to keep her stomach calm while we walked through the ceremony. She made it without breaking anything also.

This year we celebrate 26 years of marriage. The Lord has blessed us with many good memories (in addition to the memories we have of our beginning) and three incredible children. This July 1, we also celebrate 18 years of serving with Reach Out on Campus. Two of our children were born during our service in Athens and all three are Appalachian born and raised (Abby was born in Elizabethton, TN).

Anniversaries give us the opportunity to reflect on past years together. If we are open to seeing it, we see the hand of God involved in the writing of our stories individually, as a couple, as a family and as a community of faith. We reflect on the years that God used parents and friends to bring each of us to Himself. We see Him carefully bringing us together through different circumstances and avenues but molding our hearts in such a way that we were attracted to one another and interested in serving our Lord together. We are amazed at the way in which God so faithfully formed us (and continues to do so) and made our home a place where children are nurtured to walk with Jesus. We are blessed to see the way in which our service with ROC has also formed our family in such a way that we relish the many tongues, tribes and nations that will be present in God’s fulfilled kingdom. We are grateful and honored to be called upon to love people ever closer to Jesus and are so thankful for your partnership that sustains us in this service. Thanks for these many years together!