HS Sweet Hearts!?!

If I were born in the fifties I would not have taken my eyes off this hottie.






Of course sportin' a bow tie like this it was destiny we would go steady. After 10 years of marriage I feel as if Emie and I are shifting into second gear now. With four beautiful children, amazing friends (who we miss), crazy God adventures, seeing the Holy Spirit poured out on us and others, witnessing healings, provision beyond calculation, traveling the world and connecting fewer times than Emie would like, here we are entering another decade of marital bliss. How could God be so faithful to us?

Emie and I had a strange beginning to our relationship (as many of you know). God spoke clearly to us on the same night that we would be married. The only hitch was we were not dating, nor were we close friends. So what were we to do with this revelation? Well, Emie freaked out and told me to drop off the face of the earth.

I was excited, I had found "the one." Life was going to be great. I had been given the most attractive, intelligent, driven women I could have ever asked for. I was told I needed to marry a housewife, but what I wanted was a teammate who would change the world with me. All the years I had been praying for my wife, Emie was the answer. She embodied God's reply to my heart. How could I have been so lucky?

Of course I do wonder why she has put up with me (maybe she didn't pray hard enough).

Over the last ten years I have taken her up and down, over and around the world. She has learned to be content with plenty and with little. She has had to re-establish a home 11 times, 4 of which while living with other families. She has put her desires (which mean "of the Father") aside countless times to fulfill what I believe God was asking of us. She has mothered our children amazingly and poured herself into discipling them for the Kingdom.

Emie has never once complained about what her Father has asked of us. She only wishes she could devote more time and energy to him. She is an ocean yet to be discovered and a treasure yet to be spent. The world is in for a shocker when God fully releases her into her destiny.

Coming from dysfunction junction myself I am in awe how God has blessed me so much with a woman who selflessly gives and can still laugh with me. Emie is my earth angel sent from heaven. I never thought I would ever admire someone as much as I do her (now if I could only tell the way she needs to hear it).

We have had our struggles (like all) but have learned to get up and fly again. We have seen the best of times and the worse of times. I guess that is what being married is all about, loving when our spouses are jerks. And wow have I been a jerk (that happens to be Emie's favorite word to describe me when I am in my element).

When we mutually submit to each other (as if we are one) then anything is possible. I am the luckiest man on earth to have such a woman as I do. And my children are equally blessed to be raised not only with a mother who adores them but who loves Jesus more than herself.

My prayer is that the world will see the Master in this masterpiece he has created between Emie and I. And though we weren't around in the fifties maybe we'll make it fifty more years. If we do I know this lady of mine will be just as hot then as she is now.

I love you babe!