11 Years and Joyfully Counting. . .

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband (Prov 12.4a)

Saturday, August 16, marks the greatest eleven years of my life. On that day eleven years ago Amy and I became one in mind, heart and body. She's given far more than she's gotten and served far more than she's been served. We're not who were were then and not who we'll be in another eleven years; but I'm thankful wherever we'll go and whoever we'll be we'll go and be together.

My Queen,

Solomon wrote that "house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD" (Prov 19.14). In other words, we might "come into" wealth but we don't "come into" a prudent wife. She is a precious gift from God. You are a precious gift from God to me.

Eleven years together has not always been easy. I'm thankful for that. God has proven his love for us by leading us to and through difficult situations. Thanks to me we've not always handled them perfectly, but thanks to you we've handled them by God's grace and we're still standing. Together. In faith. In hope. In love.

We've tasted what it's like for Jesus to journey with his church. Ups and downs. High roads and side roads. Joys and sorrows. Weal and woe. He thought such a life worth the last drop of his blood. I agree. It is worth it. And the blessed "already" of our marriage makes me long for the "not yet" of his.

You are a woman of the Word. I'm so proud to see your Bible colorfully marked up with your multi-colored pen and "protractored" lines. I'm thrilled to see your shelves lined with biographies of women who cherished Christ at all costs. You are indeed being sanctified by the washing of water with the Word (Eph 5.26). While I doubt much of it has to do with me, I'm glad to benefit from such generosity from God. Christ is your True Husband and you serve him well.

You are a woman of the home. God has blessed us such that we don't have competing ambitions. Your "career" ambition is to make a home suitable for peace and godliness. That, my queen, is far more difficult and demands far more energy than any 9-to-5 job. I never worry that you're Puritanically oppressed or chauvinistically stunted. You're free in every sense of the word. By your gentle, quiet and submissive spirit, you prove you hope in God above all things (1 Pt 3.1-6).

You are a woman of the church. You love God's people and their growth in godliness. Like many of our generation, you're having to become the Titus 2 woman you never had yourself. I pray that our daughters and granddaughters will inherit a church where the women love the gospel, teach the gospel and model the gospel. You're part of a pioneering effort of sorts to reclaim the glorious name of "churchwoman."

You deserve far more from your husband than I've provided. I'm sure you've done far more sanctifying of me than I you. But whatever the case, we've journeyed together faithfully now eleven years. God ordained our marriage to help each other persevere in and toward our heart's greatest desire: our Lord Jesus. The worst may not be behind us but neither is the best. May God bless both to our eternal enjoyment of Christ.

Love,

me