25 years

Sorry about being so personal here, but today I feel the need to write a special note to my bride:

Dear Susan:

Twenty five years ago today you and I were in Dallas, preparing for our evening wedding at the Waterview Church of Christ. I was both nervous and excited. I knew that I wanted to marry you and yet had no idea what it would be like. And how great it would be to live together as husband and wife.

Here we are today, looking back on an amazing quarter century of memories. Starting out in our tiny frame house in Searcy, Arkansas while I was in school and you were teaching Social Work at Harding...at the ripe old age of 27! Moving to Memphis. More school. Working with the great Holmes Road church. The birth of Aaron.

Moving to St. Louis to train with a group to plant a church in the Northeast. The birth of Shannon. The move to Connecticut.

The disappointment of Connecticut and yet seeing God's incredible faithfulness.

The move to Abilene in 1990. Asking God to keep us in one place for awhile so we could raise our children in one city. Seeing Him answer that prayer.

My struggle with work. Back to school. The beginning of your teaching career at ACU. Seeing our kids grow up from kindergarten all the way to ACU. Being a part of the wonderful Highland church for 16 years now. Mission trips to Mexico and Brazil. Working Walks to Emmaus. Buying a house. Buying another. What seemed like hundreds of trips to Dallas or California to see our extended families. Going through financial tough times and then much better times. Using our home as a base for ministry -- to your family, our children's friends.

Witnessing God's faithfulness and love in our family over and over and over. Praying together each morning. And as you said in your prayer today, we're so thankful to Jesus for what He has done in our lives. He made this an amazing, joyful, and adventuresome 25 years. To Him all the glory and praise!

Happy Anniversary, Susie. If the Lord wills, let's go for at least 25 more!

All my love,

Jim