On this day exactly 20 years ago, God’s grace and providence allowed me to marry the love of my life.  What I remember most about July 26, 2003 is how beautiful Beth looked in her shimmering white bridal gown as she walked down the aisle toward me.  In ways in which I cannot put into words, her outward beauty that day only magnified the beauty which was already within her, the beauty which has only grown in the 7,300 days since she took my hand with tears of happiness shining in her eyes.

Beth in my mind is the epitome of what the inspired apostle wrote about when he spoke of wives with “respectful and pure conduct,” Christian women whose adorning is “the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Pet. 3:2, 4).  Reading this, she likely disagrees, being mindful of her faults.  Yet the fact that she would do so only strengthens my conviction that she is more like the godly woman God describes in this passage than she realizes, because it is impossible both to have a mind quick to acknowledge one’s own shortcomings and to possess the respectful, pure, gentle, and sympathetic traits spoken of by Peter without humility.

In 20 years I have seen her grow not only alongside me as a spouse and mother, but as a Christian.  In doing so, she has helped me in ways of which she is not even conscious to grow also.  In this I have a better understanding of what the apostle meant when he spoke of husbands disobedient to God’s Word “be(ing) won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct” (1 Pet. 3:1-2).  I have come to realize that it is not only God’s Word that motivates positive change and spiritual growth (cf. Ps. 119:104).  Living with the daily example of a humble, penitent, godly Christian wife also helps faithful Christian men to become even more faithful.  For this I will always owe my beautiful wife a debt of gratitude.

Being married to Beth has also helped me to better comprehend what God meant when He said concerning Adam, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen. 2:18).  Being an introvert who is used to days of seclusion in my office as I study God’s Word for a living and does not mind solitude, I still cannot imagine life without my bride.  I can barely remember what it was like to live alone and work alone as a minister.  What little I do remember pales in comparison to the many blessings Beth has brought to my life and my work.  In looking back over 20 years of marriage with her, I see how she has provided what was lacking and continues to do so even as our lives change with time and circumstance.

None of what I’ve discussed above would be possible if not for the grace and kindness of the loving and powerful God Beth and I both believe in and strive to serve.  He brought us together, He gave us our wonderful children, and it is Him to whom we owe every good and perfect thing in our lives, including 20 years of having each other.  I thank Him from the bottom of my heart, and beseech Him to grant us many more years together, serving Him and each other, for as long as we both shall live.