Thank you Lord for my good thing

 “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, And obtaineth favour of the LORD.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.18.22.KJV

On this day, 27 years ago, in a small church in Suwannee, Ga, the Lord gave me a beautiful gift: 

I, in my young pride thought that I’d prove to be the greatest husband in history. I would be the best provider for her, the best protector, the best father, the best…(you fill in the blank). 

I had been told by God that he’d called me to preach, and I’d been told by God the my sweet Della Mae was both his gift to me and my responsibility. I was told to take care of her- by God!

And in my youthful pride, I felt,”I got this,Lord. You’ve picked the right man for the job.”

But, when I thought “I got this,” my Jesus had to be thinking as he shook his holy head: “You think you’ve got this, but I see all that pride and all the other nonsense that you hold dear to you in your heart.”

Here we are 27 years later:

And I can truly say that I cant even walk without Jesus holding my hand. My plans never work, my schemes always fall apart. But when I follow his leading, it works out even though it doesn’t appear like it will. 

And after all this time I can tell you that when you let God choose your mate, HE makes the right choice. 

She’s been with me through thick and thin, 7 different states, 19 moves (if I’m counting right), wrong choices, wrong moves, countless tantrums (yes me), 9 hospitalizations (me), all while having to learn to not handle my wife and children in ways that the Army would be proud of and learning to try to handle them in ways that Jesus would smile at. 

And I’m still a work in progress for sure.

But through it all, she’s stayed with me, prayed for me, and cried many, many tears. 

I am convinced that if I reach the after life and hear Jesus say “well done”, it will be in no small part due to the love, care, diligence, prayers, and steel backbone of my sweet Della Mae. 

So as we celebrate our 27th anniversary today, I want the whole world to know that I celebrate you, Della Mae. 

You truly are my gift from God and the heart of our home. 

I don’t have any desire to travel this earthly road without you and I pray that one day I may walk streets of gold beside you. 

I love you, my dear best friend, sister in the Lord, and bride. 

You bless me every moment of every day. 

Thank you, my love, for 27 wonderful years- and I ask Jesus for 27 more.