Fourteen Years

That is how long Kelly and I have been married as of today. We’ve been together for 15 years. Yes, we got married just over a year after our first date; it did not work out to have the wedding on the exact day. How did this all come about? We met at bible school. Yes I said bible school. For some of you, you may find it a little hard to believe that I went to bible school but I did. It was at a time when I was burnt out. I had been dairy farming since I graduated from high school and I needed a break. Truth is, I clearly felt lead by God to go to bible school. I did not understand it; I was not exactly following the Lord at the time but I knew, so I went. I would come home every weekend to get out of the city (the school is in Plymouth). I would come home and hang out with friends and attend a collage age group from church that I was a part of. Dan and Sharon were the leaders and Sharon said to me that she was praying that the Lord would bring me together with the spouse He had chosen for me. I in my arrogance and stupidity told her that there were more important things to be praying for than that. Then she proceeded to rip me a new one and informed me that she can and will pray for whatever she chooses to and that God IS going to answer her prayer! I felt like a complete idiot and I was. 2 weeks later Kelly and I went out on our first date. She still reminds me of that whenever we see them. And I just have to smile. It has been quite the ride… I took a Devils Lake, North Dakota girl from Bible School in Plymouth, Minnesota to Kandiyohi, MN to be a dairy farmer’s wife, then to Zambia, Africa to be a missionary and back to Minnesota for who knows what (our Father knows!) and in all that, we had 7 children. First 4 girls (Cybil, Mariah, Greta, Hailey) than an adoption of a boy (Joe) from Liberia, Africa and then 2 more boys (Myron, Henry). It is safe to say that our 14 years of marriage has been interesting, and I can only imagine what the Lord has in store for the next 14! But one thing is for sure: I am definitely looking forward to it, because I know she will be by my side for it.

I love you Kelly Jo. You are more precious to me than anything this world has to offer because you are a gift from our Father who sits on the throne.