Eleven years ago today I stood before God and 300 or so friends and family, and committed my earthly life to Sarah Olsson. I loved her, I meant it, it was great. In eleven years things have changed.
- I love her more.
- I have learned to serve her much much better than before.
- I have learned how selfish I can be and how to die to self more.
- I have come to understand just how much joy there is in dying to self.
- I have learned how hard it is to die to self in meaningful ways.
- I have learned that the primary ministry I am called to is named "Sarah" not "youth"
- I have learned that my other primary ministry is named "family" not "church"
- I have come to see that when I pour my effort into my primary ministry, those other ministries are more effective.
- I have learned that the world has no real clue on what real intimacy and the joy it can bring is.
- I have learned love in ways and depths that I could not fathom 11 years ago.
- I have learned that I have a long way to go and much to learn.
So there is my report on the first 11 years. I hope that it is an encouragement and a challenge to you. As a pastor, I feel it is important that I be transparent about the relationship Sarah and I have. There is plenty of room for privacy, but you need to know that we struggle, we grow, and we do not give up nor stop. God is faithful and a marriage that is built by Him, on Him, for Him is one that is still a lot of hard work, but one of incredible joy and fulfillment. If I love her this much more after 11 years, I figure I'll probably explode by the time we hit 22! :)
