Eighteen years ago this weekend, I stood at an altar before God, family, and friends, and said this:
“Shauna,
You are my dream come true, my best friend, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love how Jesus shines out of you so clearly and I know God has awesome plans for us together.
As your husband, I commit myself to be your Protector, to support and encourage you. I promise to love you as Christ loves the Church so that you can become the kind of woman God wants you to be.
I want to give all of myself to you in every way—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically as an expression of my love and devotion to you.
No matter what path we travel, I commit myself to walk beside you—whether through darkness or light, victory or defeat, sickness or health, sorrow or joy.
I commit myself to this marriage covenant until the day we are taken to our heavenly home or until the Lord comes again shining in his majestic glory.”
I meant it then, and know it with every fibre of my beating heart now. I have never looked back, and love her more today than I did on that starry-eyed day eighteen years ago.
Which is why I’m going to sign off and spend a weekend with our family. Which is why I have a date with my wife. Which is why this is the last you’ll hear from me in a few days.
I love you, my lovely! Muchas Smoochas.