Lucky Me!

http://shepherdman.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/brian-tina-vine-pic-2.jpg
Brian & Tina Summer 07

I’m so fortunate that this wonderful young lady has been my wife for 23 years. Words are incapable of expressing, firstly, my gratitude to God for bringing us together in 1982. Secondly, I’m grateful for such a woman of God. I know of no other more modest, humble, and caring person in the world than Tina.

Like many of you, we have a testimony of staying together during the stormy times. We married young, at 21, and I was quite immature. I knew next to nothing about the responsibilities of a husband. Even though I grew up in a strong Christian home, I never took notice of what a godly husband was all about; so I learned on the fly, making a lot of stupid mistakes along the way. I wasn’t immoral, I was just clueless. I had no clue that men and women actually had different make-up; that what made her click, didn’t click with me. And my music and sports interests just didn’t fascinate her. She wanted to cuddle and talk, and take walks…..yuk! I just figured she’d eventually come around. Turns out, and I figured this out after a few short years of a strained relationship, that I was the one that needed to “come around.”

Paul said here, Husbands, love your wives as Christ loves the Church and gave himself for her.” What I began to learn was that my relationship with her was a mirror image of Jesus’ relationship with the Church. Also in Ephesians, Paul instructs wives to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord. But how could I possibly expect Tina to submit to me when I wasn’t emulating Christ in a giving and serving way for her. Submission means “to come under the protection of.” I don’t know of any woman who wouldn’t want godly protection from a husband obedient to God’s Word.

We’ve been blessed beyond words. After only 15 months of marriage, our daughter Lyndsey was born. She’s now 21, and getting married in 6 short weeks to a wonderful young man. They’re both serving the Lord whole-heartedly, rooting themselves in a new church near St. Louis.

After 4 years of marriage, our son Austin was born. He’s now 18, recently graduated from high school, and headed for So. California to study Art in college. I’m envious of the spiritual growth in my son at such a young age. His abstract paintings of the cross are some of the most breath-taking you’ll ever see. He has also been worship leader for student ministries at his home church the past 2 years.

Often people ask us, “what did you do to raise such a godly family?” We have a testimony of God’s goodness because of the storms he brought us through early on. We’re not special. I can’t explain why our kids are in love with Jesus, and another family’s kids have little or no interest in a relationship with God, even though the parents are solid, God-fearing.

The only explanation I have is the unmerited favor of God; it’s called Grace! I don’t deserve it, but I have the most wonderful wife in the world, and 2 kids (and future kid-in-law) that call Jesus “Savior and Lord.”

PS- I know it’s not luck!

Brian

~ by Brian on June 22, 2007.