Though I wrote this yesterday, internet problems prevented me from posting it until today.
Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the best day I ever had; which is no small thing considering some of the amazing days I’ve experienced. It wasn’t only incredible for the events of the day, which were truly precious; but because it was the first time in my life that I experienced the sensation of being the right person, at the right place, at the right time. In the thirty four years which preceded that day, those were three planets that had never quite aligned before. Of course, coming to such a moment wasn’t easy. It took the unraveling of the life I’d known previously, the loss of the things I thought we’re going to make me happy and a confrontation with the treason of my own heart. I realize that sounds pretty dramatic, but to be completely honest, it was. Looking back, I feel certain that experience of brokenness was what opened the door for this new beginning. Though it had been the most difficult season of my life, it became a turning point to a more hopeful future.
That future began on 28 March 1998, when I married the beautiful Anita K. Messer and became a father to a precious little girl named Katelyn. Like me, Anita had invested all of her heart in a relationship that ultimately failed. And though our passion for each other was never in doubt, our willingness to put all of our eggs in this new basket may have been. With some time, some tears, a lot of honest talk and even more prayer, we both came to believe that this was God’s plan for us. On that Saturday afternoon, we pledged to spend the rest of our days together and took a leap into the future. We never could have imaged how dramatically our lives were about to change and every year since then has been an inconceivable adventure. There have been moments of incredible joy and times of great pain; instances which seemed glorious and others that felt crushing; but we’ve stepped through them all together and never regretted sharing the journey. Though our life is far from perfect, the love that we share has been an oasis of grace in an often unforgiving world.
I thank God for this new life and for the family He’s given us. I thank my precious Anita for her wonderful heart and for loving me in a way that I never thought possible. I thank our beautiful children, for being a source of life and inspiration every day. The last fifteen years have been the pinnacle of my life and I find myself filled with hope for the years to come. God is so good!
We are so thankful that our Lord brought the two of you into this precious marriage relationship! May your marriage continue to be a beautiful example to many others of the love of our Lord Jesus for His bride!
We thank Him for the relationship that he has given Don and me with the two of you!
Much love,
Barbara Atkin
We too are grateful that God has brought us into your beautiful family and for the wonderful example that your marriage is to each of us. We love you guys!
Happy Anniversary to the both of you!
Belated Happy Anniversary wishes to a beloved Nephew & his lovely wife. May God bless you both with many joyfill years to come.
Love always, Aunt Pat & all the Long Island cousins. xx
Thanks Aunt Pat – the way you handled your marriage, in both the good and the bad times, was a big inspiration for me. We love you!