So there I was, all by myself in a new town, new school, and embarking on a new chapter of my life in Stillwater, OK. One day after moving into my dorm room at Oklahoma State University for my Sophmore year, I sat in the parking lot of Stillwater Church of Christ wondering what this first Sunday in Stillwater would bring to my life. I had no idea...
The first Sunday of each school year is referred to as "Big Sunday" and is a celebration of the students returning to town for college. Because of this, instead of the usual class for college students taking place in the seperate "University Center" building we had a large combined class in the auditorium. I walked in and met a few people and then took my place in the back half of the pews. During class, I noticed a stunning head of hair (give me a break, I could only see the back of her head at this point) sitting a few rows in front of me. I kept watching her throughout the class and noticed at one point when the preacher mentioned that he knew we would all soon be busy studying for class, she gave a sly smirk to her friend next to her and I thought, "Oh no, she's a party girl" Emily a party girl -- wow I still have to laugh at that one.
After church, there was a group standing around talking and I noticed she was there also. Of course, I had to enter that circle. As I shook her soft, smooth hand and we introduced ourselves, I could not think of anything other than how amazingly her eyes sparkled when she smiled. Unfortunately, this also included not paying attention to what she said her name was. This came back to haunt me later that day when she and her roommate met me to take me on a tour of the campus. I had to ask her what her name was again. What a doofus, I know. She still brings that epic, suave move up every once and a while.
From that day on, we were always together. We experienced what I still consider to be the most exponential years of maturity and spiritual growth together. What an amazing group of people we had around us at the University Center. It was a time of fun, learning, bonding, and growth and we had the best group around to share that with. We were all at a state university with nobody telling us what we needed to do, but we gravitated towards each other and helped push each other and build foundations of faith that would shape how we would live our lives, and manage our families, in the future.
We got married during the summer between our Junior and Senior year. I still remember how nervous I felt that day while waiting in the back of the church for the preacher to tell us it was time to walk out and take our places. Everyone so kindly confirmed how nervous I looked, but the real reason I looked that way was because when I walked to my place on the stage, I looked at the front row and saw both of my parents with tears in their eyes. I had to look around at anything else in that church besides them. I began shifting my eyes and head around looking like a human bobble head, and then my eyes found her. I could see her through the window in the back doors standing with her father. She smiled at me and I knew that this was about to change everything. She walked down the aisle, I took her hand, I swatted at a fly in her hair, we exchanged vows, and then we became husband and wife, then we smooched.
A wife of faith is an enormous blessing to your marriage. By sharing the love, courage, and obedience to God together, you can get through anything that comes your way in life. This is not to say that you both won't struggle in your walk or get into arguments, it is just that it is easier to get out of those arguments when you know what the actual tie is that binds you. That common denominator in your marriage is the key. One of our favorite Bible versus is Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two are better than one... If either of them falls, the other will be there to lift them up".
Asking Emily to be my wife was by far the best decision I have ever made in my life. The second best decision was to include that last sentence ;)
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