That incredible Friday, June 26, 1981, I left the church as Mrs. Rodney Alan Phillips! The anticipation of becoming “Mr. & Mrs.” had been building and now it was finally a reality. (I say finally, in reality, I think our engagement had been all of three months 😉 ) The ceremony was superb from the singing to the reading of 1 Corinthians 13, The Love Chapter! With the reciting of our vows thrown in, I just knew our love could survive whatever came our way. I was 18 and he was 21, and the thought of making a home “free from disturbances” filled me with so much hope. And 1 Corinthians 13 solidified my desire for being on the receiving end of that type of sacrificial love. I fancied keeping the home while “Mr.” brought the ultimate sacrifice of warming it with that illuminating adoration.

Shortly after leaving the church that night, we drove into the bay of a car wash in Kinder, Louisiana. Artistically coated with numerous cans of shaving cream, our automobile needed a quick shower. After rinsing the white foam from our long Buick Electra luxury car, (my dad had graciously gifted us with 😉 ) we drove out of the stall making contact with the pavement.  With a thunderous roar escaping through the muffler, we would not have that “free from disturbances” experience I was so dreaming of, especially having Alabama as our final destination. It also didn’t take long before realizing our muffler was not the only noise we were hearing. Our stomachs were empty and in need of food. So, with a roaring muffler and growling stomachs, we cruised into the first place we saw: Sonic!

How we choose to handle the mishaps of life say much about our character. This was just the beginning for us.

“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.”

Proverbs 27:19, NLT

In my self-centered reality, surviving what came our way always seemed unfair.

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11, NLT

I did not know what the future would hold; in fact, many years would be given to learning where “free from disturbance” living truly is found! How thankful I am that God never gives up on us!

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:7

God is love; love comes from God (1 John 4:7-11).