My freshman year of college was exciting and terrifying all at the same time. Many felt I swooped in and snatched up one of the nicest guys around, a senior to boot! Many felt the marriage was too quick and destined for failure. Granted, my fragile 18 years of life plus his phlegmatic 21 years of maturity proved to be an indisputably shaky venture.

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame.” [Song of Solomon 8:6, NLT]

There wasn’t much we could boast about in those early years, then along came the childrearing years and the feeble state of our abode grew shakier!

Ministry to others took precedence, because after all, that’s what we were called to do.

Now 37 years later, we see God’s hand and His faithfulness all these years!

The ability to understand my past, present, and future, brought essential healing as the years commanded irrevocable maturity. Because of our God’s great love and endless grace, not to mention His patience, the dark places of my heart have been enlightened and there’s no turning back. To boast of anything we have done would be a shame! It is only by the grace of God that I can still say “I do!” And I boast in the Lord God Who “In His Time” has made something so beautiful I can’t even believe it is us!

“But whatever I am now it is all because God poured out such kindness and grace upon me—and not without results: for I have worked harder than all the other apostles, yet actually I wasn’t doing it, but God working in me, to bless me.” [1 Corinthians 15:10 Living Bible (TLB)]                

 “As the Scriptures say, ‘If anyone is going to boast, let him boast about what the Lord has done and not about himself.’  When someone boasts about himself and how well he has done, it doesn’t count for much. But when the Lord commends him, that’s different!” [2 Corinthians 10:17-18 Living Bible (TLB)]

So, in our fifties (soon to be late fifties, even later fifties for one of us  😊), we won’t look back any longer! We must move ahead, happily & earnestly, constructing our dwelling in this 37^th year! Happy Anniversary, Rodney Alan; Glad you’re home!
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. [Romans 13:12, NLT]

37 YEARS OF SHARPENING & SANCTIFICATION under our belts!
To God be the glory, great things He has done!

1	To God be the glory, great things He hath done, So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life our redemption to win, And opened the life-gate that all may go in.
	Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice; Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, And give Him the glory; great things He hath done.
2	Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, To every believer the promise of God; The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
3	Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; But purer, and higher, and greater will be Our wonder, our transport when Jesus we see.

Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915)