If I had known how brave you truly were to say yes,I would have doubted my own courage.

If I had known how beautiful inside you are, I would have felt unworthy.

If I had known how beautiful you were going to become, I would have yearned for the future to come sooner.

If I had known how precious God created you to be, I would have feared for my life.

If I had known how much I would grow to love you, I would have seen God’s hands sooner.

40 years ago today, a scared boy walked through the City of Orange Park wearing a sky blue 3 piece suit. He had no idea what he was facing. He had no idea of the challenges that life would present to them. He had no idea how much he was going to learn about love. He only knew that he could not imagine a life without her.

An hour later, a girl wearing a white dress walked into that same park. The young girl had true grit. She was small in stature, but huge in spirit. She loved one way, with all her being. There was no quit in her, though life would challenge those limits. She walked into the the park, to rescue a boy. She walked with her Father, who was giving up someone very precious to him. She walked into that park and put away her childhood.

Together they are greater, stronger and more powerful then they are apart. They have each other’s back under all circumstances. They have weathered children, loss and time together. They have invested into each other all the good they possessed on their own.

A third party was also in attendance. He brought them together. He assured them through His Spirit to have faith that it will work out. He blessed them that day for His purposes and for their benefit. They all became one that day. A bond was created that has just gotten stronger since then.

Even though those in attendance 40 years ago thought it would not last more than a year, God knew better. What God brought together, no man has separated. What God has blessed, the world can not diminish. What God is doing, no man can thwart.

I hope you are reading this with someone you love. I hope your union is blessed by God. I hope you experience the love we have shared for 40 plus years. Be well and be good to one another. I love you Buffy. Happy anniversary!