1st Anniversary: The Fastest Year


Mare Cris and I exchanged vows one year ago today. Neither one of us can believe it—it doesn’t really “feel” like 12 whole months have passed by. The old adage about time flying when you’re having fun has proven true in our case.

I think the best way to commemorate this day (as far as the blog goes) is to simply express our gratitude to the Lord.

First and foremost, we are thankful God allowed us to meet. I’ve written about the series of events that led to our whirlwind romance. Sometimes Mare Cris and I talk about how different our lives would have been with even a slight variation of just one choice or circumstance. We are overwhelmed when we think about it—we live in awe of a God who knows our every breath (Psalm 139:1-6).

We are thankful for the power of the Gospel in our marriage. God’s grace empowers us to have a marriage filled with love, joy, hope, and forgiveness. Every day we grow closer to each other, closer to God, and increasingly aware of our dependence on Him.

We are grateful for every opportunity we’ve had to serve. Some of our fondest memories are the times we’ve been able to minister together. This is something we both dreamed of in our single days—having a partnership that glorifies God.

Last but not least, we thank God for His daily physical provisions. Our finances are directly tied to the struggling American economy/dollar. But we’ve never lacked for anything—God has provided for every need and kept us in good health.

Thank you, Lord, for an amazing year! We are looking forward to many more!

Lies, Relationships, and Cockroaches

If you see one . . .
If you see one . . .


A faithful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness breathes out lies
-Proverbs 14:5

Sometimes I’ll get a text from someone who has caught a boyfriend/girlfriend in some kind of lie.  Here’s my main piece of advice if you are sure you’ve been lied to:  don’t ignore it!

Lies are a lot like cockroaches–find one and you can be pretty sure there are a lot more you haven’t discovered. 

A relationship requires complete trust, and there’s no way to have this when lies are involved.   It’s much better to be alone than to be in love with a liar.