It’s Sunday night. How you feeling about the week ahead?

24 years ago tonight, I was feeling nervous because the next day, I knew I would be at the front of a church watching a pretty girl walk down the aisle so we could get married.

24 years later, I still love watching that pretty girl walk toward me.

It’s been quite a ride, with all the ups, downs and in-betweens you would expect - and a few we didn’t see coming. 

Kids, miscarriages, adoptions. Fights, forgiveness, making up. Cars (and giant vans) and apartments and houses. Surgeries and spilled milk (literally) and sporting events and doctors appointments and quick getaways and report cards and more groceries than we can count.

And that one time - today!! - when it was me who found the item in the fridge right in front of her, instead of the other way around.

She’s given me grace upon grace. 

It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been worth it. She has disrupted my life in the best ways possible.

If you’re married, hold onto Jesus and each other as tightly as you can. Talk as much as you can. If you both remember it’s not about you, but about the other one, you’ll be good.

Whatever this week holds for your relationship - one of the thousands of ordinary weeks that make up a life, or a fun vacation, or a hard time with your kids, or an unexpected difficulty to work through - give each other the grace that has been given you. Trust the God who brought you together. Love each other and hold on tight, even in the storms. Especially in the storms.

Happy Anniversary Kelsey Hoak!

And grace and peace to all of you in the week ahead.