Just when I thought...

Just when I thought my life couldn't possibly get any better ...

I had it all - godly parents and friends, a loving church home, my education, the satisfaction of doing what I knew God had made me to do in His Kingdom.

Then I met this guy.

And that's about what he looked like when we met, because I was holding my friend's baby, and he decided it was his turn to love on the kid.

Next thing you know, we had been talking for two hours about biblical interpretation, gospel presentation (including elements of last week's post), prayer routines ... During the course of that, I mentioned my ministry's need for laptops (If you're new to my blog, see 2000 Laptops.) and he offered me his late mother's computer. And when I went to pick it up, he also took me out to lunch, and we again talked for hours about missions, politics, the economy, and faith. Then he asked me to pray with him in the park, and that's when things got interesting.

We both impressed each other. We'd found a match when it came to being serious about walking with the Lord, loving to study the Scriptures, and being intelligent and applied enough to follow each other. He asked me out.

And I turned him down. Nope, nope, this wasn't going to work. We were too different, I had too many interested men in my life, and besides, I was going to Africa.

It took quite a series of flirts, misunderstandings, apologies, and "not-calling-it-a-date"s before my resistance broke down and I was ready to admit that he might be, after Jesus, the best thing that's ever happened to me, and just maybe this could work out.

After about five months of "not dating," it still took about fifteen months of officially dating and wrestling with the challenges posed by the potential pairing of an Eastern Orthodox convert and an Evangelical missionary. We had crazy long talks about our points of disagreement. We wrote each other hundreds of pages worth of research papers. We began praying together every day. And, fortunately, we did have a lot of fun on the way, too:

Having fun with Kenneth's nephew Clayton at the Science Spectrum

And finally, I had to acknowledge that, without him, I could no longer say, "I have it all." I wouldn't have a proper historical perspective on things I teach without his vast repository of trivia. I wouldn't have as strong a prayer life without joining in his prayer disciplines. I wouldn't have as good an interpretation of the Bible as I need without his training. And I couldn't become the person God wants me to be without Kenneth's love. We've both gained the confidence that God will see us through all our difficulties as we begin a life together in September.

How thankful I am for God's incredible goodness in giving me better than I had ever hoped or dreamed in a husband and partner who will be with me, to challenge, protect, and nurture me in Africa, and all the places the Lord may take us. And how thankful I am too for you, dear readers, for your prayers and encouragement to us.

I love you, Kenneth.