Preversary

My dearest daughter and future son-in-law,

Your Daddy and I are celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary today ... and 31 years together after meeting in 1983 on the campus of the University of Iowa when we fell in love at just 18 years of age. To be still in love and together after all these years is not just lucky, it's not just a fairytale, it is not just happily ever after, and it's not just expected. It is hard work. But mostly it is faithfulness. It's is being obedient to the One True God and knowing we are together by His grace and for His glory.

We have learned quite a bit about marriage in our 27 years together. We've learned through prayer, experience, countless failures, breathtaking successes and much study. Yes, study. See, our marriage is so important to us, that we strive to always make it better, so that means reading, research and retreats ... all with God and the Bible at the center.

In just 365 days, you will become husband and wife and we are honored you selected this date to do so. On this - your "preversary" as you call it - we would like to gift this blog to you. We want to teach you everything we possibly can about the intricacies of marriage that we've learned in this next year so that we can, with all confidence, say that we've adequately prepared you for this adventure ahead. Not that we can possibly prepare you for everything you will face, but perhaps we can make somethings easier. And maybe, just maybe, you'll skip some of the failures we had and go straight to those breathtaking successes.

In this year we will look at everything from wedding elements to wisdom to family. If you have questions, ask them. If you need more information, dig for it. If you need prayer in a specific area, we'd like to join you in it. We hope that you, together, can read this each day as a devotion, discussion, prayer and worship time. You may not have the chance everyday to read it, but it is our goal to create one as such for you each day to do so. It's that important to us. And more importantly, you are.

We have titled the blog, Betrothed in Faithfulness after a verse in Hosea 2:19-20 which says: "I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord." We belief that you are together not just because of the "in love" feelings you have for each other, but because God ordained it as such. And we hope you keep focused on Him. We love you very much. We congratulate you on your engagement - this preparation time for your wedding and marriage. Delight every moment! And in 365 days we look forward to witnessing before our Father as you exchange vows to love, honor and cherish each other till death do you part. God bless you both.

Discussion Question: What are your personal hopes for this day in 2015 and how do you intend to keep God at the center of it?

Prayer: Lord God, we uplift Rob and Ayla this day, one complete orbit of the earth around the sun from the date they have set to wed. May they have open ears to hear all that you have for them to learn in these days leading up to that day of union. And we thank you, Father, for being the center of our marriage. Glory to you, O Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.