Happy Birthday, my love.

(Note: I'm not often (o.k. ever) personal on the blog, so this is a bit of change up. But its worth it because my wife Sally is worth it. God only knows where my life would have been without her. BTW, at this point I wish I could conjure up some of Piper's poetic skills.)

My dear Sally,

I want to take a moment in as public of a forum as I have, (short of a sermon illustration) to tell you the depth and breadth and height and the width of my love for you. Except for Jesus and all that God has poured out on me (and us) by His grace, you are the best thing that has ever happened in my life. You have made your mark on who I am and God has used you over the years to help me grow up in Christ. I thank Him for that. And I thank you for that. I don't know where I would be without your love and support.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you for raising 3 awesome kids. Thank you for listening when things get tough (which thankfully is rare). Thank you for the freedom to follow God. Thank you for making our house a home, despite our hectic schedule. Thank you, in a very real sense, for leading me to Christ. And thank you for saying Yes 25 years ago. There a thousand more thank yous, big and little.

As you enter this landmark birthday, I pray and trust and expectantly hope that God is not done with you yet. You are growing deeper in love with Christ in so many ways, but we both know there is so much more of Him to know and to love and to obey (joyfully, of course). If God, by His grace gives you one more day or several more decades, let us commit to each other, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to follow hard after Him. Can we wake up each day and say "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last"?

Praise our Father for all that He has done in your life and the love He has lavished on you. Praise Christ for His redeeming work on your behalf. Praise the Holy Spirit as He enables you to love and serve Christ and His body in ways you wouldn't have dreamed of 10 or 15 years ago. Praise the God of all glory for who He is and that one day soon you will get to worship in His presence with exceedingly great joy.

On last thing. the Steven Curtis Chapman song I Will Be Here that we fell in love with when Christ redeemed both of us, means more to me today than ever before.

When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

And I will be here, by the grace of God, for all the days He has planned for us.

I Love You!!!!!

John