On May 13, 2000, I got married…to a man I once thought I would never even consider who had somehow become my very best friend.  Always the idealist (not to be confused with optimist), I had little notion of the challenges that married life would hold.  Mostly, I have realized over and over again just how undeserving I am of the man I married.

Obviously, I’ve had moments when I’ve had to remind myself that I married a fallible, prone-to-some-weakness human being, but my “moments” are much more likely to be of the how-could-he-possibly-love-me-still-after-seeing-me-like-that?!?!? variety.  Moments I never really thought possible, because I was completely ignorant to the selfishness and sin that resided (and still reside) in my heart.  Marriage has held a mirror up to the worst parts of me and driven me to the cross and brought me to a deeper understanding of grace than I think I could have ever had on my own.

And I’ve said it before, but I am constantly amazed at the love my husband shows me…enduring, forgiving, gracious, patient, extravagant love.  God has used him as a tangible example to me of Christ’s love for the church…of sacrificial love, of laying down one’s life for another.  I can’t adequately express what my husband means to me, how much I love him, or how humbled I am to this day that he sees something in me worth loving.  He is the best.  And I am so thankful for him.