In Praise of My Wife: A Celebration!

A Celebration of 25 Years!

Dawn and I celebrated 25 years of marriage yesterday, Wednesday, March 5th. Wow! It’s hard to believe! I can still remember when my parents celebrated their 25th.
It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been good. I have to praise my wife for making my life better. She doesn’t let me settle for just taking the easy way. She desires to take the road less traveled. The Lord uses her to push me in a good way to explore places that I might otherwise be reluctant to pursue.

I Give Thanks for My Wife

I know that because of her I’m a better man. It maybe somewhat of a cliché to say that behind every great man, there is a great woman. Yet in my case I realize that I am who I am today in large part, because of my wife.
We’ve endured together many of life’s storms, and even when we think we’ve had enough the Lord brings more. God has used the difficulties of life, even some of the recent ones that I’ve written about to cause us to grow. The suffering and trials have been used by the Lord to mature us, and to make us more like Christ.
Our children are one of greatest testimonies of Dawn’s hard work to raise them up. We’ve done it together, but I know that a lot of the burden has fallen on her. Since we work in missions I have traveled and been gone a fair amount, but Dawn has been faithful to love on our kids.
Now that our children have become young adults, it’s so wonderful to see how they are following Christ. I love watching them grow and learn how to use the gifts and talents that the Lord has given them.

An Excellent Wife Who Can Find?

Dawn often likes to tell other women that they are Proverbs 31 women, and that she is a Proverbs 31 wannabe.
In Proverbs 31:28, 29 it says,

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.

My kids and I do love her and we do praise her. We are forever thankful to all she has done, and continues to do for our family.
At the beginning of Proverbs 31 in verses 10 & 11 the writer asks,

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

Why did King Lemuel ask this question? I suppose it’s because it is not easy to find an excellent wife. In my ESV Bible at the start of Proverbs 31 there is a note stating that King Lemuel learned these lessons from his mom. He wants to pass theses lessons on to us.
In an earlier chapter in Proverbs Solomon pens something similar. Solomon writes,

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. —Proverbs 18:22, ESV

I recognize that I am blessed, and I give thanks to the Lord for his favor. It’s another demonstration of his love and his grace.
I give thanks for Dawn and I praise God for the good gifts that he has given to me.
In His Grip, Dave
DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org