“The honeymoon stage will end. Thats when marriage actually begins.”

“Just wait 6 months or a year, then get ready for the gloves to go on and the fights to begin.”

“Enjoy the first year of marriage… its all down hill from there.”

That is advice I received before I married my bride on October 17, 2009. Real advice. People were genuine in their words and thought they were giving me great advice. And what do I say almost 5 years later…. FALSE. UBER FALSE! But, as I think into it is false, there are 2 reasons.

1. The goodness and grace of Jesus.

2. How incredible my wife is.

This blog has been burning in my soul for the past few months. And no, I am not writing this blog to get me out of the dog house. Bre is a very interesting individual- and what I mean by that is she loves to be behind the curtain, cheering on. Very rarely will she ever get in front of a crowd and get the recognition that she so rightly deserves.

So this is me putting her on the stage.

Marriage with me can not be easy. I admit that. I have a temper. I am OCD. I have dreams and visions and an dumb enough to think I can achieve them. I am lazy. I am inconsiderate. AND SHE STILL LOVES ME! Our marriage is not awesome because I am awesome.

Breanne is the most supportive woman I know. I remember talking to her before we got married and told her we could move to China, plant a church somewhere, go wherever God calls us. And we will never have much money because I will be in ministry.

And she didn’t care. She said she would love me and support us no matter what. That was 6 years ago. And those were not just words to her. She meant it and has lived it out. She doesn’t care about any money or crazy possessions (that will end up in a yard sale in 8 years btw), she just loves me so well. Day in, day out. She is there. Loving me. Supporting me. Challenging me. Encouraging me. If I could only count the number of times she has looked and me and said, “well Gabe, have you prayed about it?” And all the while, doing it because of how selfless and loving she is, not because how “good” I am. And I will never forget her response when I told her, “God is calling us to plant a church. Its time to quit a stable job and a church we love. We may move to Oregon, and I don’t know how we are going to pay our bills in 6 weeks.” She looks at me, with all the love behind those beautiful marble-colored eyes and her warm smile and says, “I see God is in this, and if you think that’s where God is calling us, lets go.”

WHO SAYS THAT?!? She had counted the cost of planting, knowing the sacrifices she would have to make and the things she would have to give up, but because of her love for Jesus and her love for me, she said, “lets go.” And its not glamorous. Practically being a single mom when I was working 2 jobs for 5 months. But no complaints. Only support. 

And then we had Aubryn. And now Grady James. It is something special watching someone you love acting and living in their ‘sweet spot.’ Where you can tell that they are doing exactly what God has designed them to do. And she is doing it- a mom. And an incredible one at that! Never complaining-even during the feeding and rocking in the crazy hours of the night- nothing. Changing diaper after diaper after diaper and cleaning up spit up- no complaints Gentle. Loving. Graceful. Mom. Watching how she handles Aubryn, tucking her into bed every night and singing the same song from Little Mermaid every night. She is daily modeling for Aubryn how to be a woman of God.

Doing all this- kissing me when I walk in the door- all the dishes; all the laundry; all the cleaning; everything.

When I dwell on Bre and how great of a wife, best friend, and mom she is, it makes me feel so lucky that I tricked her into marrying me.

I could write for a long time and never fully express how thankful I am for my bride, who she is in Christ, and how I could not do life without her. Thank you Breanne, for being you. I hope I love you in a way that you deserve.

Forever and ever, Amen.

(September, 2006)

If I could be completely honesty, I am nervous. Crazy nervous. Super anxious. The anxious that you feel in your stomach, constantly. Especially when things get really quiet and still. I am going to be a dad, again.

And I cant wait! We have entered into the “any day” stage. Every time Bre calls, I greet her with “are you in labor?” One, because it drives her crazy but two, because she could be. Just a few more days (or up to 2 weeks) until I get to hold Grady James for the first time, and Mommy, Daddy, and Aubryn welcome the fourth member to our family.

The anticipation is killing me. And it made me think today why am I not as expecting and anticipating God to show up and do something. You know the disciples walked around Jesus with some serious anticipation that at any moment, Jesus was about to tell a dead man to get up, to heal a blind man, to challenge the status quo of the day. But most days, God is just a thought. I dont consider that he could show up in my life, my friends, my situations, and turn things upside down for his glory.

But its growing. I have a real genuine excitement for what God is doing/going to do through our church and in our neighborhood, on campus, and in Dahlonega,

If you and I believe Jesus is who He says He is and He will do what He will say He will do, then you and I should walk around a little nervous- the excited nervous- that at any moment, Jesus could show up and do something incredible in our midst.

I want that. I long for that. Just as I long to hold my baby boy.