3-19-93

20 years ago today Ed and I became engaged to be married! When I think back on that time, I am both joyful but also haunted by it. Let me explain.

Just before my 18th birthday in 1989, Ed and I started dating. It immediately became serious…at least for Ed. It was not long after that he asked me to marry him…and I responded by telling him that I was not ready and was too young (we were both so young). I thought that you had to finish college and accomplish goals before you could ever get married. And, you certainly did not want to settle before "trying things out" and making sure this was the right one (now I look back and wonder on what criteria). Where did this thinking come from? Well, I think it was a combination of upbringing (being raised agnostic with splashes of cultural Christianity) and having lived in a culture that simply does not value marriage (Sweden)--generally getting pregnant or having kids comes before marriage.

So, what did we do instead? About 10 months into our relationship, we moved in together! Yep, I would not marry Ed, but I was sure okay with setting up household with him (to see if it would "work out"). And, I was calling the shots…I am woman, hear me roar, right? No, yuck! As a sophomore in college, and Ed a high school senior, we were young, lost, and certainly not believers, living as a married couple! It took several more years before I accepted his proposal. Looking back now, that time truly makes me shudder…and I don't want that for our children.

Some may say, "Well, but look, you guys turned out all right." Yes, but, our dishonoring God's plan for relationship and marriage from the get go provided a lot of baggage that we brought with us into our marriage. We have worked through so much and grown up together and are both born again--Praise God! But, we did it the hard way!

So, in order to honor God, and His clear creation of marriage, we are intentionally teaching and training our boys His plan--mentoring we never received. We pray for their future wives. We share God's word about remaining pure. And, we are raising them to be godly men who will be providers and strong leaders of their own marriage and family.

I praise God for my marriage--I am so blessed to be married to such a strong, honorable, and convicted man. He supports me each and every day and allows me to be the woman God created me to be!

Soli Deo Gloria,
Keira