ASK ME AGAIN! Happy 30th Anniversary to my Renaissance Man

I wasn’t looking for love when we met.

I was too busy being a single mom to two little girls—and preparing to go back to college.

But somehow I fell for the introvert-leaning, storytelling, Ph.D. candidate (and interim chaplain) at Baylor University. And the rest, as they say, is history.

On May 26, 1990, I married my Renaissance Man in a beautiful old house on the Baylor University campus in Waco, Texas. I’ve had old house love for a really long time!

A few months prior, he gave a gorgeous diamond ring to me—and sweet little birthstone rings to my daughters—and invited us to join our lives with his. He promised to love, protect, and stand alongside us to the best of his ability . . . forever.

For 30 years—through life’s beautiful highs—and some very difficult lows—he’s never wavered from that commitment.

All those years ago, I had no idea the twists and turns our life together would take or that our marriage would only grow stronger with each one.

This man I married is perhaps the hardest working man I’ve ever met—probably because he’s so good at so many things and rarely gets a chance to slow down! Our current porch restoration project is only one of the many irons he has in the fire.

Friends and family can attest:  This man is a “get ‘r’ done” kinda guy! Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

From the very beginning of our relationship, family was top priority for this man who took on a ready-made family. And we all know being a stepparent isn’t easy. But he was a hands-on parent starting when my girls were 6 and 7 . . . and today he’s a hands-on Poppa to the grandsons.

He’s also committed to our community (and obviously willing to do goofy things when necessary and incognito).

My sweetheart grew up in West Texas surrounded by wide open spaces, desert cactus, scrubby mesquite trees . . . and some of the kindest people you’d ever hope to meet. Life called him away from there years ago, but not before instilling character to last a lifetime.

He’s also an ordained minister and published author, and for many years of our marriage, he was vice president for several different higher education institutions. But one of the twists in the road we never saw coming was a move (13 years ago) away from that career and into the world of orphans and vulnerable children. Although it didn’t feel like it at the time, it was the best thing that ever happened to us.

After more than a decade leading the U.S. operations for an organization working with former street children in Brazil, my husband now leads Hope Institute, a start-up non-profit working with orphan-care providers and governments around the world to equip orphans to thrive. Using the lessons learned in Brazil—and building upon the cycle-breaking successes—we are already experiencing God’s leading in ways we never imagined. If you care about children and believe in the power of prayer, please pray for the staff and board of Hope Institute. Please pray for my Renaissance Man. Please pray for the orphan-care providers and children we serve.

The Sharing Hope tab at the top of this blog leads to many stories about our time spent with the children in Brazil.

And if all of those many talents weren’t enough . . . HE COOKS, TOO!

And tonight, we’ll be cooking together to serve our neighbors.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 30th anniversary!

Over five years ago, our church began a twice-a-month neighborhood meal. If you’re too tired to cook, come. If you want to have a social night out, come. If you’re hungry, come.

Before the coronavirus hit, it was a sit-down meal, but these days it’s take-out. In order to keep the number of people inside the church facilities to a minimum, we’ve been working with a skeleton crew of volunteers since March—and Renaissance Man and I are the cooks. (He used to run a commercial kitchen at a camp. LOL Of course he did! I’m his helper.)

The first week we were told to plan for 40 guests; we served 60. Every week the number has grown. We’re preparing for 100 today—and hoping it’s enough. These days, only people who really need the food are coming. They get a hot meal plus a bag of groceries for each adult in the family. We’re so thankful our church didn’t cancel this meal. Missions is part of the DNA of our church, and being there for our neighbors when they most need us is what we do.

This man I married has a big heart . . . and he shares it willingly—and often. I’m so thankful to be walking through life alongside him!

Happy Anniversary, Renaissance Man!

Think we can make 30 more?

One of my favorite songs from a legend recently lost. Thanks for the memories, Kenny Rogers!

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