Very Special Shout-Out!

Today marks the birthday of my precious husband, Reen! He is my very best friend, encourager, partner in writing and ministry, nearest companion and dearest love. Reen and I met at the Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference almost two decades ago. He scheduled a 15-minute conference with another speaker but that person left for the day. So he “got me” as he says. And the rest is history. He arrived with his book proposal, “Joyful Singleness,” both of us single and neither of us considering future marriage relationships.

He laughs now and says I owe him a book. As months passed we kindled a long-distance email relationship that turned out, with God’s amazing weaving of life events and situations, to become the wonderful marriage partnership we now cherish.

If you’ve never met Reen you would love him! He is the kindest, most encouraging, sincerest, truthful person I know. He always demonstrates the highest integrity and genuinely cares about every person he meets. Reen is the stranger in the grocery store line who will go out of his way to engage you, instantly identify a character quality you demonstrate and then makes a point of verbally encouraging you. “You have a great personality!,” or “Your smile is infectious,” or “You demonstrate excellent customer service. I’m going to let the manager know what a great job you’re doing!”

So today I want to say, “Happy Birthday, my Beloved! I love you and look forward to all God plans to do, in and through you, in the coming year as we walk hand in hand with Him together… for His glory, honor and praise alone! It’s a privilege to be your wife! I will be forever grateful that God caused our paths to cross and made us partners in this journey called life. Today we celebrate you!”

And to you, our cherished readers and podcast listeners, as we enter the Christmas season together, who can you encourage? We’re told in the Bible, “Encourage one another daily…”(Hebrews 3:16). You may the encourager sent by God to touch someone’s life today!