On March 5th my parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. On Saturday, March 6th we gathered with family and friends at their church to celebrate along with them. Throughout my life, my parents have been a model of love and commitment for my sister and me. There has never been a time when we doubted their love for God, each other, or us.
In Genesis 1 and 2, we see God creating man and women and establishing the union of marriage. Marriage was the first of God’s chosen institutions. It was not until its establishment that God could see all that He had created and say, “It is very good” (Genesis 1:31). Our Lord Jesus sanctioned marriage by His presence at the wedding in Cana. It is declared honorable in all of Hebrews. Marriage is the formal establishment of the family. The ultimate crown upon the family was given when Jesus Himself was born into a family.
I truly believe my parents have honored God’s establishment of the family in their commitment to each other and our family. Through the years, I have watched them face the many ups and downs of life together. No, they are not perfect, but they have remained faithful through it all. Faithful to the Lord and each other. It has truly been an honor to have them as parents, and I thank God He allowed me to be a part of this family.
My prayer is that I model that same faithfulness to Mandy and our children. God has blessed me with a wonderful, godly wife and four beautiful children. Mandy is my best friend, partner in ministry, and my closest confidant. I thank God for her every day. I can think of no greater gift to my children than to continue the legacy of faithfulness that I have received from my parents.
Sincerely,
Pastor Allen