I am sorry but we will be at CALVARY BAPTIST on February 14th in Lafayette.

On February 10, 1963 Dottie & I were married in Crossett, Arkansas . Her father officited and Dottie’s stepmother, sister & her husband and my father were the entire congregation. We were married in her living room. Probably this was the cheapest wedding in the history of marriage.

53 years later I am asked how did you and Dottie stay together so long? You are not an easy man to live with! Of course the answer is Christ. But for those of you who have Christ as your Savior I will give you a few thoughts on why we have made it so long.

As I thought of the reasons two words leaped into my mind: Respect and Purpose. In the early years I did not show much respect towards Dottie. I was unfaithful, selfish and a major complainer. Christ began to show me what I was and it was an ugly picture. One afternoon following an argument I entered the bedrom and heard Dottie in the closet with the door closed. I listened and heard her pray “Father, this man you gave me is disrespeting your daughter”. It was a kick in the heart because it was the first time I realized that as Christians we were not just husband and wife. We were brother and sister in the Lord.

I was not fighting with my wife I was actually fighting with God’s daughter and my sister in Christ. It frightened me to the very core of my existence. It scared me senseless and I knew at that moment that our lives were at a crossroad. Either I had to change and we walk together or else I would hang on to my pride and we were headed for disaster. Respect was the answer!

More tomorrow.