David, a man about whom God said, “I have found David… a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.” – Acts 13:22

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. – 1 Peter 4:9-11

Yesterday my parents celebrated the sixty-sixth anniversary of the day they were married. They walked down the aisle together May 24, 1952, at the Baptist church in the town of Rayleigh, in the English county of Essex, around 37 miles from the center of London.

My dad had been working with his father in a small manufacturing enterprise right there in Rayleigh. My mum – just 20 – had been taking the train into “town” (London) every day to work in an office.

So they got married, they took a train to the west of England for their honeymoon, then they took another train to a town called Folkestone – in Kent – where my dad opened another branch of the business and my brother and I grew up.

So sixty-six years into this adventure, from Rayleigh to Raleigh, they only dropped a “y” along the way!

What they have achieved – are achieving – is a remarkable demonstration of the power of faithful, committed, intentional love. Not “easy” love, not “convenient” love, not “we-never-have-any-problems” love… but “decision” love, “faith-based” love, “love-never-fails” love.

And for that – for demonstrating that “Grace” is more than my mother’s name, that “David” really is “a man after God’s own heart,” and that doing love is the strongest way to share the heart of the gospel – I am more than grateful, I am uniquely blessed.

Happy anniversary, the adventure continues – Derek

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