An Amazing Woman

Have you ever met my wife? She is a truly amazing woman. In addition to putting up with me for almost 10 years (next month!), she takes care of the kids, manages our bills/money, and manages our home. She's truly extrodinary. I couldn't ask for a better friend or companion. What makes her amazing to me, though, is the way she has weathered the last six months. As many of you know, we have started a church here in Lubbock. It's something that God laid on my heart some time ago, and I'm just now getting around to it. The process hasn't been a big deal to me. I'm a dreamer/visionary by nature. I can see the finished product from the start. Money has never been an issue to me. Being from such a poor background, the money we've had in our lives is amazing to me. To my personality type, it's just money, and there's always money out there to be had. Caryn, however, is a details person. God knew what He was doing when He put a dreamer and a details person together. Caryn loves lists, organization, and effeciency. She accounts for every dime of our money, and needs to see the income because she knows the bills that await us. For me, the hardest part of planting The Journey was going to be two fold: making a living, and selling Caryn on the idea that we could make a living. She made that second issue a non-issue. And this is what is amazing about her: she knew it was what God was telling us to do, and in spite of her fears, she stepped out and trusted. She has been my biggest supporter and fan. I often kid her about being my biggest critic, but it's not true.
She has offered to do what it takes to make this work, including selling our house, if need be. You must understand how much she loves our house. When we were trying to buy this house, someone kinda bought it out from under us with a cash offer to the previous owners. She was crushed, and actually cried and didn't want to talk about the house. A week later, when the cash offer fell through, we had another opportunity to buy, and the same thing happened again. She was even more crushed. Eventually, we had the house, and she has made it a home. It is a 2,000 square-foot house with 3-2-2, and it costs us less than the typical 2-bedroom apartment in town. It has a great back yard, and our kids have plenty of room to play and grow. And she was willing to let go of her dream house to chase God in our newest chapter of life. An amazing woman indeed. She has followed without complaint. She has supported without asking for anything in return. She has been my inspiration. The faith she has in Christ astounds me. Her confidence in me humbles me. And, I know that as she reads this, she's thinking that she's not really that worthy of praise or consideration... but she is. Caryn, I don't tell you enough that you amaze me. For all that you do in so many amazing ways, thank you. You are more than I could ever have hoped for in a wife. God's ultimate proof of His calling on my life has been that He gave me you as a partner. You are the greatest, and the words, "I Love You" don't say enough.