Thankful for This Love

Valentine's Day may be a silly and/or annoying holiday to some, but I can't let this weekend pass without sharing some of the reasons I'm grateful for the love God has allowed me to know in my life with Ryan. I say these words not to injure those of you in the waiting, but rather to encourage you to be faithful in prayer and trust God's faithfulness in the waiting and with the answer. I can't even count the number of people who told single-days-Bekah that marriage wasn't all that great. The words terrified me, because I longed to believe great marriages could be a real thing. I'm thankful for a husband who is determined to make that greatness a daily reality in the smallest of ways.

* I'm thankful for the days he rolls out of bed while it's still dark to begin shoveling the walks, clearing the parking lot, and cleaning off the cars so we can both be ready for morning transportation runs. He does it without fail and without complaining.

* I'm thankful he finds joy in something as small as bringing me my first cup of coffee every morning. I'm thankful our tenants have been able to witness him bringing me coffee throughout the day, because they've honed in on that. They've mentioned repeatedly that they see it as an act of love and they hope to someday experience it.

* For that matter, I'm thankful the person he is in the privacy of our apartment is the same person he is in the community room. Our tenants soak up our words and interactions way more than we know, and I'm grateful he provides an example they can follow. 

* I'm thankful for his compassionate heart that loves this community we lead. He's tender toward team and tenants alike when they have hard days. He comes alongside to pray with them, encourage them, and care for them in tangible ways. 

* I'm thankful for his compassionate heart for people he's never even met. I tiptoed into our home office the other day to find him at the end of an exhaustingly long phone call with a customer service representative, and I heard him say, "Thank you so much for all your help and patience. May I pray for you before you go?" I heard delight in her voice as she accepted, and I quietly tiptoed back out before I interrupted that sacred moment.

* I'm thankful for the ways he encourages me when I feel like I'm surely failing in all ways. He sat in on a meeting of mine the other day, and when it concluded, I jut wanted to sink into the couch and sleep. I was certain I'd come across as Charlie Brown's teacher, and all my words had melted into unrecognizable hatch marks in our tenant's brain. But when I looked up at him, wide-eyed, and asked how he thought it went, he swept me up into a cloud of encouragement and affirmation that it really had gone much better than it felt in my head.

* I'm thankful to get to share every work day with him. We're at just over seven months of spending every single day together, and I am still enamored with it. Sure, the work had its challenges, but sharing every day with him is no challenge. It's a welcome gift. 

* I'm thankful for his help in all the ways I've come to take for granted - and I'm thankful for the times I'm reminded NOT to take those moments for granted. I'm thankful he's willing to shoulder house chores with me so we can also equally shoulder work chores. 

* I'm thankful he likes to play word games with me every night. It's become our wind-down activity, and it makes my heart so happy. (Gotta admit, I never pegged him for loving word games!)

* I'm thankful for the prayer warrior he is - for me and for others. He promises to pray and I know he always does. I'm thankful when he knows I'm struggling, he texts reminders to me to assure me of his prayers in that very moment.

* I'm thankful for his many gifts and his willingness to try new things - like upholstery in Abby! He's saved us so much money, time and time again, by just being willing to throw sweat equity into life. 

* I'm thankful for the way he encourages me to try new and scary things - like sledding! He's brought such adventure to my life that I never imagined could be mine. 

* Most of all, I'm thankful for his unconditional love. He isn't afraid to challenge me to grow and stretch, but he is ALWAYS my biggest champion and supporter. 

The tenants told him he still had to ask me to be his valentine, even though it's a given, and he did - right there in front of them. I didn't hesitate a second in saying yes. I'm thankful he's my valentine in this and all years. 

Ryan - thank you for being mine and for showing love always!