Duane and I were married in September, 1979, as some of you know. One of the things that very much impressed me about him was that he was working with special needs people!

Even though I was a sinner at the time, I did have some really good values. But remember, I was not holy.  And yet God is so remarkable! He had put in me some wonderful values (many of these things since I can remember being with me from my beginnings.) For example, I always loved and appreciated the different colors of people: I knew it wasn’t wrong for a Black man to marry a White woman (and vice versa.) I knew babies didn’t go to Hell! (Remember, I was ignoring God during these times.) I knew priests could get married and there was no such thing as purgatory.  God told me all of this, and yet I ignored him for 99.9% of that time…

Selah.

However, I was smart enough to want a good man. Now, keep in mind that both of us were ignoring Him. Yet He was patient and we thank Him continually. We’ve repented! Amen and amen.

Another great thing God put into my soul and spirit before I was His child, was a love, affection, and true respect for people born with mental disabilities. Back when I was younger we called them ‘mentally retarded’ – this was done with no disrespect. The people born this way were absolute victims from The Fall of Adam (as we all were in various ways.) Even as a young girl I never liked kids who were mean and sneering at these precious people. Did you?

And that was just one of the things I admired about Duane: he was working with disabled people when we met! And I met some of them; and still remember them!

Beloved, now Duane is an emergency room nurse…  Still helping people!

Now, all glory to God, both of us still serve God and man. It is better than ever now because we are no longer hypocrites, aka: sinners. We both have absolute confidence God is our Father and we will join Him one great day!

WOMEN: for all of you who will soon be getting married, contemplating marriage; teens planning for that someday – put God first and marry a man of God who will cherish you as you need to be!

Amen and amen!

Deuteronomy 7:3-4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.

2 Corinthians 6:14
 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.