Christin and Jeff

Our current roommate Christin got engaged 2 weeks ago tonight!  I have been waiting to share this news with my blog readers until she was able to spread her good news herself.  We are so thrilled for Christin and Jeff to be entering into the wedding planning stage.  Here is a bit of the backstory ...

I feel like I have had the honor of watching this relationship begin and grow.  Christin was a Vespers leader at Bethel during the time I was at Bethel.  She was also an intern with me, helping me run the administratively-gigantic worship leader and worship team selection process for the 200+ Bethel students interested in being a part of Chapel/Vespers worship on campus.  I remember meeting up with her a bit the summer before her senior year when she was working through a break up and from that point on we processed about relationship stuff often.  We became even better friends through all of the worship stuff and during the fall of her senior year at Bethel, Jeff's name started coming up over and over.  Before I knew it, she was totally head over heels for him but debating moving to Colorado Springs to attend New Life's School of Worship.  I knew he was a keeper when he encouraged her to go despite the distance it would put between them.  They made it through a year of long distance dating and when she moved back to MN after school, she moved in with us.  We've had the chance to have a front seat in watching their relationship grow and develop even more over the past year that she has lived with us.

I could go on and on about why I like them as a couple but there are a few things that stand out to me.  They laugh often together.  They love Jesus and enjoy serving Him and his Kingdom purposes.  They value family and their friendships.  Christin and Jeff have already taken great steps to learn about themselves and prepare for marriage together.  They both are good to E-man and make him giggle even more when they are together - they will make excellent parents.  They support each other and challenge each other in important areas.  They have such great potential to do great things as a couple - I just can't wait to celebrate with them on their wedding day!

Last night they asked me to play the piano for the wedding day, Ross to marry them and E-man to be one of the kids in their wedding party.  We are so honored to be a part of this awesome celebration.  We do not take being a part of this day for granted - what a privilege!

I'm so thankful for how God has created the covenant relationship of marriage and seeing two happy, engaged people planning for their marriage reminds me of how good marriage really is when it is founded on Christ's love.