Almost from the beginning, I knew she was the girl of my dreams. Smart, funny, direct, Jesus-loving, fun-loving, pretty, and honest are just some of the characteristics that drew me to her. From our first conversation comparing travel notes standing just outside the pavilion at the Alto Frio camp to our first game of volleyball as “opponents” later that night (she flirts better than she plays), there was no doubt the direction I wanted that relationship to go. Now, 27 years from the day we exchanged vows, I’m more blown away than ever to think of the woman she is and that God saw fit to make her mine.
Our journey, like all marriages, has been full of hills and valleys, sunny days and stormy nights, but we have traversed them all. We have weathered every storm. By God’s grace, we are better people for them. I am so privileged to have witnessed first-hand the development of a young lady into a godly woman over the course of nearly 3 decades now.
Karen has demonstrated compassion, love, and sacrifice over and over again. While many may simply tolerate their in-laws, she suggested to me that we invite hers into our home when they got to the point of needing special care. She has cared so well for my parents and it staggers me to observe her selflessness and sacrifice where she didn’t have to give it; she wasn’t required to. This on top of the challenges that come with being a pastor’s wife who loves the people we have been called to serve and grow alongside.
She has also poured her life into the students of our city. As a teacher in the public school system, she has worked tirelessly beyond her requirements to take students to places they didn’t know they needed to go and really didn’t want to. I have comforted her while in tears over the weight of the job and the students who refused to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them and I have observed as she has shed tears while reading letters and notes of gratitude from students who have.
For all these reasons and so many more, I say to Karen Price: I love you so much and I am grateful to be able to call you my wife. Happy anniversary!
