Monday, December 18, marks 30 years Liz and I have been married. Like other baby boomers we find it hard to believe that life has moved so rapidly to this point. Our older friends tell us we ain’t seen nothing yet!

A mutual friend introduced Liz to me. He was a minister of music who was coming to my first church for a revival. Somehow he talked Liz into riding to church with me for the meeting. Neither one of us thought that was such a good idea but we did it. God’s sovereign hand was at work. A few weeks later we were dating on a regular basis. During Christmas Break 1975 we traveled to Orlando where I preached for the ordination service of the friend who introduced us. There in the church service God spoke to Liz about becoming my wife. The sovereign hand of God was at work.

My mother-in-law has often asked me why I married her daughter. It is a tough question. Love is a complicated matter to express. I understood it better when I heard Tommy Nelson explain that you should marry a person who is running at the same pace you are in the same direction toward Jesus. I found that in Liz. And as Samson said, “She looked good to me!”

Being the pastor’s wife is no easy task. My bride does that with excellence. I would not be where I am today without her. She is a teacher, mother, writer, speaker, singer and more. Her worth is far above rubies. I am one favored man because the sovereign hand of God placed in my life the precious gift of Elizabeth Bennett.

Pastor (and devoted husband) Ted Traylor