Today, Forty-seven years ago, I received a phone call that forever changed the trajectory of my life. I picked up my phone at my college apartment on a Friday afternoon. The conversation went like this.

“Scott, I have found the girl for you. She started work today at my office, and I’m telling you, this is your girl. I know you so well and I’m telling you, she is the girl for you. She is everything you are looking for!”

I hesitated and skeptically said, “Come on. Really!” I replied to my little sister. “No, I’m serious! You need to call her right away!” she demanded. “What’s her name I casually asked?” ” It’s Vickie!” “Vickie,” I said. “Well, what’s her last name” I requested. “Well, I don’t know her last name.” Well, do you have her number?” “No,” was her reply, “but If you look up her roommate’s name, who also works here, you can get it.” When I hung up the phone with my sister, I was hesitant, but I started looking for that number, and after making three phone calls, I tracked it down. “I made the call to that girl and within a month of dating her I made another call to her one evening. “What are you doing Friday night?” I asked her. Before she could answer, I continued, “What are you doing Saturday night, Sunday Night, Monday Night, (she started a schoolgirl giggle at that point) Tuesday night, Wednesday night…what are you doing the rest of your life?” We were married less than four months after meeting.

I know quick marriages don’t always work out, but often, neither do marriages between people who have known each other for years. What I do know is that when two people come together, center their lives around each other’s happiness, and are kind, forgiving, and long-suffering, miracles happen. Having a Christ-centered marriage goes a long way toward developing characteristics that make for a long-lasting and wonderful life together.

So, today, I celebrate the 47th anniversary of a phone call from my sister informing me of the most wonderful girl in the world. I know our journey together is far from over because I believe our union is for all eternity. Yesterday, as we pulled out of the driveway on the way to church, I looked over at her and said, “Buckel up, we are just at the beginning. It’s you and me, babe. To infinity and beyond!”

“What are you doing for the rest of your life?” I asked. My answer- What she’s doing is making this man the happiest guy on the planet. I hope she feels the same about me.