Twenty-five years.

That's our anniversary this year - amazing! I hesitate to say how happy we are because I think everyone will be jealous. But it would also be wrong not to celebrate everything that God is accomplishing in our lives. I'll try to find a balance here, okay?

This year has been a breakthrough year for our marriage. We have gotten rid of a good bit of negative baggage, and the payoffs have been terrific. We're still struggling to pay bills, but we're happier together than ever.

Our beautiful kids are awesome. Our eldest came home from camp this summer a changed young woman, and I have watched her selflessly serve around the house and apologize at least every other day for something she said thoughtlessly (I know - miraculous!). She is a terrific example to her sister and others around her, and her faith and leadership is rock solid.

Our younger daughter is loving baking and certain that she wants to pursue a career as a pastry chef. She starts high school this year with the goal of "all A's so I can go to school free"! What else could we ask for? Her musical and comedic/dramatic gifts keep us in stitches. Both our daughters are just delightful.

More creative projects than ever are on the horizon with a couple of new books finished and ready to publish, a movie in the making and other things on the farther horizon. The future is bright.

Now … please let me explain that this is an extraordinary year. Past years have not been so great. In fact, some have been awful. There has been chronic anxiety, pointless arguments, little and larger deaths and points where I felt all hope was gone. Day-to-day life is still far from perfect. But our family is in very good shape. So we are happy this year, although next year may hold new challenges we don't know of yet.

Please let me encourage you if your anniversary wasn't as full of good reports. Rejoice with me, will you, and hope for better years ahead? Life will have its trouble, but sweet surprises are also undoubtedly in store, because Someone amazing never grows tired of doing good to us. We are never alone, no matter what happens. Thus, when a perfect day does explode into our lives, we can only be glad, glad, glad …