During our wedding, I had the pleasure to address some words to our friends and family. I know my words moved Sarah, sadly they didn’t get recorded and they were impromptu. So before time takes its toll on me, I decided to write down what I remember saying.

“I would like to start by thanking you for joining us on this special day. We know some of you have traveled long distances to join us, and we are very happy you could make it.

I would also like to thank Sarah’s parents for raising such a wonderful woman, and my mom for everything she has done for me.

This is the day I get to marry my best friend,
The one I’ll live with, love with, laugh with.
This is the one God has given me for life,
My partner, my love, my soulmate.

These are the words that Sarah wrote for our wedding invitations. When I first read them I liked them a lot, there was something about them, but I didn’t pay much attention. Later on I kept thinking about them, I even looked them up in Google to see where they came from but couldn’t find anything helpful.

I kept thinking and reflecting over these words, until it hit me. What was so meaningful to me is the part that says “This is the one God has given me for life, My partner, my love, my soulmate.” This is the one that God has given me for life.

I realized that Sarah doesn’t belong to me, she is a gift to me from God. I started to think how would I like to return the gift to back to God when our time is up. I want to go to God and tell him “Thank you Father for a wonderful wife, for a great woman. I loved your gift, treated her with love, respect and helped her grow in faith.” I want to be successful at this.

Speaking about success, this is something I have been thinking about. I want us to have a successful life.

There is a man that I grew up with that is really successful and I never even knew it. This is a man has given up his title, his job and his personal desires for his family. This man is my brother. He recently moved his family to Canada and gave up his career as a doctor for the future of his kids. He doesn’t have money, he doesn’t have cars or a fancy job but he is successful. I can see it in the way his daughters love him and treat him with respect, the way his son looks up to him and the way he leads his family in faith.

Don’t get me wrong, I have ambitions, I want to keep growing at my job and do well financially. What I don’t want is to miss what is important to me. To remember that I am part of the world, but I don’t belong to it.

I have seen success at the house of Rodney and Lisa, the way they love and respect each other. The way they raised Sarah and their serving spirit. You guys have a marriage I hope to model ours after.

My friends, I want us to be successful! And I know that with the help of God, our church and family we will be successful.

Thank you ”