A "Top Ten" Highlight of My Life

Well, as I near 40 years of age, I look back on my life with a lot of fond memories and I know, Lord willing, there will be more to come over the next 40 years. However, for now, I got to enjoy a “top ten” experience on February 22 when I was asked to give a toast at the wedding reception of Mr. & Mrs. Dave Slebodnik. I was honored enough just to be in the wedding party. I was even more honored when the officiating pastor acknowledged during the ceremony that I was the catalyst the Lord used to bring these two beautiful people together. They met at a Beez Café volunteer day and were married in the Tiger Pause church. Yet, words cannot describe the feeling I had when my work program supervisor for the last three years asked me to say a little something at his reception. I stayed up all night watching Netflix and wording my toast with lines from my favorite movies and commercials. While it’s difficult to match the emotions of that night in this newsletter, following is the blessing I shared with the newlyweds.

Have you ever put your life in someone’s hands and asked him to put his life in yours? Well, over the last three years I have had that experience with Dave. Sometimes in ministry, people say you are in the trenches and it’s nice to have someone around who has your back. While Tiger Pause does not do trenches, because that means we are not gaining ground, we fly wide open in the field and it has been a joy to have Dave running beside me. One day I hope to achieve the values I see in Dave including kindness, patience, and a calm presence. Dave is a guy you want on the wall; a guy you need on that wall. I have one daughter and I hope that when she gets married it will be to a man like Dave. For, if nothing else, he can build and grow things.

All you have to do is look at Kristen’s penetrating eyes and see joy, passion, and gentleness. When you see them together it is like watching Jerry Maguire as she completes him. So, tonight we pray that the Lord’s mercy and grace will give you the power to never break the chain (Fleetwood Mac). As we toast the happy couple, let me remind you of what the second most interesting man in the world says (because we all know that Mr. Matt is the most interesting): “Stay thirsty, my friends” - for each other, for life, and, more importantly, for Jesus Christ. Because, as the outlaw Josey Wales tells us, “Dying ain’t an easy living.”

Semper Fi,

Matt Nance