On Our Anniversary: He Was So Worth Waiting For
He was so worth waiting for!
On Feb 6, 1970, Steve and I had our first date—a cold, rainy night in San Bernardino, Ca, reading together in front of a fire. Steve had no idea that it was the best date I could imagine.
The next five years were fun, playing volleyball and tennis with other singles, riding bikes on 20-50-mile treks, going on long drives in the mountains with my dog, Loki, occasionally dating others. And waiting, while Steve grew into confidence that he could be a better husband than his father had been, and I kept choosing God’s assurance that I should wait rather than follow the advice of friends who suggested I should just give up on him..
On March 14, as we drove to Disneyland, Steve asked me to marry him. I joyfully said yes, and on June 8, 1975, we were married. Some 600 people came to see this thing that had finally come to pass.
He was so worth waiting for!
For more than 47 years we lived an adventure: increasing responsibilities with CCC/Cru, traveling the world, two delightful daughters, Steve’s dad living with us and dying in our home, Steve’s sister and her husband living with us, 4 years with Steve’s much younger half-brother living with us, moving our family and most of Cru headquarters staff to Florida, fostering and adopting a challenging boy, years of coaching soccer. Writing books. Leading Cru 20 years. And now, all three children married to amazing spouses, and we have 10 grandchildren.
During those now 47+ years, Steve was an amazing husband. He loved me so well—telling me so daily, making me coffee, doing the finances, caring for the house and the yard, affirming my cooking, accepting my untidiness, telling me I was beautiful, engaging with our children, believing I could do anything, and encouraging me to step into any opportunity God gave me. I guess it was all part of his “wife retention plan.”
We loved to talk, explore ideas, study Scripture, pray, speak, serve—together. To me, it was a beautiful partnership.
Yes, he was so worth waiting for!
And then, on October 29, 2022, our Lord said, “Steve, come on Home.” God assured me it was out of His kindness to Steve that He took him Home. I can’t argue with that—I didn’t want my wonderful husband to suffer.
But I asked him to be kind to me as well. And He has. My children and their spouses and my grandchildren check on me consistently, come visit me and invite me to visit them.
My friends and neighbors are so encouraging and helpful. Cru leaders and benefits staff, my Women’s Resources team, our donor team, and staff around the world have helped, loved, encouraged me. I especially loved giving gifts from the Steve Douglass Great Commission Memorial Fund to ministry projects around the globe.
And I have been so blessed to represent Steve in many ways—from speaking in his place at our California church, to praying at the IOA Orlando Corporate 5K in his place, to accepting awards for him.
God promised to be with me, and He has been. He has encouraged me to continue to serve with Cru, to lead the Women’s Resource team, to guide the Prayer for Prodigals ministry, to do the When You Love a Prodigal podcast, to write, to speak, to pray. And to always seek to encourage people to live out who God made them to be and the good plans He has for them.
But going forward without Steve is the greatest challenge of my life. I can’t describe how much I miss him. How unwhole my life seems. How deep the sadness. Especially as I celebrate our anniversary—this would have been 48 years. (I was really looking forward to a major 50-year celebration.)
Tears come every day.
Yet God called me to choose, as a theme for the June 2 Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day, “Joy in the Hard Journey.” So every week for the past month God has given perspective and assurance and hope for joy, even in this hard journey. And assurance that there is joy for the journey still to come.
And yes, Steve was so worth waiting for.
