How It Started

I was near the end of my hour devotionals. I was interrupted by a male blue bird sitting on our plant stand and banging against our dining room slider windows. I told the bird he couldn’t come inside. Nonetheless, the bird continued pecking at the glass slider. I chuckled and returned to my devotional.  Then, I heard an email notification on my laptop. It was one of the most beautiful emails I have ever received!

Morning Routine

Each morning, my husband sends me an email blessing, encouraging me to have a great day. My routine response is, “I pray that you, too, have a wonderfully blessed day.” However, his morning’s email made my heart skip a beat and explode with unbelievable, deep love.

The Love-Packed Email

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ~ Matthew 19:6 (NIV)

Below is the beautiful email I received from my marital battle buddy.

Tomorrow, our nation pauses to honor the men and women who wore the uniform, stood on the front lines, and defended the freedoms we hold dear. But as I stand here today, I want to honor the person who commands my heart and serves as an anchor of in life—you.

The world sees the uniform, but you see the sacrifice. You have been a faithful ally. No soldier ever truly stands alone, and any strength I have is a direct reflection of the love and unwavering support you give me every single day. Tomorrow is a celebration of service, but more importantly, it is a celebration of us.

To mark this Veterans Day, I have drawn up a perfect plan for the two of us:

The Sunrise Reconnaissance: First thing in the morning, you’re granting me the tactical advantage of a focused morning workout to clear my head, lock in my focus, and get primed for the day ahead.

The Morning Fuel & Live-Fire Exercise: Next, we are heading out for a great breakfast together to fuel up before going straight to the gun range. We’re going to send some lead downrange, feel the thunder, and share some high-energy, precision fun.

Operation: Retail Conquest: From there, we shift our deployment to the shops. We are going to hunt down and conquer the absolute best Veterans Day discounts available, turning civilian deals into a massive victory.

The Victor’s Feast: Finally, we will cap off this glorious day by marching into Texas Roadhouse. We are going to claim that well-earned Veterans Day meal, dive into a basket of legendary hot rolls, and toast to the life we’ve built together.

Thank you for loving me. Thank you for standing by me. And thank you for being my ultimate partner in command.

Here’s to the past, the future, and an unforgettable day together. I love you!

This was my email responding to my husband:

Oh my gosh! This was the most beautiful and lovely email I’ve ever received! I thank the Lord so much for assigning James Rippee as my marriage battle buddy.

I love you, Maj Rippee (Ret., U.S. Army).

How It Continued – The Water Works

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ~ Mark 10:9 (NIV)

I think I cried–off and on–for almost an hour. I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I had just read one of the most amazing and beautifully written emails. My heart opened to a new level of deep love for my husband.

There have been times when we didn’t know if our marriage would survive. However, our mutual love for our Commanding Officer, Jesus Christ, always made us take a step back and recognize that our marriage could stand even through the difficult times.

We’re in the marital trenches together. We have each other’s backs. The enemy will NEVER take any ground. We are committed to never leaving a marital battle buddy behind. It’s truly until death will we be parted.

I thank the Lord for allowing me to live the last quarter of my life with a man who truly understands how to fight in war (both physically, but most importantly, spiritually).

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ~ Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)