our faith journey

Married July 2, 1999, Johnson, VT

We didn’t rush into marriage—we were both 51 when we said “I do.” Each of us came with a deep personal faith and the baggage of life’s wounds. But God brought us together through prayer, patience, and the quiet confidence that this was His doing.
Our stories began in different places. Mabel, raised on a Pennsylvania farm as the oldest of ten, found early strength through her mother’s faith and the church. I (Tom) grew up in Maine, wrestling with dyslexia and family pain but eventually coming to Christ through a faithful local church and the steady example of my father.
Each of us came to know Jesus in our teen years, answers to the prayers of parents and grandparents. We were new creations, but we both had healing to walk through: emotional scars, judgmental attitudes, depression, and disappointments from the past. Still, Jesus met us there—and keeps meeting us daily.
Over the years, we’ve served in education, special needs ministries, missions, and leadership development. We’ve faced health issues, long work hours, and communication struggles. At times, it felt like we were working through layers of misunderstanding and emotional weight from earlier years. But in Christ, we've learned to make better choices—together.
God’s grace has restored what was broken. Our shared devotional time, answered prayers, and steady growth in faith have brought peace and purpose. We’ve come to treasure both the quiet rhythms of life and the deeper bond we now enjoy.
We recently celebrated 26 years together. That’s more than we ever expected, and we’re still learning. Thank you for your prayers as we continue to grow in grace.

Don't give up on Christian marriage. Love is fragile and our promises fail, but Jesus never fails.