Beloved: Bryan and Maridee Dietzel 2012

Yep, it's right around the corner. V-Day!! I know it's not the most favorite holiday and A LOT of couples who have been married a while and/or have kids, young or older, just kind of figure, "Oh well, whatever." So I want to tell you a story about Brian and Maridee and why I've chosen them to highlight my BELOVED special for this Valentines 2012.

Bryan and Maridee are my small group leaders. They have been our Bible Study leaders for more than 10 years. You see, we all got married around the same time and ended up in the Newlywed class that Bent Tree Bible Fellowship held. Once our class ended, the couples in that class divided up into groups to continue Bible Studies and to grow as support groups for those of us newly married. We were divided up by location in the DFW area. Amazingly, and God directed, we (Broadus and I) ended up in Bryan and Maridee's group, along with a handful of other couples that we had already started making friends with.

Almost 11 years later, most of that core group of couples has remained and we have grown to include other couples (ourselves included) that don't attend Bent Tree as their home church but nevertheless wanted a group that would support and grow their marriage. We have had children together (because you REALLY need a village), we've lost parents, spouses, even jobs. We've built fences for one another, painted houses for one another, mended broken hearts with shared tears, prayers and hugs. The men meet sometimes one on one, sometimes as a group and just get to be with the "guys". The women meet for coffee or for tea or over at each others house for amazing food. Our kids have made Christmas cookies together and run through each others back yards.

I feel and believe that one of the biggest reasons our group has remained strong and intact is because of Bryan and Maridee's leadership. They have led us to be compassionate, to reach out, to be present and available for one another. They, by their example (and I mean by this, not some stoic, snooty religiousity, I mean, by their laughter, their ease, their realness), have attracted people like themselves, who genuinely want to know their God and want to grow their relationships with one another.

For this Valentine's I asked them to be "Poster" for the Beloved special. I believe like they do, that a marriage needs to be renewed regularly. I have to be reminded why I fell in love and what I love about my husband. Not because he's so horrible, but because being reminded keeps me "mindful" of him.

The Beloved photo shoot is about bringing back that space and time where you and your spouse "remember" each other. Call it a date, get dressed up, or go for a walk in the park. But for heaven's sake, don't let your wedding pictures be the last time you ever take pictures of your love or your relationship. Renew, remember, every year, every day, what brought you together, why you stay, why you said, "I do" to this person, why you chose this person over anyone else. Bryan and Maridee, thank you for you. We love you so much!