\I do admit my love at being married. For 12 years I have been married to my best friend. It truly is a wonderful feeling. Don't misunderstand me, we have our trying moments, any good relationship does. But what makes our relationship special? Is our marriage sanctioned by God?
I believe it is. Let me explain. Kolleen is a Gentile, raised in a Protestant home. She did not grow up religious, but she was a Believer in Jesus Christ. On the other end, I am a Jew and it was not until the mid-90's that I convinced myself of the truth of Yeshua haMashiach. Kolleen and I were baptized (immersion) back at August 12, 2000 by my former Messianic Rabbi. It was a wonderful surface as he baptized us both at the same time. That brought an equality and joining to our spiritual relationship. It did not matter that I called the Messiah Yeshua and she did Jesus. We were both believers.
Now, Kolleen did know all about my years of religious and Biblical study. She knew everything about me, good and bad. We simply accepted the lives of each other. As the years passed, my education grew. Since the baptism I have been a minister to God. I have received a bachelors in Ministry and I am close to my masters in Ministry. Yet, this growth in my formal Christian education has only brought us closer spiritually. Kolleen depends on me to teach doctrine.
The greatest spiritual event for us was the birth of our daughter Sarahfay. We were told prior to Kolleen being pregnant that kids were not possible for us. Yet, God had granted us a living and true miracle, Sarahfay. The question that plagued us was how Sarahfay was to be raised; as a Jew or a Gentile. According to Rabbinical Jewish law Sarahfay is only Jewish if her mother was Jewish. But according to Biblical law Sarahfay was Jewish because I was Jewish. So what do we do? Sarahfay is being raised as a Christian, a Jewish Christian. In an Olive Tree marriage, we try to raise our daughter without any spiritual confusion; and I believe we have succeeded.
Many people question whether a Jew should marry a Gentile. But the truth is if we put Yeshua first in our lives, it does not matter.
