At the wedding reception of Deborah Lovely and Josh Acason I was asked to deliver the toast to the parents of the bride.

Most who know Deborah Lovely know her as a successful Australian weightlifting champion athlete.  To me she is a wonderful sister in the Lord and close to a real sisters.  And although an Olympic weightlifter I can boast of beating her in our one and only arm-wrestle - it was quite some time back and I think she was nine years old at the time (and it wasn’t an easy victory even then).  And “no”, I won’t participate in a re-match.

I didn’t grow up in a Christian home and I was taken into the Lovely family in my late teens after I had left home.  And although I was a Christian, I was spiraling downwards in so many ways and there received the real help and guidance I needed at the time.

In many respects Bruce and Ainslie are a spiritual mother and father to me in the Lord.  And much of what I learned and saw while living with them I seek to put into practice today in my own family.

And thank you also to Daniel, David, Deborah, Esther and Rebekah for putting up with me over that time.  (To put it in perspective for those that know the Lovelys, when I moved in Rebekah was still in nappies, some of which I personally changed!).

While fighting back tears, here is what I said in my toast to Bruce and Ainslie:

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I met Bruce and Ainslie almost 20* years ago now when I was a mess and needed help. They opened up their hearts and home to me and helped me get settled and focused and got me back on track to get my degree.

I became an adopted son and was welcomed by the whole family and lived with them for quite some time. And I love them all very much.

Joshua, as fellow adopted son into the Lovely family, we have in common the enjoyment of their love and welcome and I know you will enjoy many years of blessing from being a part of the family.

Bruce and Ainslie are a blessing to others. They exemplify the principle of the overflow of blessing.  As they walk with Jesus and receive blessing from him it doesn’t stop with them but overflows in love. They are always helping others.

2 Scriptures come to mind.

  • In Proverbs 11 it says “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices”. The reason is God’s blessing doesn’t stop with them but flows out to those around them –> the principle of overflow of blessing.
  • And Paul writing to the Corinthians speaks of “the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” and they “gave even beyond their ability”. (2 Cor 8:2)

Bruce and Ainslie are like that!  For better or for worse they not only stuck together but beyond that sought to love and bless others.

They set before me a wonderful example. In good times and in hard times, and I know I was the cause of some of those hard times, they found ways to help those that needed it.

I’ll say two things in this regard.

Firstly, to Bruce and Ainslie, thank you! Thank you for all your love and help. And I know I speak not only for myself but speak also for the many that are here that have received help from you when they needed it. Thank you.

Secondly, I encourage you Deborah and Joshua to “go and do likewise”. Once you’ve consolidated your marriage and are ready to move to the next level of marraige enrichment, open up your home, your hearts and your lives to those that can benefit from your strength.  Reach out to those you can encourage and help and bless.

Proverbs 11 also says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (from Prov 11:25).  And Paul encourages us to “help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35).

After living with the Lovely’s, the goal of achieving “Marital Bliss” (often the highest goal by the World’s standards) seems shallow in light of the richer example of “Marital Bless” – Marital Blessing overflowing in love to help others - that was set before me.

Please stand and join me in raising your glasses to Bruce and Ainslie.

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(* I think we met in 1990 and I moved-in in 1992 and stayed around 18 months. Like my life at the time, the exact dates are all a bit fuzzy. I know I stayed many nights, on and off, for quite some time before moving in.)