The world has yet to recover from my husband Luke's arrival on April 22, 1986 to Ben & Karen Scripture in Warsaw, IN. They faithfully (and patiently) raised Luke to love and obey the Lord Jesus Christ, for which I am very thankful. Luke & I met during the summer of 2000 at Turkey Hill Ranch Bible Camp in Vienna, MO. Our "relationship" wouldn't begin for another couple years, but from then on, he couldn't quite get me out of his mind.
After finishing high school at Tippecanoe Valley (a little school in the corn fields of rural Indiana) Luke moved to Annapolis, MD to attend the US Naval Academy, and received his commission as an officer in the Navy in May 2008.
My entry into the world was much less traumatic. The first child born to Rick & Debbie Stuckey in Pella, IA, I also grew up in a God-fearing home.
I graduated from Pella HS in 2005 and moved to Lynchburg, VA to attend Liberty University. Luke made the smartest decision of his life that December when he proposed to me a few days before Christmas.
I had planned to attend nursing school there at LU, but God had other plans. The next fall, I transferred to the University of Maryland Baltimore County to continue completing the pre-reqs for nursing school, and to be closer to Luke in Annapolis. The following year, plans changed again, as we decided that I should take the year off and work; doing so to avoid the (likely impossible) task of transferring nursing credits from MD to FL when Luke was transferred for flight school. I found a job as a care-giver/housekeeper/chef for an elderly couple in Alexandria, VA. That year was not without its difficulties, but I gained some valuable nursing experience caring for Rosemary, and the Lord taught me a lot about contentment in whatever situation He places me. Thank God, he
did want me to eventually finish nursing school. I got my Associates Degree of Nursing and passed my RN Boards at the U of Mobile in 2010. I know I started out to get a Bachelor's, but I've got my RN, and Lord willing, I'll be able to take the last few classes I need for my BSN sometime soon.
Our edition of the Scripture Family was officially created on June 14th, 2008. On a beautiful, sunny day in Pella, Iowa, Luke & I were finally married, after over 8 years of letters, emails, phone calls, and interstate visits. It didn't feel like that day would ever come, but it finally did.
And what a trip it's been. We moved into a tiny little apartment in Odenton, MD for a few months while we waited for Luke's orders to report to flight school in Pensacola, FL.
In August of that year, we moved to Florida, our first full move of many to come. It didn't take long to find a wonderful group of new friends in the Officers' Christian Fellowship bible study at the Pattersons' house in Pensacola. That group was such an incredible blessing, both because of the spiritual growth through the study of God's Word, and the close friendships we built with our fellow military officers and spouses.
After over two years in Pensacola/Milton, Luke got his wings and we moved to Jacksonville for some more training at the Fleet Replenishment Squadron (FRS).
However, unlike most of Luke's peers here in Jax, we will not be here for long. Once Luke finishes his training here, hopefully sometime next May, we will be packing everything up and moving to Japan! Thankfully, we have some good friends already established there in Atsugi, so the ground there will not be
totally unbroken.
But before our adventure in the Far East begins, a far greater journey will begin. On May 5th (give or take.
wink) we expect to add a new member to our little family. I am carrying a (so far, Praise the Lord) healthy baby boy. Luke was excited to learn that a son was on the way, and has been happily bragging that he has "produced a Manchild!"
In just 2 short years, we have had some exciting times, and thank God for His providence and direction the whole way. We are thankful for His goodness, as well as your friendship, encouragement, and prayers. Come along with us as the next chapter in our "saga" begins.
