As far back as I can remember my parents were Christians; in fact, they gave their lives to the Lord many years before I was born. So, I had the privilege to be raised in a good Christian home.
One Sunday morning when I was a teenager, a young man named Earl went to the altar and prayed with one of his buddies. They didn’t get saved that morning, but I was really impressed. I certainly thought they needed help; they were known as a couple of rough guys. It was that Sunday evening that I prayed, and the Lord saved me. Those two young men came back that night, prayed, and were both saved as well.
The kids at church
all hung out together; sometimes we would go out after church
to have something to eat. Earl would usually be in the group.
He was a lot of fun. He could make people laugh, and everyone
seemed to enjoy his company. I really never considered going
out with him but a  mutual
friend asked me if I would. Earl had put him up to it, and
I said "sure, why not?" He was a good Christian;
he was always at church, he prayed at the altar seeking the
Lord, he came from a loving family, and he was a nice guy.
On our first date, we went to Multnomah
Falls and walked up the trails. We went out for some months
after that and had fun doing things with our friends. After
a while, we decided that we were too young to be going out
so steadily. I'm sure the Lord made us think that.
It was a year-and-a-half
later, in the wintertime, when Earl called and wanted to know
if I would like to go for a ride in the snow. I said "no,"
because I thought he meant tobogganing. Somehow we got it
straightened out that he meant to take a drive in the snow,
and then I said that I would love to go. It was a beautiful
winter snowy night and as we were driving, he reached over
to hold my hand and my heart skipped a beat or two.
It wasn't long after
that that I knew he was the one for me. We started talking
of marriage and on February 14, 1950 he brought me a dozen
red roses and he asked me to marry him. Of course I said “yes.”
I wanted to wait a year; my dad had said that I would probably be married within a certain number of months, and I wanted to prove him wrong. But, love and Earl won out, and he eventually talked me into October of the same year.
We had our wedding plans all made and invitations sent out for October 7. Then, Earl received a notice in the mail from the marine reserves saying that he was going to have to go into active duty on October 6. Our hearts were really saddened. Earl wrote a letter explaining everything to his commanding officer and we prayed. The reply stated that he could have one week to be married and then report for duty!
We were married in a little chapel in northeast Portland. There were around 150 guests. We were paying for the wedding ourselves and didn’t have much money to spend. So, I borrowed a wedding dress from my sister-in-law to be and the bridesmaids’ dresses were also borrowed. Earl wore a business suit—like you would wear to church—as did the groomsmen. The only one who had something new was the darling little flower girl—my niece. It was a beautiful wedding and a very special day for me.
For our honeymoon, we went to the beach. We had a darling little apartment; it looked out over the ocean and had a little kitchen. In those days it was hard to find restaurants to eat at, so the day after our wedding I fixed my new husband a fried chicken dinner. It turned out really good! He was proud and so was I.
The Lord brought just the right man into my life. He gave me one who is kind, thoughtful, generous, and loves the Lord as much as I do. I still love Earl a bunch; he is my best friend after more than 50 years of marriage. I was very young, but God was watching out for me and brought just the right one for me.
The Lord as given us four children, ten grandchildren (one of which is waiting for us in Heaven), and twelve great-grandchildren. He also gave us 28 years to serve Him as pastor and wife. How can we say “thanks” to God enough for being so good?
On March 21, 1948 when I was 18 my life changed when I gave my heart and life to God. Little did I realize that a young lady that was also saved that night would become my wife. I didn’t know her but I did notice her in church that Tuesday night. I noticed how she sang with all her heart and I also noticed how pretty she was. I never dreamed that one day I would be so lucky as to have her be my wife.
I had been saved about 3 months and hadn’t dated anyone; in fact, I was scared to date a Christian girl. That Camp meeting three of us young fellows went to the beach on a Saturday. My new friend, Efton Jones, from Medford, Oregon was one of those fellows. That day I told him that I would really like to take Sylvia Magel out but I was afraid to ask her. Efton asked her for me and she said she would go out with me.
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I will
never forget that first date. We drove in my car up
to Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River gorge. Walking
up the path to the falls I held her hand. I was the
happiest young man in Portland. We went together for
several months and we had some very happy times together.
Sylvia was only 16 at the time and we decided not to
go together (mostly her idea). I prayed a lot about
her and when she was 17 ½ I called her up and
asked her if she wanted to go for a ride in the snow.
She thought I meant to go sledding and she said no.
I told her, just a ride in the car. That evening we
went over to see the Columbia River, as it was almost
frozen over. Later as we were just turning off of Stark
Street on to 39th I reached over and took her hand.
I had the same feeling that I had on our first date,
and I knew that I really loved her. That was about the
first of January, 1950. We were engaged February 14,
l950 and were married October 7, 1950. Sylvia was 18
and I was just three days short of being 21. |
That seems like yesterday instead of more than 50 years ago. We were married a very short time before I had to go into the army. In 1951, our first child, Linda, was born. Sylvia and baby Linda came to live with me near the army camp. We were very poor but we were happy. The Lord added three more children to our lives, Arlene, Ron and Lisa.
I had felt the call of God on my life
but I had never told anyone, and had never mentioned it to
my wife. God would talk to me about the call but I always
put it off. We had been married for about 15 years and we
had four children. Sylvia felt like she never talked to anyone
but children and as she was praying one day the Lord said
“I can be your friend – talk to me.” As
she would work around the house making beds, ironing, cleaning
the house, and taking care of children, she would talk to
her Friend. One day as she was cleaning the house and praying
to God, He told her to “get ready to be a minister’s
wife.” One night after church we were driving across
the Burnside Bridge. She slipped over close to me and took
my hand in hers. She told me that God had asked her to get
ready to be a minister’s wife and asked me if I was
called to preach. She then said, “You are the only husband
I have.” In 1966 I answered the call and started to
preach. In 1971 I was sent out as a pastor. God knew that
night when I was saved what kind of wife I would need to fulfill
my call. She has been the perfect pastor’s wife.
As I look back on the years we have been married, I can say I am as much in love today as when we were first married. I still thrill when I hold her hand and when I kiss her. Sylvia has been my best friend, my helper, my backer, my love. We still love to do things together, just the two of us. I can truly say the best thing that I ever did was to get saved that day in 1948. God has given us the privilege to pastor for 28 years. Soon our family will number 36. We have 9 living grandchildren and one in heaven; we have 10 great grandchildren. Our life has been blessed – all I can say is “God is so good.”
Earl and Sylvia Phillips are members of the Apostolic
Faith Church in Portland, Oregon.
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