Marriage and Early Adulthood

My Life’s Journey of Faith-Part 4

The last year of college was different. Radene’s and my tremendous mental and physical struggle of waiting to get married (intense sexual attraction but committed to saving sex for marriage) weighed on our parents, and they mercifully suggested a way for us to go ahead and marry after our junior year. So early in the spring of our junior year, we began planning our wedding, and on August 9, 1963, after I had returned from ROTC summer training, we were married. We lived together in a garage apartment in Jacinto City for one month. Then I returned to A&M for my senior year, and Radene moved in with my parents and little sister Dee where Radene could have her own room. She finished her degree at U of H in January and immediately got a job teaching in the Galena Park School District. Dad had rebuilt the engine in a used 1956 Chevy 2-door hardtop and gave it to me as my first car. Throughout that year we had a lot of support from family and church friends at First Baptist Jacinto City where we attended when I was in town. After the spring semester, Radene joined me in College Station while I finished my course work needing three courses over the two summer terms. I had room for an extra course so I took Harmony of the Gospels taught by the Baptist Student Union Director. It was the only religion course I ever took.

My Life’s Journey of Faith-Part 4-Army Commission

By the end of August, I had my Electrical Engineering degree as well as a commission in the US Army as 2nd Lieutenant. I had received only one job offer, but it was the one I wanted most – as a geophysical engineer with Humble Oil and Refining Co (Exxon) at their research center in Houston. Sometime in the fall I also received a belated offer from Boeing Aircraft but wasn’t interested. So, Radene and I moved to Houston to begin our lives post-college. She was still teaching at the GP School District. We joined Radene’s home church – 1st Baptist Jacinto City – and immediately became very active: Radene and I taught 8th-grade students in Training Union, she became the church pianist, and I taught 8th-grade Sunday School, became RA leader, sang in the choir and formed a men’s quartet with 3 of the boys in my Training Union and Sunday School classes. This was the most regularly I had been in church since leaving home for college. Now in my twenties, it was easier to follow and understand the pastor’s sermons, and preparing for teaching the students caused me to learn more of the principles of God’s word. As my knowledge of the word grew I became more sensitive to God’s standards for living, and, consequently, more aware of and sensitive to sin. I began to view each sin as adding to Jesus’ pain and learned that sin breaks a person’s fellowship with God until, in genuine repentance, it is confessed to Him.

Though I was growing in some aspects of Christian living, I was not in other aspects. For example, at that time I didn’t have a daily quiet time, didn’t tithe, and didn’t know how and was still afraid of trying to lead someone to Christ. I once got convicted about one of the RA boys and tried to witness to him one-on-one and did a poor job.

In September of 1965, it was time for my two-year military obligation to begin, and Radene and I left for Aberdeen Proving Grounds. There and later in Manhattan, Kansas, we made friends with several other young couples, but our church attendance and, thus, spiritual growth were minimal. I don’t recall attending even once at Aberdeen. In Manhattan, we did attend some Sunday School and church services at a church where several Kansas State students and professors attended (can’t remember the name of the church though). In December 1966 I left for Viet Nam, and Radene moved back to Houston – living a block from the church in an apartment behind the Terrells’ house. They were long-time members of her church. Nothing spiritually significant happened while I was in Viet Nam except for one very important thing – many, many prayers were prayed for my safety and safe return. It was reassuring to know this – to know I was wanted, needed, loved, and cared for back home. My ongoing prayer was as well that God would allow me to get back OK, live happily ever after with Radene, have children (we had intentionally waited until I made it back safely from Nam), and have a career. While waiting for my return, Radene did substitute teaching at Galena Park and served at First Baptist Jacinto City. She had a lot of support from her parents, who lived only three blocks away. Follow How to Find Peace with God for more information.

Up next Post Viet Nam until Move to Spring Creek Forest (September 1967 to August 1977)

Dennis Christian