BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

In the years that followed, Kenneth would realize that the words of those verses he was made to memorize carried power—God’s power! He would come to understand them and discover they were true. And he would learn that when you mix faith with God’s words they can change your life, your circumstances or anything else that needs changing. It’s been more than 55 years now since Kenneth stood in the dried-up Arkansas riverbed and received God’s call to ministry. And this year marks 55 years since the founding of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, the ministry through which Kenneth and Gloria Copeland have been able to obey God’s commission to preach the uncompromised Word from the top of the world to the bottom and all the way around the middle. But none of this was ever envisioned before the day Kenneth Copeland stood on the front porch of a small frame house in Arkansas and asked 19-year-old Gloria Neece to become his wife. This month, as Kenneth and Gloria celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, they also celebrate the change God brought to them through His Word. They celebrate the moments, years ago, when God revealed His love for them and they each received Him into their hearts. They celebrate the transformation God has made in their lives and THE BLESSING that has accompanied each step they’ve taken along their journey of faith. From the day Kenneth and Gloria married, that is exactly what their lives have been—a true journey of faith that has required commitment to, and trust in, God every step of the way. It’s been a journey as real as the one the Israelites took from Egypt to their Promised Land. Today we, the staff of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, honor our leaders for their faithfulness—to each other and to the work God has called them to. They have been steadfast and immovable, never compromising on what they believed and never laying down their faith. They have stood the tests of time and life, daring to believe God and follow Him by faith. As a result of living their lives on the integrity and authority of God’s Word, millions of lives have been touched and changed. Truly, their lives have been, and continue to be, a journey of discovery…a journey of destiny…a journey of faith! The following are personal accounts from Kenneth and Gloria of how they met each other, their brief courtship and subsequently, their marriage. “When Ken and I married, we began a journey that led us both to the Light of the world.” —Gloria I was so particular about the boys I dated in college that the girls in my dorm used to tease me about it. The young men were nice enough, I just didn’t like any of them in a special way. On one particular weekend, I had a date to go to a University of Arkansas ballgame in Little Rock. My parents had a function to attend in Little Rock, so they met me there for the weekend. That night I went to the game, and they went to their party. The next morning Daddy said, “I have somebody I want you to meet. He’s an entertainer, he’s had a gold record, and he’s a pilot. He was the life of the party last night.” I was not interested in Daddy’s friends. “I don’t want you to marry him. I just want you to meet him,” he insisted. “We’re taking him to the airport tomorrow morning,” Daddy said, “just go with us to the airport.” I agreed to go, and the next day we went to pick Ken and his father up from the insurance company’s penthouse where they were staying. When Ken came to the door, I noticed that there was light all around him, and I assumed that he was standing in front of a window. While everyone else talked, Ken took me out to the terrace and showed me the view of the city. He was very romantic, and endeavored to sweep me off my feet. When we arrived at the airport, Ken took us all for a ride in an airplane, which was a big deal for me. I’d never met him before that morning, but when he left I patted him on the back, and talked to him like I’d known him forever. I didn’t spend much time thinking about him after that, because I was busy at college and my life was full. Then, about two months later, I was home for the weekend and my parents decided to go to Little Rock. They invited me to join them. “No,” I said, “I’d rather stay here.” It was the strangest thing. I had a knowing that the guy I’d met in Little Rock was going to call me that weekend, and I wanted to be home for the call. I hadn’t heard a word from him in two months. I had no reason to think I’d hear from him again, but I knew he was going to call. Sure enough, he did. He came over and took me out on our first date. Here I was just a kid (19), and he was a mature man of the world (25), but do you know what happened? On the front porch of our house, just before I said, “Good night,” he proposed! The only thing more shocking than that was when I heard myself say, “Yes.” Why did I say that? I wondered. I didn’t even know this guy. Besides, I didn’t want to get married! Well, I thought, I’ll get out of this later. Nearly 60 years have come and gone, and I’ve never tried to get out! When I got back to the dorm after our first date, the girls gathered around and asked, “Well, did you like him?” “Yeah,” I said, “I did.” They were astonished that I’d found someone I actually liked. 10 : BVOV

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