I took the first two months off of the year, but now it's time to resurrect this series...who better to start than with the one that without, I am not me. :)in thinking about how to describe who he is to me, I struggle.not because there isn't anything to say, but because there is TOO much.you see I've known him since I was nine years old...we were in the same 5th grade class together.(WEIRD when I look at maddie at the same age...but hey, God has done stranger things?!)I knew I would be writing about him today last night (he didn't)and I find it fitting that last night we stayed up super late and were talking about how far we've come,talking about the journey that we've been on together...the conversations that have molded and shaped us,the tears that at times, seemingly felt unending,the ridiculous amount of laughing we have spent together over the years,(don't even ask me about doing squats on each others shoulders...let's just say I'm seriously lucky to be alive.) ;)the places we've seen, (together we have been in 17 states, by the time I die we want to have been in all 50!)our babies and how absolutely blessed and precious they are to us,AND how God has used parenthood (not the show!) to mold us to look more like Him and to mold us together.talking about the people we've known and loved...besides the groups of friends that God has blessed us with in Illinois and in Arizona,we've been involved in student ministries since he was 12 and I was 11...not sure how many people that is...but I know it's a lot of people we've been blessed to know.I came away last night being reminded that he is indeed my first and only love,he is happily my first kiss and the only one I get-to be married to.

he is my best friend.

people ask what my favorite qualities of him are...I think that if I answered honestly, there are two things about him that permeate everything he does and everything I love about him...1. is his unwavering love for God.I equate this love to a slow burning fire....let me explain a little...I've seen and known a lot of passionate men.they appear to have passion for God like a huge bonfire burning with eloquent inspiring words.these men are absolutely necessary in furthering the kingdom of Christ.HOWEVER,very few of these passionate men I have known have been able to maintain endurance with that amount of passion.they tend to have a bit of roller-coaster emotions...really large inspiring "braveheart" highs,but then drained-of-emotion lows.my husband is like these men in moments, but overall I would say he is NOT like these men.I would say that the character that my husband seems to have is just as important,if not more so to furthering the church...my husband is a steady, faithful, un-moving, un-wavering man of conviction.I've come to love and GREATLY admire him in this category.his love and unmoving resolve to live a life of service for the glory of God is like a slow burning, never-dying-out fire.I've listened to men at times not understand and even at time be frustrated with this even-paced consistent burning character trait of his...and to be honest, even at times have been frustrated myself (I tend to relate to the fire-y passionate men).BUT in the 25+ years that I've had the privilege of doing life with him...this love that he has?I've found that it runs deeper than mine,it is more faithful than mine,and it is wiser than mine.I often think of him like a tree, I know not something every man wants to hear about himself...but he is. ;)and honestly the Bible talks about him in I Corinthians 15:58:"...be strong and immovable...know that nothing you do for the Lord is useless..."and in then again in 16:13 "...be on guard. stand firm in the faith. be courageous. be strong..."he is my rock...my constant that teaches me so much about being about HIS business in the everyday faithful ways.I love him for it and am thankful to have a front-row seat to seeing this kind of love.2. his ability to see the bigger picture.did you know there is freedom seeing the bigger picture in life?I've found that when you're tied down to the day to day and that's all you can see,life can get pretty mundane and for me overwhelming.BUT when you're like my husband and know that life is short and we're not meant for an eternity here,there is MUCH enjoyment to be had in getting-to live the day to day.he inspires me often to put my head down and DO work...but then, when the task is finished, to find REST and joy at being done with the day's work.God created rest.sometimes when I imagine,I think that when Jesus rested, he must have laughed often with his friends when they rested...there is peace in doing the day to day tasks and then finding rest and enjoyment at the end of the task.even in the midst of accomplishing a long task, he often reminds me to:"do everything you can for the day, then LET IT GO. not even God created the world in one day, and each day that he created, what did He say? He said that it was good. tomorrow is a new day and you did all that you could for today...find rest in knowing you did all you could, and then pick yourself up tomorrow and begin again...you can only do what you can only do."my husband does this well.the other thing that goes with being able to see the bigger picture is that I love that he doesn't take himself or life too seriously. (knowing it's not really his to hold tightly to)he has the most amazing ability to laugh freely and often at himself and most things that life brings his way.not in a mean-making-fun way, but as in an enjoyment of life to the fullest way.I love it.yes, he is my best friend.I know full-well that I am privileged to have him for my best friend.he inspires me to be a better me.and I admire the man that he is.tremendously.meet, matthew brian driesbach. :)*note, I recorded his interview while we were waiting in a crowded airport for a plane home during a winter storm in Illinois...happy memory for me snuggled under his warm arm, waiting for the plane, just talking while the airport swirled with people around us.*I want to know why I wasn't the first in your inspiration?! matt! c'mon, pleeeease...just be nice and let me interview you!?okay, fine. :)

Born/Raised?

columbus, ohio. petasula, ohio until I was 7, two years in new jersey. and all of my formidable years in st. charles, IL.

How long have you known me?

26 years.

Favorite memories with me?

*Our first official date when you turned 16...fall of 93. we went to the scarecrow festival in my nissan. you wore a pink cashmere sweater, a bow in your hair and white jeans and we walked in a beautiful fall day, we listened to live music and we got things from the various vendors and just had a great time relishing the fact that we were finally allowed to date. *when we got engaged. we went to downtown Chicago and had dinner at the John Hancock building and I think you wore a blue satin dress and blues high heel shoes strapped up your legs like an Egyptian. and then you brought clothes to change into after our fancy dinner. I borrowed a Porsche from the mcgowan's and we drove and walked all along Long Lake Shore Drive and navy pier and watched the firewords. then went to the church where we grew up at and I overwhelmed you with my love with a song and you had no choice but to say yes, I will spend the rest of my life with you. ;) *our honeymoon. it was great cruise and we must have looked like two 12 year old kids getting on a cruise by ourselves...that was awesome. but the honeymoon cruise...mmhmm, nuff said. MATT?!I'm recording this!  heck yes, you are...and these are MY favorite memories...the cruise is definitely on that list. *when Micah was born. that was pretty incredible...becoming a dad. *Lake Tahoe...our first "real" vacation as a family. *every year in California... *other favorite memories are giving you things for Christmas and your birthday. those are favorite memories, when I give you things that overwhelm you and then you cry because of how happy you are...yes, I think the true test of whether or not someone loves what you got them is if they cry. I guess those are a few favorite memories....

Describe m&m in your eyes.

Micah. *he looks softly over at micah in the airport while he reads.*micah is soft and he's kind hearted in a good way. he is super competitive. he is a know-it-all. :) he love's to laugh and loves to make other people feel really, really good about themselves. he is caring and strong. he is calculated and tentative when the situation calls for it...conscientious. and maddie? Maddie is beautiful.wait...is that recorder actually writing what I'm saying? what the crap?! totally just said crap on your interview...ha! *laughing as he says a few other choice words I am not putting on this post.* ;)okay, so she's beautiful. she's caring. she's very observant. she's inquisitive...she LOVES to ask questions and not a simple question she asks hard questions and she wants the real answers and can be somewhat stubborn if the answers don't suit for what she thinks the answer should be. she has a great smile. she loves to make people feel good. she has a hard time NOT thinking about other people's needs. she's very social she loves to make other people feel comfortable...she has no issue whatsoever going up to strangers, introducing herself and becoming their friend where-as Micah is far more reserved and private until he gets to know you and then he's making a fool of himself like crazy and acting like a junior higher.

Desribe yourself in 10 words.

I only have two words: totally. hot. Totes m'goats. Yup, your recorder got that right. ;)c'MON...pleeeease, just answer the question, sir...well, I guess I'll stay away from the physical stuff since you said this interview is rated pg... *sigh.*oh, ok...Christian. consistant. steady. faithful. stubborn. cocky. perceptive. caring. strong-willed. kind, when I want to be. selfish. and self-less by the grace of God.

What occupations have you had in life?

First time I ever worked was in my friends dad dry cleaners when I was 9 years old. first real job was at Fox Valley Bible Church setting up chairs and moving tables at 13. I worked at KB toy stores when I was 16 and I also worked at a bank when I was 16 I worked at Colonial, a restaurant chain ran by my father-in-law. I worked for myself or with my dad a lot over the years doing construction, carpentry work and finishing basements and homes. I spent a lot of time between 17 and 23 doing carpentry and construction working for different people...doing finish carpentry, framing carpentry, and construction. Then I began working for the church as a pastor in student ministries.

What lights you up on a daily basis?

Food. *really!?* fine, no...but really yes. ;)okay for real... my family. watching my kids grow and smile. my wife, especially when she's happy and smiling and wearing makeup.  at least you're honest. ;)sometimes I sing you light up my life or Lee summit in my head as I look at my wife across the room.  you seriously suck, matt driesbach.  okay for real, sometimes it Chicago's inspiration is the song that I sing *he then proceed's to sing to me*"...you're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration..."  next question, you suck. ;p

Guilty pleasures (food, tv, etc...)

I feel no guilt about my pleasure but if you're asking about my life that others might feel guilty about? I like half pound Reese's peanut butter cups. I love pizza and wings. I like watching golf all weekend long. I like playing really nice golf courses. I like guns and I don't really think you can have too many of them. I like shoes. and I do really love tools...it's hard for me to stay away from tools or buying tools that looks really cool and useful you don't have them. shirts. I think I'm going to have fun with shirts this year, I declare it's a new years resolution. :)

Favorite quote/bible verse?

Romans 5:8  "...but God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." favorite quote has changed over the years but one that I've I really like lately is from CS Lewis: "...if I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world..." another favorite quote is: “...it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. we are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased...” my last favorite quote is: "...second place is the just the first loser..."

Favorite song/band/music?

I like a lot of different styles of music...it's hard to pick favorites because I feel like the stuff that you're into changes rather quickly...um, I like a lot of worship music...but a lot of worship music is generic and somewhat irrelevant...but I like a lot of good stuff that has a good gospel theology in it and is very um, aggressive? I like song pop stuff. I like some dubstep. I like Selena Gomez. *proceeds to sing* "...love me like a love song baby..." I feel like that was the best song 2012. best song 2013 was um, I think a Katy Perry song...no, no Katy Perry for me...but I like that Daft Punk. um, I love the Foo Fighters...I really like John Mayer. I really like Jason Mraz...um, I really like The Beach Boys...I really like Tom Petty...I really like Sheryl Crow...m83. I really like muse and I'm sure there are others but that's plenty.

Where would you escape to if you could?

I don't know where exactly, but if money was no object I would want to place that was deep in the mountains with good hiking and to have a lot of four wheel drive trails and golf courses with a lake with a beach type area. it would be a somewhat remote area with lots of outdoor activities...just me with my family.

Are you ocd or chill? With what specifically?

Um, yes I am OCD and chill. it all depends on what subject is most people who know me would probably say I'm more OCD and picky then chill but not an uptight way. I'm pretty laid back but I do kinda believe that there is a right way to do most anything...anything worth doing is worth doing right.

Top three things you would buy in a bookstore?

Probably a book with great pictures about historic military weapons or something to that effect. a good either true story or biography - also military-related. and the third thing would probably be a good magazine either about guns, golf or working out. and as a bonus the last thing would be something about the economy or something more financially related.

Who have been the key influencers in your life? Why?

the greatest influence in my life is obviously my parents. I think most people would have to say that whether good or bad because the first influences that you have in life are your parents. even if you don't have parents and they are absent...it still makes a huge influence on your life. I was very fortunate to have parents who were and are very present and were both very good influences in my life and drove me towards Christ at an early age. the other huge influence in my life is and was, Tim Maughan. since I was probably 15 years old until now his influence is apparent...from how to be a man, to how to chase after God, to what it means to be a husband, to what it means to be a father, to how to pastor. yup, a huge influence. and if I'm being honest, jen? I would say on a daily basis you and the kids influence me greatly. as we do life, you guys challenge my selfishness and often bring to light the things I want to be better at and inspire me to be desire to lead better. Tom Schrader and Neil Pitchel have also both been people who are influential in my life as I've watched the way that they do ministry and how they live their lives.

Who/Where do you look for inspiration or motivation?

well, I would say first and foremost of Jesus Christ. the Bible, prayer, meditation. my family is inspirational and motivating me to be the man that I feel like God is called me to be. the people that I work with are incredible group of pastors and friends. I receive a ton of inspiration + motivation from them. many of my family members that know Jesus are inspiring to me. authors I find inspiring? Tim Keller is very inspiring me; CS Lewis is amazing. the reading of Theadore Roosevelt is inspiring to me; in LOTR's, Samwise Gamgee is inspirational as well as Aragorn. Wolverine and Batman are inspiring...the XMen and Marvel hero's, but not as much as Wolverine.*me rolling my eyes.* ;)