Carey and Mindi: Be Gracious and Kind in All You Say and Do!

Today’s Featured Spouse Date Couple is Carey and Mindi Green.

Carey and Mindi married in 1989, almost 26 years ago. They have five children (a 24 year old son who is married and has two sons, a 21 year old daughter, a 19 year old daughter, a 15 year old son, and a 11 year old daughter). They live in the mountains of Colorado, about 2 hours west of Colorado Springs, where they wake up in awe every morning – their front windows look out over 14,000 ft. peaks. Mindi is a homemaker, wife, and lover of people who has always felt called to the role of wife and mother. Carey reports that she does a “stellar job and makes it look so easy – even though it’s the hardest job in the world.” Carey supports his family entirely by creating and running online businesses. The three that are closest to his heart are: Marriage and Family Coaching, Business Pastor and Transformational Coach, and Podcast Producer.  

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How did you first meet?

We had both transferred to Colorado Christian University the same semester and met at a campus Bible study one evening. That night everyone drew names from a bowl to see who their week-long prayer partner would be. I picked Mindi. God is so good. But strangely, even though we shared the intimacy of prayer for that entire week, we drifted into different circles the rest of the school year. It was later that year, the last week of school in fact, when we reconnected at the same campus Bible study and the sparks began to fly!

What was your first date? What encouraged you to keep dating?

That last week of school we began hanging out together between tests. We sat and talked, took walks, etc. I guess the first real “date” we went on was with a group of friends who were going to Chuck E Cheese. Really. Mindi’s mom had come to help her pack up to head home (Dallas) and didn’t want her to go. But she told her mom, “Mom, I’m going.” We had a great time. Later in the week I borrowed a friend’s rubber raft and took Mindi out on a local park lake around 10PM at night. We were in college. That explains it.

What was your most memorable date ever and what made it so outstanding?

Over 25 years we’ve had lots of great dates, but the greatest was probably just last year. For our anniversary we were given a stay at a bed and breakfast in a small town in Virginia an a day-long bike ride on the “Virginia Creeper” (no, it’s not a hairy old man). It’s an all-downhill bike ride that was totally a blast. We had a great time and enjoyed spending that time alone together. We love times to connect, just the two of us.

How do other people describe you as a couple?

You’d have to ask them… but I think most people would say we are God-loving, purity seeking, pure hearted people who seek to demonstrate Christ’s love for His church in the way we live together and interact. It’s always a challenge, but that’s our goal.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome as a couple and how has that shaped your marriage?  How would you advise another couple facing a similar thing?

Our biggest challenge took the form of estrangement we experienced with my wife’s extended family. It was very hard because everyone involved were believers and we were standing on different biblical perspectives. It was years… and it hurt Mindi tremendously. The counsel we’d give is this… make sure you’re clear before the LORD in the position you’re taking and that you’re gracious and kind in all you say and do. But don’t compromise what you think the LORD says is right in the situation. He will be faithful.

What marriage resources have helped your relationship the most?

The Bible is the main resources we’ve depended on. We are Christians before we are a couple – so everything in the Bible applies to us individually and to the relationship we share together. A lot of people make the mistake of only looking at the “marriage passages” when they hit marriage problems or challenges. But the entire Bible applies to our relationship and can guide us to unity and deeper love.

Tell us about an “Aha!” moment that you have had in your marriage and how that has helped you become a better spouse.

Our “Aha!” moments are like our challenges, they’ve come all the way through. There’s not one we can pick out to highlight except to say that as we’ve learned that each of us must know and apply the reality of Jesus Christ living in us, the better able we’ve been to live in harmony and walk in the LORD’s paths for us.

What is something you are most proud to have created together?

5 children who know and love Jesus.

What is one of the most inspiring or rewarding experiences you have ever had together?

We’ve been honored to walk alongside many couples in marriage intensive counseling and spiritual healing and have seen God do some amazing things. Those times are some of the most exhausting but also some of the most rewarding. God has done great things and we’ve been privileged to see it happen.

What would you do for a last minute date night together?

We just did that last night. We went out to eat and talked… and talked… and talked.