Today, my fiancée, Alyssa Graham (soon-to-be Poblete, woohoo!), turns 24. She is the most obvious example of God's grace in my life. Anyone who knows us will vouch for that.

In honor of this big day, I felt compelled to offer 24 reasons I'm head over heels in love with her. Here they are:

1. She loves Jesus. Don't believe me? Read these.
2. She loves me. Don't believe me? Yeah, I wouldn't either. But it's true. In fact, she tells me time and time again, and it blows my mind every time I hear it.
3. She's gracious. She knows my flaws and failings—the many areas I clearly fall short—and yet, she still loves me. It's grace through and through.
4. She loves the Church (big 'c').
5. She loves the church (little 'c'). Several months before Alyssa and I started dating/courting/dourting, she was a bona fide church-hopper. In the last couple years, she has grown in her love and appreciation for the local church—a complete 180. Luhh that.
6. She loves her family immensely.
7. She loves my family, and my family loves her.
8. My sister loves her and is one of her best friends. In fact, Alyssa was the maid of honor in Cami's wedding, and Cami will be matron of honor in ours. Since my sister and I are close, I am absolutely thrilled by this.
9. She does not waste her friendships. She prays over her friends daily and seeks intentional discipleship with them. Where her ladies at?!  - they'll tell you.
10. Alyssa is a servant. She is servant-hearted to the bone, putting others' needs before her own. Just ask our friends, her family, our church. She often serves behind the scenes, an unsung hero in many different ways.
11. She doesn't seek attention for herself, but wants her life, and our marriage, to be the sweet aroma of Christ to the world around us.
12. She is a God-fearing woman in all the right kinds of ways.
13. She is stunningly beautiful from the inside out, donning the imperishable beauty of a gentle spirit.
14. She is trustworthy and a woman of character.
15. With each new day, she hates sin more and more and loves the gospel all the more because of it.
16. She doesn't make excuses, and when she discerns her own sins against me, she is quick to ask for forgiveness.
17. She is even quicker to forgive me of mine, even when I make excuses.
18. She is more concerned about our holiness than she is about our happiness. She desires long-withstanding faithfulness more than momentary pleasures.
19. She is a hard worker, living with resolve and a don't-waste-your-life mentality. And when she knows her week's schedule is going to be over-the-top insane (which is every week for the last few months), she rests in the strength of the Lord and labors with joy.
20. She is a student of the Word and fights diligently for quality time with the Lord—to sit in, meditate upon, wrestle with, and feed on the truths of Scripture.
21. She is a champion and contender for complementarian relationships.
22. She wants to adopt one day. We believe that Scripture calls the Church to care for orphans in need. Together, we've called dibs on that and look forward to adopting a child into our family one day.
23. She loves to pray. We pray together each night—over the phone or in person—and I love the way she prays. She is a woman of great faith.
24. She is a wonderful helper and encourager, always asking how she can better serve, support, and pray for me. God faithfully works through her to sharpen me, and I'm a better man because of it.

I'm starting to wish she were older so I could write even more about this amazing woman in my life. The list could surely go on and on, so let's do this...

What about you? Do you know Alyssa? If you do, tell me what you appreciate about this lovely fiancée of mine. Leave it in the comments below.

And to Alyssa - here's looking at you, love. Happy Birthday! I love you and cannot wait to marry you. I'm thanking my God for you today. I am truly blessed.