BIG SPRING, Texas — Dads can be goofy especially when they dress up in costumes to surprise their children. That's what Mark Lindsey did when his daughters were young. Although they're all grown up, he still has someone else to surprise when he's in costume. That's his wife.
Mark Lindsey has been a pastor at First Baptist Church in Big Spring for 11 years. But for 39 years, his wife Sherry has always been by his side.
"It's our faith in Jesus," said Sherry. "If we love Him first, well then we can't help but love each other."
Mark's favorite scripture is Isaiah 41:10. It's one that he says he lives by.
"That's what encourages me through every day," said Mark. "God allows me to use that to encourage others."
Encouraging others is what Mark knows best. Even if that means wearing a different type of attire when he's picking his wife up at the airport.
"I looked around and see him dress as a chauffeur at attention and they [church staff] are laughing and I'm shaking my head," said Sherry. "This is so typical of him."
Sherry and three members of the church spent three days at a missions conference in Atlanta, Georgia. When they landed back in Midland, they had their own familiar chauffeur waiting for them outside.
The church members quickly pulled out their phones to record their chauffeur. The Lindseys didn't realize the video would go viral and initially shared it for family and friends.
"The fact that picked up and struck a cord with folks is kind of amazing to us," said Sherry.
With white gloves, suited from head to toe and topped with a driver's cap, Chauffeur Mark even supplied the ladies with essentials for a relaxing drive home. He gave each of them a rose, a card, lotion, blankets, pillows and an eye mask for the ultimate relaxation. Sherry said Mark even set the mood with soft music playing in the truck.
"I thought they may want to rest on the way back so I told them for the next 45 minutes, you just relax and enjoy your trip back home but none of them went to sleep," said Mark.
The video received over 4,000 views, showing the world not just a husband with a sense of humor, but a type of love, that Mark calls unconditional.
"If we can love on people in different ways and let them know we're loved, that's what this is all about," said Mark.
This was just another day for Sherry, but another reminder to the loving man she married.
"Greeting us as a chauffeur was a way of encouraging them and he loves to make people feel special," said Sherry.
Those smiles and memories to last, Mark says it's all to Sherry for being his drive.
"It's always been her," he said. "It's always been her that gives me the strength and ability and I couldn't do what I do without her."
Both call themselves a good team that shows laughter, appreciation and love comes from the heart but also from up above.
"Often times, we don't express love to people whether or not they are loving and kind to us," said Mark. "This is just one way we show that and hopefully let God's love be expressed in those ways."