On Nov. 21, 2026, Billy Joe and Kerri Calvert will celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary. These high school sweethearts have a love that has stood the test of time. Their commitment to each other, along with their faith, has brought them through the wonderful and tumultuous experiences of doing life together. Their bond has been refined from the puppy love days of youth to the deep, joyous love of long-time best friends and spouses.
The Calvert’s relationship began in a Kroger parking lot in Shelbyville, a popular hangout spot for teens in the 1990s. Billy Joe had no idea that his best friend would introduce him to Kerri, changing his life forever.
“Clearly she was and still is the most beautiful person I know,” Billy Joe said. “As we spent more time together, I realized that her beauty went much further than skin deep.”
He admired her quiet sincerity and deep commitment to those around her. Kerri felt his adoration instantly.
“What drew me to Billy Joe as a teenager was the way that he looked at me,” Kerri said. “I felt a connection to him the first time he spoke to me.”
The couple began dating on Feb. 6, 1998, a date they still call “our day.” They were very much in love, but soon faced an unexpected challenge: Kerri became pregnant during her senior year of high school. The day Billy Joe found out, they had spent the afternoon picking up his college textbooks in Murfreesboro. He proposed right then; they both agreed it was the right choice.
They married on Nov. 21, 1998, at First Baptist Church in Normandy when Billy Joe was 18, and Kerri was 17. Although her senior year plans had changed, Kerri rose to the challenge and got her diploma as she prepared to be a mother.
“I continued going to school right up until the day before I was to be induced,” Kerri said. “I had to complete the remaining weeks of my school year as a homebound student, but I graduated with honors and was able to walk at my graduation ceremony.”
Balancing being a wife, mother, part-time employee, and high school student was overwhelming, and Kerri recalled moments of wishing she could go back to being a care-free student. But the couple’s strong love for each other and for their baby, a little boy they named Hunter, carried them through.
“The love I felt from Billy Joe reassured me that he would always be there for our family,” Kerri said.
These early days were tough financially, and Billy Joe remembers feeling like nothing he was doing was enough. But it was in that moment of internal struggle that he made a life-changing decision.
“I got out of bed and on my knees. There, for the first time in my life, I completely surrendered myself and my life to the Lord Jesus Christ,” Billy Joe said. “Now, for the first time, Christ was not only the Lord of my life, but He was also the center of our home. This commitment to drawing closer to Christ naturally led to us drawing closer to one another. He has been the strength and security of our marriage and family ever since.”
Their faith became the foundation of everything they did. Around the age of 23, Billy Joe began to feel called to ministry. That calling was affirmed when his pastor asked if he had ever considered becoming a minister. This was a surprise to Kerri, who was initially unsure about being a pastor’s wife, but she said the Holy Spirit convinced her that this was truly God’s plan for them both.
Billy Joe became licensed to preach in December 2004 and became pastor of First Baptist Church Normandy in October 2006. In February 2016, he became the pastor of Wartrace Baptist Church, where he and Kerri continue to serve today. They also serve Cascade Elementary School through volunteering, mentoring, giving, and whatever is needed.
Their family has grown to include four children. Hunter, now a civil engineer, and his wife, Jacey, recently welcomed their fourth child, giving Billy Joe and Kerri three granddaughters and their first grandson. Their son, Ethan, and his wife, Carmen, are both school teachers. Kylie, their daughter, works in special education and is married to Ryan, an electrician. Their youngest child, Brayden, was adopted in 2014.
“I don’t think I have ever understood the beauty of our adoption into the family of God through salvation in Jesus Christ more than I have through our adoption journey,” Billy Joe reflects. “Adoption is not easy, but it is worth the effort and sacrifices made to display a love that chooses to love even in the mess.”
Kerri agreed. “It has reaffirmed for me that family isn’t only blood. It’s those who are there for you and love you no matter what,” she said.
This definition of “family” also applies to the Calverts’ connection to their church communities. Kerri said having the support of strong couples in the church was instrumental in those early years. She is also grateful for her own parents and Billy Joe’s parents, who exemplified the importance of staying strong in marriage through thick and thin.
Billy Joe and Kerri Calvert said the key to a long-lasting, fulfilling marriage like theirs is keeping the faith.
“Make Christ the center of it all,” Billy Joe said. “Alongside that, we have always placed a great deal of importance on having meals together around the table without distractions.”
Faith, family, and intentional connection are synonymous with the Calverts. GN
