On March 18th, we celebrated our 52nd anniversary. And to that, we are saying, YAY GOD!!! He deserves all of the glory! We wouldn’t be celebrating if it wasn’t for His mercy, grace, and steerage.
It’s due to Him that the celebrating continues to this present day. We mentioned “I do” all these years in the past, and we nonetheless say, “I do” to this present day, and on a daily basis, we’re gifted with.
We’re fortunately celebrating a life lived nicely collectively. It has been and IS fairly a journey. And prayerfully, if the Lord permits, we can have many extra years collectively to reside and particularly to like.
The Celebrating Continues
As Steve and I look again and replicate, we have realized A LOT! One of the many largest issues we’ve realized is to grow to be college students of one another, and college students of marriage lived out God’s approach rather than our pre-conceived concepts of what marriage ought to appear like (which just about led us to divorce.)
And, regardless that we’ve realized A LOT, we nonetheless don’t have a “good” marriage. (Truly, I’m unsure what “good” can appear like when two sinners get together.) However, I can inform you that we’ve lived our lives nicely. It’s not simply what you’ve lived by way of, but what you’ve realized by way of that’s vital. And we’ve realized by way of A LOT!
With that mentioned, Steve and I decided to share with you a number of issues we’ve realized. We’re hoping you will find them useful. Steve says, “Girls first,” so right here goes.
Within the article, How to Enjoy a Lifelong Love Affair with Your Spouse, 2 glorious factors (amongst many) were given that summarize what we’ve realized and apply to our personal marriage. One in each of them is:
Transfer past the small story to the better story.
Acknowledge that your marriage is about way more than simply the small story of you and your partner sharing your lives collectively. It’s a few a lot bigger story of the nice work God needs to do by way of each of you in your marriage. Your marriage is a covenantal relationship. It’s one that may present everybody who is aware of you what God’s love appears to be like like in motion.
When Steve and I spotted this vital level of marriage, our entire relationship and the way we handled one another started to alter, in a constructive approach. This factor, referred to as marriage, isn’t a lot about us. It’s about God and HIS story. That is God’s story that He needs to jot down by way of us in how we reside in our lives collectively. We’re to be “imitators of God, as beloved youngsters and stroll in love, as Christ beloved us and gave Himself up for us.” (Ephesians 5:1). That’s our continuous aim. Could we always remember that?
Right here’s one other level that Whitney makes, which God confirmed us as nicely, and our marriage has by no means been identical (in a WONDERFUL but difficult approach):
Pursue God’s dream on your marriage.
God’s nice dream on your marriage is for it to replicate you and your partner’s relationships with Jesus. He needs you to indicate the individuals round you the way real love and dedication ought to work. When it does so, your marriage can have nice energy to encourage individuals. And it’ll draw them nearer to God. So view your marriage from God’s perspective: as a present that may bless not simply you and your partner, however others as nicely.
Once more, this can be a continuous aim and prayer for Steve and me. We pray our lives will replicate and reveal the center of Christ in all we do, particularly in our marriage.
It’s additionally one of many explanations why Marriage Missions got here into being. It’s to share God’s “better story” with others, regarding marriage. And it’s to “encourage individuals and draw them nearer to God.” It’s our prayer that as others see us, they see Christ and wish to know our God higher.
Some See It In another way.
Sure, we all know some reply to the alternative approach. (We get their emails and feedback; a few of them are very vile.) However, that was and is true for Christ and how individuals obtain what He has mentioned to them. So, we attempt not to take it personally. We’re in a GREAT firm! However the overwhelming majority of responses are so constructive. God is working by way of atypical individuals in ways in which we will solely stand again and say, “That’s actually AMAZING!!!” Thanks, Lord!
Right here’s what Steve needs to share with you regarding what he has realized about marriage.
STEVE:
The best lesson I’ve realized in our marriage is that marriage is for “grownups.” I do know that needs to be apparent, but it surely was not for me, and it isn’t for lots of people. For a few years of our married life collectively I acted like an adolescent. I used to be an egocentric, self-centered, “marriage is all about ME” husband. It’s not that I by no means “gave” in our marriage. However, I used to be undoubtedly extra fascinated about what I may “get” from the connection.
Now, I can’t inform you of the day that I had an epiphany. However, I ultimately woke as much as I saw that I hadn’t been exhibiting like Cindy “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” That’s God’s mandate to husbands, and I forgot that. After waking as much as my sin, I requested God to indicate I give like to Cindy as “Christ beloved the church.” Fortunately, He started to divulge to me other ways I may exhibit or “be Jesus” to her. It has been a really fulfilling journey.
Celebrating Continues as God Teaches the Right Way to Love
Over the course of time, I started to essentially cherish Cindy as my spouse, associate, finest pal, and lover. I thank God a number of instances on a daily basis that she is my spouse. She is the girl He needs me to like as He does. Additionally, I aim to “super-serve” her on a daily basis. In other phrases, I wish to make our marriage more about giving rather than getting.
I can’t start to inform you how joyful I am that I had that awakening. Our marriage is now so full and wealthy! I’m additionally grateful that I obeyed God’s name on my life as her husband. If I hadn’t, I’d have missed His “finest” for me (and for us) in our marriage. Husbands, I pray you get so far in your marriage, too!
Oh, and if you need some good suggestions for celebrating your anniversary, beneath is an enjoyable article we advocate you learn. Scott Kedersha provides some nice suggestions so the celebrating continues in your marriage as nicely. We encourage you to hope, learn, glean, and see what you possibly can adapt to your marriage:
That’s what we did. And it was enjoyable and so significant!
In Closing
One in each of our pals despatched us a significant anniversary card; in it, the next scripture was highlighted. It’s SO acceptable as we rejoice in our marriage:
“Now these three stay: religion, hope, and love—the best of those is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
To that, we are saying, Sure Lord! Could we always remember! And will you all the time bear in mind this, as nicely.
So, as we go off celebrating into the week and loving one another all of the extra, the next involves thoughts:
“I’ll sing the LORD’s reward, for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:6)
Sure, He has been good to us, so very, excellent —by way of powerful instances and enjoyable ones.
We pray that your expertise in your marriage shall be as you lean into the Lord and nearer to one another. Could the celebration proceed?
Cindy and Steve Wright