Sunday, February 12, 2012

15 Years of Marriage





Last week, my hubby and I celebrated 15 years of marriage.
WOW! I can't believe how fast time goes by, and how much we have been through! Two out of state moves, one big career change, five babies, and so much more.  Looking back on our time together, I can definitely call it adventurous!


Adventurous but not perfect.


There have been the good times and the bad. The "for better" or "for worse" moments.


The good times, where we've experienced the riches of marriage in the way God intended it to be. The bad times that have drawn us closer to God as we have worked out the wrinkles of our relationship.


So I'd like to share with you today a few things that I've learned and have helped me throughout the years of being married.  


Be your husbands biggest fan: Are you proud of your husband? Does he know that he can count on you to stand by his side?  When he looks down the sidelines, does he see you cheering him on? This takes many forms: Encouraging him, listening to what's on his mind, and reminding him that your standing besides him through thick and thin. 


Even during the times where I have not exactly been on board with decisions that my husband has chosen to make, I have tried to make sure that he's known that I believed in him anyway, regardless of the circumstances or outcome. He'll usually tell me that I'm a biased opinion because I love him.  SO remember, you're on the same team...cheer him on!


Do him good and not harm: Proverbs 31:12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.  Speaking bad about our husbands to others doesn't just harm our husbands, it can ruin marriages.  We should act and speak about our significant others remembering that our words have the power to bless or curse the one that God has made us one with. Are you always complaining and telling others about your husbands mishaps?  Putting him down in front of others, or talking back, are ways that we can be disrespectful towards our husbands. 


Mark 3:25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 
I always find it uncomfortable when a conversation turns to someone who is trashing their husband? What does one say? 


As a woman, I understand the need to speak out our feelings, but are we speaking it in its proper setting? Sitting with a trusted friend who will bring encouragement or help pray for the situation is different than just kicking up the dust for the sake of making the other person look bad and not desiring a solution.  


Love him unconditionally: As humans we will fail, so when our husbands mess up, so do we, if we point fingers and blame. Of course, this is the time when our husbands need us the most to just love them and forgive them. 
Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  
Marriage is one of the areas where we can demonstrate and live out this scripture daily following Jesus example. He gave it all for us when we were still enemies of God.  


I used to be really good at holding grudges.  I'd forgive but it would all resurface when the tension was high.  Through much prayer, God has freed me of that and now I can say that when I forgive, I let it go.  Not only has that made my relationship better but it has also set me free from living in bondage to bitter feelings.  


Pray for him:  It can really be this simple.  The most effective changes happen when we give our problems to the Lord and let Him work it out according to His good and perfect will.  Ladies, we are very shrewd.  We know how to manipulate situations and be three steps ahead of our husbands. But it doesn't always work, does it? Besides, its hard work to have to play out every scenario in our head and have a playbook for every situation we encounter! We like to think we're in control, but the bottom line is, we're not.   


I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was really good at this game, yet it never yielded the results in quite the way I wanted it too. It was when I discovered that God cares about every detail in our life and he understands us, that I began praying about these situations instead of taking matters into my own hands.  What I discovered was wonderful!  When it comes from God, it is He who convicts the heart and brings on change.  A change that is true and lasting.  Its not up to us, its up to God, so bring it too him and let Him work it out! It may not go our way but at the very least we can be confident in knowing that the Lord is directing in the way He feels is best.  


Ecclesiastes: 11:5
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.



Marriage is an invaluable gift, when we treat it as such. Cherish it, protect it, and nurture it.  May your marriage be blessed with love, full of understanding, and centered in Christ.


Linking up to:
time warp wife



  

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