My Beloved Siestas,
Today is Keith’s and my twenty-ninth anniversary and my mind has been awhirl all day long. I wanted to share a few things that are on my heart because many of you are married and more than a handful of you could probably use some encouragement. I’ve had such a sweet day but, strangely, not with Keith. He’s out of town – yes, again – but don’t feel too sorry for me. I am a well-loved woman and he and I will celebrate plenty when he gets home. And, anyway, this is what I get for scheduling our wedding day during the best part of hunting season. I was with him out of town until last night and he’ll be home in a few days.
In many ways, it’s appropriate for me to occasionally spend my wedding anniversary alone with Jesus. After all, this day is as much about He and me as Keith and me. Two more messed up people have never converged into one household. Talk about the double portion of dysfunction. Neither one of us were strong people. Neither one of us had our head together. We absolutely did not have what it took. God alone did it. He required a whole lot out of us a whole lot of times but He alone could have empowered us to give it. The rest was just a stinkin’ miracle.
I think Jesus just wanted me to spend this day in deliberate grateful reflection about His part in my marriage. Conspicuously, none of the people I usually sit with were at church this morning. All my young girl friends were out of town and many of the families that I usually sit near were also in absentia today. I have many loved ones in that worship service so, certainly, I could have gotten up and taken a seat by any number of people but, by that time, I was onto what I believed God wanted from me. He wanted me all to Himself…and after I got it, I was tenderly flattered. I sat alone, worshipped alone, listened to the sermon alone, then had lunch alone. And, except for a few minutes when Melissa came by, have spent the day alone. But so very much un-alone. I had an invisible Date for my wedding anniversary. One who wanted to remind me that He’s the only reason why I’ll have a visible date in a few days (late). One gray at the temples and tan and weathered of skin, but just as handsome as the day I married him. And a whole lot sweeter. I like him better these days. He does me, too.
Some of the things God has taught Keith and me are not for public consumption. Others are meant to be shared. These are a handful of things God has helped us practice along the way that led up to this particular day:
*We try more often to live by the law of kindness. In the old days, we’d figure out one another’s weakness then aim that direction with arrows of harsh words on purpose. Most of the time these days, we avoid the targets that we know good and well are the other’s Achilles’ heel. We just don’t like to be mean much anymore.
*We snuggle a lot. We have a big, long couch in our den but a whole lot of times we sit in the leather chair that’s almost not big enough for one hind end. Let alone two. Or three when Beanie gets jealous.
*We still talk a lot – over coffee, walking dogs, or bubble baths – and try to be interested in the other one’s world even when we don’t get it one iota. When you have a mix like Beth the Librarian and Keith the Barbarian, you have to try extra hard.
*We’ve had to choose to put stuff behind us. We have had no few problems, no few differences, and no few conflicts and, if we wanted to keep a record of wrongs, we could have a list long enough to trip over for the rest of our lives. Neither one of us thinks highly of letting the other run all over us nor is either of us likely to keep an opinion to ourselves. We still fight. But then we get on with living and make a choice not keep punishing each other with yesterday’s stuff. Life’s too short and a house too small. You have to forgive – and be forgiven – a ton.
*We just keep going. This isn’t going to sound profound but it’s actually one of the biggest things God has used to turn a rocky start into twenty-nine years. We just kept getting through the night till the sun would come up and we’d made it another day. Before we knew it, the next anniversary rolled around. And we’d be so glad. And little by little, we just got happier and happier. Hard times have always come calling but so have good times. God just gave us the wherewithal not to quit before the next sweet season came. Oh, that He’d continue to.
I am so tender to those of you who have endured the pain of divorce and I plead with you not to let this entry invite you to destructive feelings of condemnation or failure. I know how hard marriage can be. I know what a miracle it takes at times and how willing both parties have to be to receive it. But, with your blessing and your security in Christ, I also need to be able to say to those who may be on the edge of giving up, please, I beg you, don’t. Just make it through the night and see the sun come up tomorrow morning from your knees. Fight your battles ferociously with your face to the floor. Give God time and room. Wives, quit being the husband. Fire yourself. Let God take it over. Get counseling if you need it – even if your man won’t – but don’t quit. Even if you don’t love him…or like him. Even if you hate him. God can soften a heart of granite if you’ll let Him. Wait it out a little longer. Laugh a little harder. Snuggle a little tighter. Love by faith. Not just by sight. As the Apostle Paul says, all that matters is faith expressing itself through love.
Yep. Some anniversaries are more about God and you than your spouse and you. Like this one. Gotta go. My cell phone’s ringing and it better be Keith.
Or he’s had it.
I guess I should have added that my husband’s side of the family had many long marriages also. Both sets of grandparents on his side were married for 50 and nearly 50 years and his mom and dad were married for over 45 years. I know they would have made it longer if they were still with us. Even though we have a long line of long marriages we still have to work SO hard at this thing and it would never work if we didn’t give it to God. Happy New Year and may we all live it for Him!
Happy Anniversary and Happy New Year!
How awesome that our true Bridegroom is Christ…or our marriages truly would not survive what they face each day. God bless you and your marriage for many more years to come Beth!
I cherish the marriage I am in and the man that God has so blessed me with. I know the sting of divorce and have learned from my mistakes to love better and to keep God first place in our marriage and my personal life. My husband blesses me with a spiritual weekend excersion once or twice a year so I can be alone with God and I cherish these so much. I am so in love with Jesus and it is my desire to love Him more in this new year. In loving Him more, I will love my husband more too!
My youngest daugther (from my first marriage) blessed me today with a comment. She was sitting on my husbands lap and I leaned down to kiss them both and she said “you too are so good together”. SWEET. I want our girls in our blended family to experience what a loving spiritual marraige is really like and God showed me it is working by blessing us with the words of an 8 year old!
Have a blessed new year!
in His Graces~Pamela
Holy Smokes Batman!! That is so stinkin awesome! My dear husband and I have been married for 14, almost 15, and let me just tell you that it has not always been easy!
I love that even in the difficult times, stress, and other junk that life throws at you though that you always have a constant, a best friend, your mate to be there with you through it all.
Kudos to you and Keith for standing up in the storm and being a light to so many others!
Love to see what God is doing trough you and your ministry!
Keep it going!
Melissa
I just love the alone with God times and how He uses them. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with us. I constantly struggle with my marriage and truly appreciate your “been there, done that” candidness.
Hugs!
Susan
Ahhh. I loved this blog. I just found your blog and it is so inspirational. I am a pastors wife and need all the encouragement you give. Thank You for your passion for Jesus and for sahring it with us! Much love ~Rachelle
Beth, God seems to use you so often to speak to me. I loved that you reminded me/actually opened my eyes to the fact of being lonely. I should be flattered that God wants me all to Himself. So many times, I get frustrated because my girlfriends are busy, the one man I’m crazy about usually isn’t available, and my family is so distant…sometimes I know that God wants me to depend on Him in those times, but I never saw it as Him wanting to be just with me! Thank you for your tenderness regarding those of us divorced. I was married to a non-believer who wasn’t willing to stick it out (more my fault for going against God’s Word in unequally yoked). I pray each day for the godly man that will choose me and my girls. Until then, thank you for the reminder to be flattered by God’s desire to have me to Himself.
Thank you for your willing example of God’s grace and mercy.
Happy New Year!
Melissa
Beth,
Like, many your post is timely.
In August, my husband filed for divorce. Despite my prayers and pleading, he seems resolute to finalize it.
I have been believing for a miracle for a long time.
Today, my husband is in Las Vegas with someone else.
My pastor and several men in my church are meeting with him regularly in an attempt to point him to faith. I am grateful.
Yesterday, I decided that it was the absolute last day that I could “stand” for my marriage. The hurt is sometimes overwhelming.
Your message gives me encouragement to continue to trust that God is in control and fighting for my marriage.
kelly
Dearest Beth: Oh how timely is your post! I have a special young friend, she is also a Pastor’s wife – married only 14 months – expecting a baby girl in the spring, and she is ready to give up on her marriage. She has even called a lawyer – oh it is a big old mess. I have encouraged and prayed – told her that God would rekindle her love and to just keep doing the right right until it eventually would be accompanied by the feelings.
You are so genuine and transparent. I love you so.
My sweet husband and I just celebrated 30 years of marriage. I love just saying that – I’m so very thankful.
I pray that 2008 brings great blessings to you and your husband and girls and son-in-law and grandboy. You are a delight!
Love from your siesta in Georgia,
Jan
Happy Anniversary sweet Beth! I loved reading this post. And I love hearing about your marriage and how God has worked in it. I’m SO glad that God breathed new life into your relationship. I loved the story from one of your Bible Studies when you had your bridal portrait redone – wasn’t that your 20th Anniversary?
Hearing you share about your marriage and your struggles at the beginning – even on your wedding day – have always touched my heart especially because I remember being at your beautiful wedding at SWBC 29 years ago! And how those of us just a tad younger than you were completely mesmerized by this fairy tale princess and her prince – or so it seemed to us! We didn’t think anything could be more perfect!
What a great reminder to realize that folks can hide a heap of hurt behind their smiles.
Hugs to you on your special day! As many before me have said, you are a blessing! Thanks for all you mean to those of us whom you touch through your teaching and ministry.
Linda
Beth,
I praise God for your boldness in this post today. Too many people in the world, even Christiandom, are encouraging struggling couples to divorce. I am a single, never married gal who found herself encouraging about a half dozen online girlfriends several years ago in their troubled marriages. I often asked God what He was up to and how He could use me to encourage them? Several of them, who are still married 5 years later, told me how much it meant to them that I kept pointing them to Scripture and the Truth that God was on their side and He would sustain them. No, I could not model for them what a Godly wife looked like, but I could point them to Him and encourage them to keep looking to Him and seek to be the woman He wanted them to be. I truly believed that He would sustain them and give them the strength to hang in there as they prayed for their mate.
I have divorced friends whom I love and do not condemn. But, I will always seek to encourage those who are married to seek Him and His desire for their life and marriage.
God bless you on your 29th anniversary!!
Beth,
Congratulations (a couple days late) on your 29th Anniversary! What an inspiration you and Keith are. The fact that God is smack dab in the middle of your marriage is awesome. I know He’s right there in mine, too. I just invited Him in a little late. We’ve been married for 38 years, and our relationship has definitely become more fruitful since I gave up all control to Him about 12 years ago. “Everything is possible with God!”
Patti
p.s. I’ve taken 5 of your Bible Studies and just love ’em!
I have just come across the blog site and was very moved by the two I have read. Beth you have such and annointing to speak it in a way that is tender and moving yet honestly invites you to want to fully understand the place you (Beth) come from which has enabled you to reach so many.
Dale and I have been married 32 1/2 years and yes there is much different, and that is how it should be; yet the thing that is constant is the being together and there were time (we took turns) where we weren’t sure we could do it, but also we were just as sure that we had no option, we said yes and we were in it for the long haul.
Dale’s parents see 58 years this September and my parents see 54, now how blessed is that! What it said to us was that no matter what, it can last, my parents grew up in war torn Europe and do not remember a home that wasn’t bombed. Some how though inspite of their trunks full of garbage, they have just had their 53rd anniversary Christmas Eve. No more two opposites could have been pulled together than my parents and yes I have to admit, so are we, Dale could not be more un-like me and any of the things I like to do and read or experience than I am from the things he enjoys yet we have this amazing heritage of longevity of married and we are humbled and blessed by their examples and now our three children are seeing us try to walk out marriage til death do us part in many ways not only for them but as well as for our two grandsons. One born Christmas Eve 2006 (One month early) and one June 28 2007. These little boys have the special blessings of great grand parents living on both sides of the family, What special little lads they are.
Thank you for saying it like it is and in doing that inspiring us all to be more transparent for those around us. May you and Keith have a wonderful 30th year as you choose to face it together.
Be Blessed
Beth…
Having experienced almost 33 years of marriage….a marriage only God could have put together and kept together…I can so relate to your anniv. blog! Congratulations! We should all celebrate anniversaries with greater joy than birthdays…they are much tougher to come by, aren’t they? I pray that God will always give you the strength to stay with it! Sheila
CONGRATS on 29 years!!! I was just telling my husband last night that it is completely by God’s grace that we have actual TRUE LOVE. You see.. ours was a relationship replete with sin. That God would be SO GOOD as to bless our union is truly beyond my comprehension. We will continue to live with consequences.. as will our children.. but oh my, what a mighty work He is doing in our lives! He IS restoring the years the locusts have eaten. I am on my face every morning before Him. He is unfathomable. I could relate to so much of what God has taught you and Keith. Thanks, as always, for sharing your heart.
I’m DESPERATE to see the pic of you in your wedding dress – the photo that you had done years later and that now hangs where the once prized deer head hung lol I loved how you interjected this into your Bible study I so want to be like you when I grow up!!!
Happy New Year!!
Happy Anniversary! (a few days late!)
I love how love grows with each passing year. We, too, have been through the rocky times, but we made it through and came out so much stronger. We’ve been married for 11 years now, and I am looking forward to the years ahead. I am so thankful for what the Lord has blessed me with.
Thanks for sharing this special day with us!
Dearest Beth,
Thank you for your post. It touched my heart.
I remember, early in my marriage when I was ready to walk out and NEVER look back, a precious sister in Christ said to me, “I want you to go outside on your porch, and pray and ask God to give you a supernatural love for your husband.”
I was so hurt. So very, very hurt at the time.
I told her “I can’t do that.” To which she responded, “Yes. You can.”
So, I went outside and through clenched teeth I almost screamed, “God! Give me a supernatural love for this jerk! It’s gotta come from you, God, because I’m ready to kill him!”
You know, God answered my prayer.
8 years, and 2 precious children later, we’re still together…and I love him second only to God. I can’t begin to imagine my life without him.
It’s been BRUTAL at times. The first 5 years of our marriage, he was lost, and I a new believer.
God is so faithful, though. He brought my husband to salvation, and grew me up in the meantime.
I echo your encouragement…wives, don’t give up. And remember, when you place yourself under your rightful authority (submit to your husband, even when you don’t want to)…you’re doing it as unto the Lord, and He will honor your decision.
Thanks, Beth. God is so precious through you! 🙂
Much love..
Jes
AND…do the right thing(especially when we don’t feel like it) because it honors God. When our spouses irk us, an honorable response pleases God and shows that we love Him (even if we don’t like our spouse). 🙂 Took me 20 years to learn this one.
Congrats on 29! My husband and I just celebrated 10 on Dec 20th. Yep, another anniversary right in the middle of the busiest time of the year. I love it, though, because it forces us to slow down and take time for us…even if it’s just a night out without the kids. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I married my favorite person during that holiday season. Couldn’t be more perfect.
Robyn
Oh Beth. Oh thank you. Tears streaming down my face…. I will never forget these words, for they may be the difference between 5 years (now) and 29 years for me and my hubby. Thank you for listening when The Lord tells you exactly what to say to speak DIRECTLY to MY HEART.
Congrats and God Blessed.
beth-29yrs…that’s fabulous! my husband & i have 18yrs come sunday yes, that is a fabulous GOD!!!.
lovin life in Him-lisa
lights from the crab boats are bobbing tonight.
Beth,
Congratulations on your & Keith’s 29th anniversary..My hubby & I will celebrate our 44th on the 4th of January–we were just babies when we got married!! Really had no idea what we were in for but I did know enough to tell him that I would not marry him UNLESS he would go to church with me–you see, I had been raised “in church” and he hadn’t; however I do believe he actually had an easier time with being “christian” than I did…I had to “undo” a lot of unchristian ways and learn about a loving father who loved me unconditionally; although my natural father loved me as well as my mother and brought all 12 of “us children” up in the church and instilled in us the importance of loving God FIRST….
My hubby and I are closer today than when we married…we fought like cats & dogs for years!! We did manage to raise 2 wonderful children–IN CHURCH–and now we are crazy over our 2 grandchildren, age 11 & 8….God has given us so many blessings and I must say: there is nothing like those little arms around your shoulders telling you “you’re the best grandma & grandpa in the world”….May God continue to bless you and all your family as you have blessed all of us..
Nancy
Congratulations on 29 years! That is wonderful! I am reading a book called Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. I would recommend it to anyone. The premise is “what if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” What I’ve learned in 25 years of marriage is that the more holy we become, the happier we are. Have a great week! Love, Shannon
Dearest Beth!
On the 9th of January my husband and I will celebrate 15 years together! And I do love him more today than the day we married. The last two years have been especially hard and we have come very close to calling it quits…but by the grace of our loving God we are still standing together! And we are happier today than we have even been. No it is not easier than it’s even been…but we’re moving past the petty stuff and focusing where it needs to be! Thank God!
You are a constant blessing in my life and I so appreciate every post. I know God puts them there for me some days!
Blessings to you and your hubby!
Love,
Donna
Congratulations on 29 years of marriage. I know it’s easier said than done. I’ve been the only one fighting for my marriage for years. We are like oil and water and we have four kids. I feel so alone and I do hate him and do not like him one bit right now. I feel like I’m fighting an up hill battle. He’s not saved I am . He cuts me down every chance He gets and lies to me constantly. But because I got four kids and have to finish Nursing school I’m stuck cause I need His help with the kids. But know I’m dying inside . I’ve went to counseling with the pastors at church. I just want the Lord to give me a direct answer what to do. I respect you so much for sticking it out with your Husband. I think we have everyone beat on the dysfuntional part neither one of us knows how to act like a wife or husband. With tears in my eyes cause we just got into another knock down drag out fight. Let’s just say the walls are totally up and IT WOULD TAKE A TOTAL MIRACLE FOR ME TO STAY AFTER I GET OUT OF SCHOOL.
HE REFUSES TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO OTHER THANK GO TO WORK AND SIT ON THE COMPUTER AND PLAY LORD OF THE RINGS FOR HOURS UPON HOURS.
One question Lord if you Love me so much How can you expect me to live like this . God I’m hurting so bad inside .
I’m sorry I guess if you want to delete this go ahead but please just pray for me to have the strength to obey the Lord and listen for him to answer me.
Nothing has brought me closer to my Jesus than my marriage to my husband.
I so desperately needed to hear this today. Thank you for your obedience to share God’s TRUTH and making it louder than Satan’s LIES.
Beth, My husband & I celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary on 12/20. It’s a miracle! The girls at work knew it was my anniversary & when they asked “how many?”, I laughed & I said I couldn’t believe it was 38 years because we so should have been a casualty. I was able to share that God changed us – when I didn’t even think I needed changing! I wouldn’t take anything for these last wonderful years! We would have missed so much if we had given up like I wanted to so many times.
Haha. Oh, thank you Mrs. Moore for sharing that! God bless you and Keith’s marriage.
Stephanie
I can’t tell you how much your marriage encourages me in mine. I always thought Josh and I were the two most messed up people to ever get together. We’ve also had to work very hard to stay together. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost walked out. At first it was only me really trying, but now he’s working on a few things, too. And most days he’s nothing but absolutely adorable. It’s a good thing, too, cause otherwise I might just kill him. We’re still working on a lot, but we’re a whole lot better than we were. We also aren’t nearly as mean to each other any more. We’ve only been married for 10 1/2 years, but that is even a miracle. congratulations on 29 years!
Beth – I needed this. My man and I have been married for 35 years – 34 of which he has lied to me and 25 of which he has verbally abused me. I have separated from him on 3 occasions, the last of which was at 19 years. The Lord made it clear each time that He wanted me to remain married to my husband. Divorce for me was not an option. In the last year the Lord has done an amazing work in my husband and our relationship. My husband has begged forgiveness from his God and me. I have willingly forgiven all that is past and started anew with my husband. However, the problem is after all of the “bad” years I don’t love my husband anymore and I find it very hard to trust him completely. My husband is not aware of this – I’m good at going through the motions. I will obey God no matter what. Every New Year’s Eve I’m just reminded that here comes another year of living with a man I don’t love. I thank God for you and your ministry.
Thank you Beth. I needed to read that today. God bless you and your man and 29 years!
Beth,
God gave me a “hug of love” through this post when I linked to it through another blog. My husband and I just celebrated 7 years last Sunday. We serve in another country and this week has been one of the hardest of our lives, mainly dealing with ministry issues. On the night I read this, these issues were adding great stress to our marriage and I was reacting emotionally and feeling hopeless. As I read this, I KNEW God was speaking to me through it and saying “I love you and I will make a way through all this…don’t give up” THANK YOU for being real and reminding me of our HOPE on a night I was at the bottom. I spent time reading much of this blog- it was a breath of fresh air and encouraging to see the amazing ways God is working through a person whom He has made TRULY beautiful (At the time I was feeling anything but beautiful and yet I left with hope…because you allow us to know you struggle too- Thank YOU!!)
As my spouse and I approach the 25 year mark this year, I’m really, really struggling. I pray every day that I’m filled with love for him. And when I’m not, I pray for the strength to be faithful in my walk with God and to be committed to my marriage. I totally believe that loving is a choice, a decision and I WANT to love him, I try to love him. I’m just not loving him so much these days. How can this be? Why can this be? The very “d” word sends chills down my spine. I don’t want that. I just don’t know how to keep going, day after day, like this. I do look forward to the end of the day, most days, just so that the day is over and I pray that the next is better. Thank you for sharing some of your marriage with us. It does help me to keep going.
It is my 18th wedding anniversary tomorrow. It is definitely a day to celebrate. I celebrate the perserverance of us both. I celebrate the relationship that I have with God as a result of this marriage.
But I do not celebrate the current “state” of our marriage. I want to conjure up some warm, gushy feelings over it, but I just can’t.
I will be in prayer today asking God to give me what I cannot give on my own.
I DO love my husband and more times that not, I even like him. But boy, have I ever hated him at times. Even after all these years I still struggle with what I thought a marriage relationship SHOULD be vs. what it IS.
God and I have a lot of talking to do today.
He IS enough for me. He IS all I need.
I will choose the freedom to love over the temptation of self preservation.
Congratu;ations Beth on 29 years. My husband and I will be married 37 years this coming May and you are so right… you just need to day by day, sometimes second by second trust God. Like you and Keith God brought two very unlikely people together and He has worked miracles in our lives.
Thank you for your encouragement always and for your teaching.
I am facilitating the study of the Patriachs at my church right now for a wonderful group of 8 women and we are all enjoying it and feeling very blessed.
May God continue His good work in your marriage and in your life.
Beth,
I finally read this post, I’ve been falling a little behind. But what a joy to read. You the Librarian and Keith the Barbarian -you had both me and my barbarian laughing. May God continue to give you both the victory and may your love continue to grow. We are all blessed by your relationship. Thank you. And happy anniversary.
Beth, thank you for your heartfelt comment on marriage. We are only 8 years into it, just babies, but we have come so far. That is our attitude, you just keep going, because you have to. Yes, it’s been rough, horrible at times, I am a believer, he is not…, but God has given us both the desire to be here together and we can still say that we love each other, and in our book that beats a lot. Thanks, I love your blog site and our churh in Portland Oregon has done most of your studies. God has given you an awesome gift. Blessings!
Beth,
I love to read what you write! Our 27th anniversary was December 27th, and everything you wrote was perfect. I wouldn’t change a word.
Thank you for having the remarkable talent of putting our lives into readable truths.
I love you.
Dear Beth,
Thank you for you wonderful words. They are so encouraging and just what I needed to hear. Though I’ve been married for 7 years, I still sometimes feel like a newlywed trying to figure this whole thing out. But the Lord has given me the most committed man–not perfect, not even close but committed to our marriage. He presses on so that someday we can look back like you and say that we’ve been there and done that, and now we’re in a better place. I can’t wait! Thanks for encouraging me that the better place down the road and we’ll be there someday! I love you to pieces!
Congratulations Beth on 29 years of marriage! God is so good even through our insecurities and shortcomings to allow our marriages to thrive and be used for His Glory. I’m still practically a newlywed (2.5 years) but thank God every day for the love of my life. I had to wait a mighty long time for him (I was 36) but God knew what He was doing. Vonda
Thank you for your post, for the much needed words of encouragement. My husband and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary on the same day as yours. It has been a long and rocky 8 years but we just keep on through the hard times, savor the good times, and praise God daily for helping us through each step.
Dear sister Beth, What a joy to find you have a blog! My name is Hannah, I’m 16 and will check often for updates. Congradulations on so many years of marriage! I pray these next years will be even more blessed than the prvious ones.
Blessings,
Hannah
Ps. My Bible study group will be sending you a picture and some letters soon. Lord willing you’ll get them. 🙂
Congratulations on your 29 years of marriage! What a blessing this post is! My husband and I will celebrate our 11th anniversary on Jan 31, so this post brought about much reflection on my part. As everyone does we have had our share of hard times. Some much harder than others! The hardest of which was infertility and then the loss of 2 babies, but God had a plan. All of the trials have brought us so much closer, both to each other, and more importantly…to God. 19 months ago we were blessed with a perfect baby boy, and in a couple of months our baby girl is due. Where there once was barely hope of one baby, now God is blessing us with yet another. My husband and I just look at each other through tear filled eyes so often as we thank Him for His blessings. God is so Good!!
Bless you! And I hope you finally got a wonderful anniversary celebration with your husband. One that was almost as good as the one spent with your Savior…
I’m not sure if you will get this as I am commenting on an old post. I just was so touched by what you wrote.
I feel like God has given me a new husband and a new marriage. My husband, no doubt feels like he has a new wife. And like you said, it was very hard, but at the same time only the power of God could have brought about all the change that we so desperately needed.
I’m so thankful that He is a breakthrough God. I remember walking early one morning crying out to Him to change our marriage…when He did I was so surprised..then I realized how silly it was of me to be surprised that He would answer my prayer in such an amazing and unexpected way.
There is so much more to our story, but I suppossed I have gone on long enough.
Thank you for pouring out what God has poured into you.
-Katie
I’m completely late in commenting to this blog.
First of all, congratulations! That’s so wonderful.
Secondly, you are such an inspiration to me.
I’m still single, but in a time where divorce happens almost every time I turn around, I went through a season where I kept thinking “What’s the use of getting married when you end up divorced 20 yrs. later?”.
But your story shows me that there is hope and that there really are marriages that make it.
WOW! 276 comments! This post was referenced on a blog I ran across (was it maybe BooMamas?) Anyways, it brought tears to my eyes and inspiration to my heart. Thank you for your honesty and encouragement. I’m a Christian woman married to a non-believer, and as our family is ever expanding, it’s become even more difficult for me. Every ounce of my being desires for my children to know the Lord, you know? Thank you so much for the reminder to remain in faith. Our God is good.
P.S. Congratulations on your anniversary! OH! I spend every anniversary on hunting trips too! How dare me, I planned our wedding on opening day of dove hunting season… But this year I, too, will be forfeiting the lovely hunting trip. I like your idea, to spend the day “alone” with God. That’s probably just what I need!
Beth,
I reponding to this over two years after you posted. You have such God given insight and the transparency to share with women in need..your testimony and day to day struggles are life giving! Thank you for telling me to let go and let God and stop being the husband…I am married 29 years now and don't want the bitterness to grow. I did hate and despise my husband, I did threaten divorce, leaving (I am self sufficient) but he truth is I do love him. However I cannot express to him all the time (intimate times yes) but the day to day I struggle, unable to be affectionate because I;m afraid I might justify his role. He good & very loving but a very poor provider and manager of finances. Hence I often take the responsibility and depise him and only God knows my sruggle. I do not really share this with anyone cause I am embarassed and ashamed. Staying and beleiving that God will…
Thanks for listening…
Ann
New York