Today Hubby and I celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss! An entire decade! Just 4 more decades to go till our Golden Anniversary! As I look back over the years, I am truly amazed at God’s glory. We have been through some TOUGH times in our 10 years together, some really tough times. Yet as I look back at our journey, it is so obvious that God was with us every step of the way.
Sometimes I just sit in awe as I look back at all we’ve gone through.
The year before we got married was actually one of the hardest. 6 months before our wedding my dad passed away. The same day, Hubby’s grandfather had a life-altering stroke. We literally drove from the funeral home after my dad’s funeral to the hospital to see his grandfather. It was a very hard day. That year we also dealt with months of unemployment due to companies shutting down, 9-11, and my aunt died a month before the wedding.
Needless to say, we were ready to say goodbye to 2001, and hello to 2002!
The trials didn’t stop though. We went through much more in the past 10 years.
More death of family. Divorces of both family & friends. Illnesses. Unemployment. Major surgery. Infertility. Building a house. A miracle baby! A child with special needs. Serious financial struggles. Lots of Ramen & beans. More major surgery. Early Menopause (& a very patient hubby!). Foster Parenting. Adoption promises broken. A car totaled. Being separated for 4 months while Hubby worked in another country. More unemployment. New jobs. New dreams. Lost dreams. Hearing a huge, crazy call from the Lord – and answering it. Becoming a military family. Deployment.
I know many couples whose marriage has ended after dealing with just one of the things we’ve experienced, yet not once has our marriage been threatened (just our sanity!). Not once have we ever discussed divorce, or even fought hard enough to consider it. There has been no infidelity of any sort, and I can honestly say that I have not once been tempted in that area.
This is not our own doing! I am human. I am weak. I am sinful. I do not boast of my own strength, but of the amazing strength of Jesus Christ! I shudder to think about where we would be if Hubby and I had not been leaning on the Lord for the duration of our marriage.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Cor 12:9)
Right after we got married, we started attending a Sunday School class at our church. The name of the class was called “3 Strands Woven”. That class was a true God-send in many ways. We made friends in that class that are to this day some of our dearest and closest friends. Men who have walked with my husband through our life, strengthening his faith and encouraging him as he leads our family. Women who have helped me to grow as a wife, a mom, a disciple of Christ and a leader of women.
The theme of the class was modeled after a verse in the book of Ecclesiastes.
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecc 4:12)
God is that 3rd strand in our marriage and we have made that a priority since the day we said our vows. He is the one that holds us together. Some days we are in a circle, each holding each others’ hands. Other days, God has me in one hand and Hubby in the other just holding on to us and keeping us from falling until we can reach each other again.
It hasn’t all been easy, but I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it for anything. We’ve learned a lot along the way, we have grown as individuals and as a couple through each and every trial and celebration that we’ve been through. When those hard times come – and they will – you can choose to let them tear you down or you can let them refine you into something stronger. Even pure silver first has to go through the fire in order to remove the impurities, but it’s so worth it!
Just look at how far we’ve come!
I am so blessed to be walking through this journey of life hand in hand with my best friend & the love of my life! Where will we go from here? Only God knows. We can only say, “Here we are, Lord!”.