Partner

Marriage.  It is the most unexpected journey that I have ever been on.  I had ideas about what being married would be like.  I had a good example in my parents who sat at the kitchen table after work, shared a cup of coffee, and talked about their day.  I peaked at my dad kneeling beside my mom's bedside to pray with her.  I saw them grin at one another when a favorite song would come on the radio.  The grin was followed by songs and swaying, their minds drifting to a time of early love and simpler times.  My brother and sister had working marriages.  I was there to witness their lives change from newly weds, to foundational partners, to new parents, to established spouses.  I was surrounded by people who worked on their relationships.  

I was exposed to the reality that love takes work.  I saw my brother and sister come to my parents, seeking wisdom in how to make love work.  

In their vulnerability, I found strength.  In their resistance to complacency, my heart was etched with the truth that love is an action.  Still, with all of this, I had no idea what I was getting into.  

Ryan and I have been married for over eight years.  We have lived in three different states and had five totally different financial situations.  We have had spiritual highs and we have been in the depths of fear and questioning.  We have faced infertility, joblessness, and a devoid marital vision.  We have screamed, begged, cried, searched for answers.  We have seen glory, peace, and hope in answered prayers.  We have two beautiful girls.  We have a safe and warm home.  We eat well and sleep well.  While there have been sharp turns, unpaved roads, and dark alleys, this journey is sweet.  

My partner and I feel an urgency to look to The Father for our direction.  We call to prayer, the Bible, and His Spirit to be our GPS along the way.  There are many wishes and wants that I have for my family and for myself, but, above all, I want each of us to know God and to be known by Him.  Then, the rest all sort of falls in place.  

If you haven't already, you should watch Fireproof.  It has challenged me to be more direct and purposeful in my love for Ryan.  But, I learned more than this from the film.  I learned that parents need to hold their children up to a standard when dealing with relationships of all kinds.  Besides setting an example, parents need to have an open dialogue with their kids about their actions and their feelings.  Just watch the movie, you'll see what I am talking about.  Go in with the right attitude, and it just might change your life.