How God Redeemed Our Marriage

This is my fifth and final post in the series on my five years of marriage. In theory, I would have finished this yesterday, August 20th, our 5 year anniversary, but we were out celebrating. The first four parts: How We Met, Dating & Engagement, Wedding Day, and Why I'm Thankful for Him. 

Before I share about that, I wanted to say something about our marriage this year in hopes that this might encourage someone. Please excuse the transparency. We really did have a honeymoon of a first year and never really had a dish-throwing-sleep-on-the-couch-year...until this year. Well that's an exaggeration, there were no dish causalities. However, this last year of our marriage came to a fork in the road. Divorce was never an option, but the future of the way we would conduct our marriage was on the line.

We both loved Jesus. We both loved each other. I never thought we'd be in the position we were in. But Charles [he's okay with me saying this] lost sight of an important biblical truth.  

"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." 

-1 Peter 3:7

We'd always agreed to not move forward with things if we weren't in agreement about them. Long story short, we came to a point where we had to seek heavy counsel & submit ourselves to Jesus in a way we had never before...or risk losing our marriage. 

The first picture I post below is of a restaurant in downtown called "Rock Bottom." We hit it. God was so good. He used amazing people in our lives to pray, serve, rebuke, counsel and love us back together. I am happy to report that our marriage will never be the same. 

I say all this to say...

[1] No marriage is perfect, but thankfully the Savior we serve is.

[2] Husbands dwell in understanding with your wives.

[3] Wives if they aren't...follow the biblical outline the Word lays out for us. I can testify that it works.

"Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear [of the Lord]." 

-1 Peter 3: 1,2 

[4] We need The Body. I am so thankful for the body of Christ and the work of Love that happened in us through them. Thank you all who held our marriage together in your prayers and words.

[5] Love. [1 Cor 13:4-8]

Love suffers long and is kind; 

love does not envy; 

love does not parade itself, 

is not puffed up; 

does not behave rudely, 

does not seek its own, 

is not provoked, 

thinks no evil; 

does not rejoice in iniquity, 

but rejoices in the truth; 

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Cincinnati 

Last night, Charles surprised me and took me out to dinner in downtown Cincinnati. Neither of us had been before. We had a very romantic & relaxing adult night [...kidless] at Palomino's, walked around & then went on our first horse carriage ride. 

I didn't bring my camera out of fear of looking like a tourist...even worse...didn't even have a purse to hide it in. So all my pictures were taken at night on my iPhone. Think sentiment not quality.

Thankful this night happened, even though so many obstacles this year almost prevented it. Our friends & family came together and helped us make it happen. 

Blessed.

Favorite picture #1 of us

...not because it's the best quality 

or we look the best

but because it was taken last night 

and still being together and happy 

after the first five years

makes it my favorite...

so far.