To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness in and health, to love, cherish and to honor til death do us part.

It’s easy to hold when your sex drive is high and your spouse is giving it up daily.

Everyone is happy when times are better, bills are paid and food is plentiful.

Richer days are appreciated when two incomes are flowing and income is steady.

When both parties are in good health, the world is theirs for the taking.

What then becomes of the marriage when the storms of life hit?

How do you feel about your spouse when you are into the thick of it?

The most immediate, fleshly reaction is to probably resist your spouse instead of fiercely clinging to them.

It’s difficult to hold when you know a spouse has been unfaithful.

It’s challenging when being married delivers more worse days than best and you are like two ships passing in the night.

The tension is palatable when accounts are overdrawn and credit cards are to their limits.

How do you cope with a spouse that is sick? The drug addicted or pornography addict spouse? The mental ill or the physical ill spouse?

When these times occur feelings of love can turn to hate and some may even consider to death do us part by their own hand.

If you’ve ever felt that way, can I get an amen?! If you feel this way right now just stick with me for a few more lines.

I would venture to say your spouse has probably had to deal with some of YOUR mess too.

[bctt tweet=”Maturity in marriage calls for one to relent. For another to repent. For one to say, “I’m sorry”.”]

For one to determine not to walk away. For one to forgive.

Thank GOD….

Our agape love for Christ enables us to do virtually the impossible.

When HIS love floods our hearts we are able to love those who have mistreated us, betrayed us, and berated us including our spouses.

I give thanks for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, teaching, direction and the power that supersedes the flesh. My husband works MOST of the time. He works 2 jobs, 7 days a week and has done so for 12 years now. Over the years I’ve prayed for family time today. Well last week he was off work so I had that family time that I so diligently prayed for….BUT….his presence interrupts “MY” flow. He asked the children to do tasks in the middle of homework time, he let them play video games on a school night (cringe), he’s made us leave out later in the morning, though we were still on time for school.

Yes I was all up in my feelings. Again, but GOD! The Holy Spirit bought my own prayers for family time back to my remembrance. So the flesh had to bow down while the spirit rejoiced and gave thanks for answered prayers.

When your prayers are answered, be ready to receive them.

This weekend I was in Marshall’s with my husband and children. At the checkout we had laughs with the cashier as she tried to understand how all these shabby chic wall collage items were going into a man cave. My husband left before me to load the children in the car and the cashier asked me,

“You really love him don’t you?”

To which I replied,

“Mmm, yes. That’s my MAN. I love him. I do. I do indeed”

My marriage has faced many days of the worse and it seemed that better wasn’t even on the horizon. With no examples of marriage, we came into our union reckless and unprepared. Based on what we’d seen growing up, our solution was to battle it out. We were two rams with locked horns. But we had to learn marriage and self-centeredness are incompatible.

[bctt tweet=”True love is not self-seeking. It gives and gives and gives some more.”]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Happy to be running into the thick of it securely tied to MY MAN as we run life’s two legged race together.

[bctt tweet=”There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage. ~Martin Luther 1566″]

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Life Fully!

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News #LifeGivingLinkup, Purposeful Faith, #Grace&Truth, #DanceWithJesus