Over three decades ago, while standing in front of approximately a hundred and fifty people on April 27, I looked into Michael’s eyes and said, “I do.” I was a young nineteen-year-old girl, without a clue of what those two simple words really meant. The most important thing to me at the time was the passionate love I had for the one who had swept me off my feet. I couldn’t imagine my life without Michael. With a simplistic attitude, I made a commitment to love my husband as long as we both live.
The first few months as husband and wife were very much like a honeymoon vacation. We were inseparable and giddy as we began our new life together, but as the months grew into years, challenges began to arise. Job losses after our children were born and other real life issues came to test our love; and we approached seasons in our marriage that seemed impossible to overcome.
At one point when our children were very young, we lived separately for a few weeks to figure out how to mend our broken relationship. Even with the challenges, neither of us ever completely gave up.
At the lowest point, we both agreed to place our marriage in God’s hands and asked Him to teach us how to really love each other. We each began to look to Christ, and step by step things began to change in our marriage. We learned to embrace the differences in our personalities. We learned that where one of us is weak, the other is strong. We learned that there is a divine purpose for our opposite strengths and weaknesses.
We learned that genuine love is built on the ability to accept the other individual with flaws and all. Once we learned those lessons, then the real beauty of marriage began to grow in our relationship. All masks came down and a mutual trust developed that is indescribable.
As a couple that did not give up during our younger years, Michael and I learned that love isn’t a fleeting emotion based on feelings. In reality, real love is a selfless commitment and it’s most evident when we face trials.
Looking back, I can remember a time when I had a horrible flu virus and Michael’s love for me was so strong. I was probably the sickest I’ve ever felt in my life. My head was pounding with pain and my body ached terribly. As he patiently spooned chicken soup into my mouth to help me gain strength, Michael’s tenderness and gentleness spoke volumes of his love for me.
Along with my recollection of Michael caring for me during sickness, there are countless stories laced with joy woven into the past thirty-four years where love has shown itself as the powerful force in our relationship.
While looking through some of our photos, I saw a picture taken on the front porch of our friends’ vacation home in North Carolina. The picture struck me instantly and served as the perfect analogy for the way our marriage has grown so beautiful and comfortable.
With Christ’s help, our love has become like relaxing on the front porch of a cozy home as we experience the exhilarating beauty that brings rest to the soul. The thing that brings us rest in our souls—unconditional love—happens to be the very same thing that brings out the most awesome beauty of marriage.
Hallelujah.
