Day 30: The End or Just another Begining

". . . This is my beloved, and this is my friend . . ." Song of Solomon 5:16b

Friends can be completely honest with each other, but friendships are strained when truth is not spoken in love. How are you speaking to your beloved? Are you so "used" to him that you don't appreciate the wonder of his friendship? That is your challenge today. Is your sweetheart your best friend? Does he know this? Have you told him, or do you assume he "just knows"?

Friendship is something that is cultivated through the good times and the bad. Friends can share their hearts, but they don't step on each other's hearts. The way to have and be a good friend is to cultivate and celebrate the relationship. As you end this "30-Day Encouragement Challenge," celebrate your friendship with your husband. Get alone and reflect on your beloved friend. Write him a letter, listing the qualities you admire and appreciate about him. If you are creative with words, write and frame a poem about him.

Perhaps you can prepare a special meal, just for the two of you, and read the letter or poem to him. Ask if you can pray for him, and if he is willing, thank God for your love and friendship, asking for His blessing on your home.

Encouragement, as you have seen these past 30 days, is a synonym for love in action. How has this challenge changed your heart and life, dear friend? Did God encourage you as you planned ways to encourage your husband? Were there difficult days where you simply needed to trust that God was working? Days when it was hard to leave the results to God?

Remember that God is faithful, and He will bless you for your willingness to obey Him. His ways are not our ways, and perhaps He will honor you in ways you do not expect, but one thing is sure—you will never be the same because of your commitment to be more like Christ!

What kinds of victories have you experienced in your home since you started the "30-Day Encouragement Challenge"? Would you take a moment to share these victories with us?

It is the last day of the 30 Day challenge. It is strange because though the challenge ends today my calling to be a godly wife/helpmeet continues on and I pray the Lord will continue to challenge me to be a constant source of encouragement for my husband. This was a rough month around here full of mountains to climb and valleys to pass through but God is SO GOOD and SO FAITHFUL. I had a lot of beautiful plans and ideas for this challenge in my home that did not find their place but in His providence He revealed to me His plans and their eternal benefit for us. I had plans for more involvement and encouragement in this place for you but found little time to commit, and I do not apologize for that is another lesson the Lord taught me this month. I love blogging, encouraging, writing, thinking "out loud" and just fellowshiping but sometimes in that love I neglect other more important loves such as homeschooling, homekeeping, being an encouraging wife and an intentional mother. I long to spend the majority of my time honoring Him by giving my whole heart and full attention to my calling and I am easily distracted. I long to tell you ALL of the amazing things I learned about myself through this challenge and about my husband and the covenant of marraige but time does not allow. If I can be intentional I will rise early tomorrow and post some of those thoughts... until then love and serve the Living God in your calling as a wife, mother and homekeeper with all of your heart, soul, mind and with all your strength... praise be to God!

JOYfully in Him,
Kelli

Day 26: Balance

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52

If you have faithfully encouraged your husband, you will no doubt have seen some changes in his life . . . and your own life, as well. Encouragement is a wonderful habit that we hope you will continue for the rest of your life.

The important thing is to keep growing in Christ and obeying the Word of God as you respond to your husband. As you consider today how to bless your husband and not tear him down, think of ways that you can encourage balance in your home.

Jesus led a balanced life. He grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. As you see your husband branching out in these areas, is there a pattern of growth? Is your husband striving for balance in his life? If so, let him know you have noticed, and ask how you can further encourage that balance.

If your husband is out of balance—focusing on one area to the exclusion of the others—consider whether there are things you can do to help restore or create balance in his life. Can you encourage times for sports or exercise? Keep the children quiet for a study time? Invite friends over for dinner? Stimulate his mind?

Be sure you are working toward balance in your own life, as well. Be an example!

It has been so amazing to watch my husband grow deeply in the Lord. I praise God for the work he has done in his life. I love to encourage him in his walk. I know because we have talked about it that he is unbalanced concerning anything aside from God. He is ALL focused in the area of being so submerged in the word of the Lord and work of the Lord that everything else has become unbalanced mostly concerning health and excercise. We both believe it is important to take care of your body to the glory of God so that we can serve Him better. I want to work on encouraging him to explore this area more. I think we struggle because there was a time in our life when we were unbalanced in exactly the opposite... our focus was health and excercise and we were unbalanced in all things concerning God.

I also am trying to lighten up in the area of being more hospitable and encouraging for him to go out. My husband has such a passion to spread the gospel and I feel a struggle to let go of my time with him to encourage him to go do these things.

I am enjoying examining my husband and myself and learning how to grow as a wife for His glory and encourage my husband to grow in his calling as a minister, husband and father. It has been such a wonderful journey so far, not to say it hasn't been hard because Oh my it has been, but God is good. Let me encourage you with this, when you feel a certain way this day say this... "I feel like... but I am going to believe He is good." because it is true.

May God bless you all in your marriages.

JOYfully in Him,

Day 18: Laugh Together

"You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy . . . Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!" Ps. 16:11a; 144:15b

"A merry heart does good like medicine . . ." Prov. 17:22a

It's hard to criticize others when we are enjoying their company. Instead of speaking negatively to your husband today, enjoy him! Encourage him! As you experience fullness of joy with God, share some of that joy with your husband. Does your husband have a playful side? A great sense of humor? Is there a "little boy" that wants to escape from time to time, reflecting the joy in his heart? This is a wonderful part of who he is, and a great strength. Let him know that you appreciate his joyfulness and his playful spirit. Find opportunities to join him in positive play times.

If your husband can sometimes be overly serious, coax him out occasionally for some play times. It will help him relieve stress and relax.

Let's have FUN today! Enjoy the man that God specifically created for us, praise Him for His amazing masterpiece and simply enjoy him. My husband has the greatest sense of humor of any person I know and that is something I so appreciate about him. Find a way to bring a smile to his face. Share the JOY you are experiencing with God with your husband, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him! (John Piper)

JOYfully in Him,

Day 17: His Vision

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Prov. 9:10

Are you a wise woman? Do you open your mouth with wisdom, as Proverbs 31:26 suggests? As you continue in your 30-day challenge, remember that a wise woman encourages her husband. Is your husband a "wise man?" Does he have a godly perspective that comes from knowing God and walking with Him in obedience? Does he have a sense of purpose for his life and vision for your home? Tell him how much this means to you.

If you are not sure about your husband's vision for your home, ask him, "Honey, what do you want to accomplish with our marriage and home in the years to come?" and "How can I help you accomplish that?" If he does not have a vision, your questions may inspire him to develop one.

If your husband is not walking with God—or perhaps, does not know the Lord - you have the opportunity and responsibility to practice your faith and create a thirst for God. Thank God for giving your husband a place in his heart that only He can fill, and keep praying that he will turn to the Lord to fill that vacuum!

Today is a new day ladies! His mercies are NEW every morning! I can not tell you all how encouraged I have been to hear about how God has worked and is working in your heart and in your marriage in some amazing way. I was not expecting I think to learn so much and grow such a passion for marriage as well as for my calling as a wife. God has been intricatly and very personally teaching me so many things through this challenge. I am praying that you are experiencing the same.

Let's make it a zealful passion (redundant, I know) to be woman who speak only with wisdom, soaked in the grace of our Lord. I am looking forward to talking (the art of communicating) with my husband some time today, when the time is right, about what his vision is for our family... I am anxious to know. Enjoy your day of encouragement!

JOYfully in Him,

Day 12: Grace

"With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love." Eph. 4:2

Part of the difficulty you may face as you continue in this 30-day challenge to encourage your husband is that you really are struggling to find positive things to praise. Perhaps the problem is not with your husband. Have you checked your own heart?

Sometimes we get disillusioned because of our own unreasonable or unrealistic expectations (Prov. 13:12). It may not be that our mates are doing something wrong; it's simply that we expect too much in some areas. Our expectations must be met in God alone, and then we will have the right perspective to ask God for the healing and grace we need to respond to others.

How sad that we give more grace to others than to those in our own homes. Today, try to look at your husband through eyes of grace. Verbally thank your husband for what he is already doing.

It is sad. I know that I tend to give more grace to others outside of my home. I know that I have set way to high standards for pretty much everyone in my home expecially me. I really needed this reminder this morning to look through a lens of grace today, giving my expectations to God.

I am praying for all of you and your marriages.

JOYfully in Him,

Day 11: Submission

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." Eph. 5:22

Women who are constantly negative toward their husbands—especially by speaking evil of them to others—show great disrespect. Determine not to do that today (or ever!). This challenge to encourage is closely connected to submission.

Men respond to women who respect them. What do you respect about your husband? Part of that respect includes submission to his authority. Let your husband know how respecting him makes it easier to submit to his leadership. Show your respect in public by listening to him and smiling at him when he speaks. Place your hand in his as you walk together.

If you feel there is nothing to respect, search harder . . . nearly every man has some core characteristic that can be nurtured and respected. In any case, you must still cultivate a submissive spirit to his position of leadership . . ."as to the Lord."

Ephesians 5:22 is a weighty text expecially when you read what follows... "For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands." (23-24)(emphasis added)

I wonder how often we wives forget or possibly never completely understood our mission and ultimate purpose as wives. We are called by God to be submissive to our husbands "out of reverence for Christ" (Eph 5:21), we are to continually set our minds on our vital importance of displaying the church in the covenant of Christ and the church. It is so easy sometimes to think of ourselves as being insignificant and holding a position of demeaning inferiority... we hold no such position, such a thought is earthly and a flaming torch of deception from the prince of this world. Oh isn't that what the world wants us to think, isn't that what satan wants us to think so that we will not hold fast to being reverent to Christ by submitting to our husbands as to the Lord. Can you see the major significance that we hold. You and I have been given a ministry, a mission from God to be wives... holy wives... set apart for His glory... to submit to our husbands. We should desire to be submissive to our husbands first and foremost out of love and obedience to God, not because our husbands deserve it but because God deserves it. There are days that I don't feel like he deserves it but I must remember that it is not ultimately about him but about the blazing glory of Christ behind, under and above it.

If you want to dig deeper into the understanding and exposition of this amazing vital God honoring weighty truth for your life as a wife and child of God you must read this commentary on our high, holy and crucial calling of displaying the people of God in the relationship between the church and Christ! May it motivate and give you power in Christ to live out your calling with deeper conviction and enthusiasm for His glory!

Oh... how hard this challenge is! Because we are doing something of vital importance that has the power of God to change lives, expand generations of believers and glorify His holy name. Also keep in mind those of us who have children in the home... they are watching. (and taking notes)

Share your thoughts!

JOYfully in Him,

Day 10

We all crave appreciation. We want to know that we are valued and loved. Early love letters probably reflected our admiration, but if we're not careful, our spouse will forget why we were drawn to him. If you still have any of your old love letters, re-read them for clues to deepen your current level of appreciation for your spouse. When we spend time criticizing our husbands, we lose time that could be spent admiring them. As you consider various ways to encourage your husband, ask, "How can I admire him?"

Does your husband know that you think he is attractive? What was one of the characteristics in your husband that first drew you to him? Was it a physical characteristic, or something else?

Was it his gentle, compassionate eyes? Kindness or concern for others? An easy-going confidence? A steadiness that comes from trusting in the Lord? Strength of character in a culture that lacks integrity? Do you see at least a glimpse of that characteristic in him today? Whatever it is, tell him!

I know this is going to come out really wrong but.... WE ARE ONLY ON DAY 10! Why does it feel like it has been so much longer? :0) This is hard and I am not doing as well as I had hoped. I got attacked by this weekend being so full and stressful and now am having a hard time getting back up.

I need to spend some time in prayer today, over this challenge.

JOYfully in Him,

Day 9: Admiration

We are often so busy speaking that we don't take time to listen. We are so quick
to offer a comment - negative or positive—that we don't really "hear" our
husband's heart. Remember: we have two ears and only one mouth. We need to
listen more!
As you continue in your 30-day challenge, not speaking
negatively and focusing on positive encouragement, hear the Lord's admonition
today: "Be swift to hear." If listening is a real problem for you, play a game
with yourself. See if you can listen to your husband for one whole day, only
speaking when asked a question. If your husband notices the difference, explain
that you are learning to listen more-not only to God, but also to him.
One
easy way to express admiration for your husband is to ask a question about
something he enjoys, and then listen to his response. If it's an area of
personal familiarity, keep asking questions until you learn something you didn't
know, then tell him, "Wow, I didn't know that!"

I will be honest... it is hard to "listen" sometimes exspecially when it is something that I have zero interest or am very ignorant of. I recognize that I really need to work on listening more to my husband and his interest even when it goes right over my head... my husband often likes to talk about theology and doctrine and his having a degree in this area I am a little behind and lacking in the ability to follow much less keep up... but I will try... how are you doing?

JOYfully in Him,

Day 7 & 8:

"Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!
. . . for riches certainly make themselves wings . . ." Prov. 23:4-5

"That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries." Proverbs 8:21

Money is the root of much marital discord. Ask yourself, "Am I being negative toward my husband in the area of finances?" Determine not to speak evil of your husband in this area. Discover ways to encourage and help him instead.

Does your husband handle finances wisely? Does he make good financial investments, based on biblical principles? Does he have a budget? Does he make wise decisions about purchases—checking many sources before he buys? Is he a good steward of his money before the Lord? Let him know how much you appreciate his strengths in financial matters.

If he is weak in this area, encourage any good decisions that he does make. Perhaps you can help him, if he's open to the idea, by organizing financial files or providing other practical assistance. Or, if he wants you to handle the finances, ask for his input before you make decisions that will affect him.

Day 8:

How are you doing with the "30-Day Encouragement Challenge"? In case you've forgotten, here's the challenge:

You can't say anything negative about your husband . . . to your husband . . . or to anyone else, about your husband.
Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband. . . to your husband . . . and to someone else, about your husband!
". . . but who can find a faithful man?" Prov. 20:6b

Faithfulness is a wonderful but rare quality today, especially in regard to marriage. Do you understand how important this quality is? Your challenge is to continue to root out all negative speaking, and plant seeds of encouragement instead. You may be amazed at what will grow.

Contemporary culture often entices men to be unfaithful to their wedding vows and spiritual commitments. Appreciate your husband's faithfulness—how he is loyal to you. Let him know that you are glad he has "stick-to-it-iveness" in your marriage.

Appreciate his faithfulness to God. (If you have an unfaithful husband, this is a difficult area for you. Pray, speak the truth in love, remain faithful yourself, and discover ways to encourage faithfulness in your mate. The Bible says that husbands may ". . . be won by the conduct of their wives" [1 Pet. 3:1]. You may also want to seek counsel from a mature, godly individual or couple.)

We are on our way out the door this morning. My husband will be speaking at a local youth rally so we will be away for 2 days. I have some things that God has on my heart to express but it must wait until Sunday or Monday. I pray that in today and tomorrows challenge you will have victory over your tongue and only speak with wisdom. Enjoy your husbands and have a great weekend.

JOYfully in Him,

My Husband Rocks!

My chosen prompt: Tell the story of a memory about your husband that brings you a smile and a giggle every time you think about it!

I sat here for awhile searching my collection of husband memories knowing that there are a abyss full of them that bring me to laughter each time they run across my mind... it took me a few minutes but I found one that I love to tell people and that I love to remember.

My sweet strong manly husband is terrified of spiders... if you have ever seen Me, Myself and Irene you have seen how my husband reacts when they get up close and personal. There is one time inparticular that brings a instant smile and contagious giggle through my body. I LOVE to tell this story almost as I love to picture him in action that day. We were driving down a road in our town. We lived in a college town at the time. On our way down the road my husband suddenly becomes panicked... when I notice the smallest itty bitty green spider... he is seriously freaking out. He is driving and the spider is on the steering wheel so you can see the severity of the situation, luckily we were heading into a red light. My husband barely slams the car in stop put it in park before he flings the door open and jumps out of the car! He is doing the icky spider dance, I flick it, the spider out the door causing more panic. Meanwhile, there is a huge, you know big monster truck that pulls up beside us with some college guy smiling in amusement. That moment for me is classic and I love it!

My Husband Rocks with his spider phobia!!

JOYfully in Him,M

Day 6: Deflating Words?

". . . whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31b

Do you recognize and appreciate your husband's creativity? Or do you criticize and demean his efforts? Instead of negativity, determine to be positive. Perhaps you can help your husband see that his efforts are an opportunity to glorify God.

Is your husband the "creative" type? Does he have any artistic gifts? What is that special "knack" he has? Affirm him for his handiwork - a hobby, music, gardening, tinkering with cars, working with wood, etc. Remember: Even if he doesn't measure up to your standards, praise his efforts. If your budget allows, buy him a book or magazine that will continue to encourage his special skill or talent.

If you have a hard time finding his "creative side," understand that men's creativity sometimes is related to their work. Find something he does to make his job run more smoothly or something he does that adds value to his work . . . and let him know that you have noticed.

Make his day . . . Praise his accomplishments in public, while he is listening.

I wonder how often I "deflate" my husband's creativity, how often I confirm his insecurities unintentionally with my quick responses to his ideas. A year ago I read this article that really made me more intentional about my words in praising his creative sometimes "crazy, really far out" ideas(believe me he has had some of those amazing ideas :0). Here is a quote from Shaunti Feldhahn in this interview by Nancy Leigh DeMoss...

What I have found, honestly, is that so many guys go through life with sort of a secret insecurity. This issue of how we as women communicate with them is such an enormous part of how they think we feel about them. We may absolutely respect our husbands or trust our husbands but have no idea that we’re going through our day communicating the opposite.

Today I am going to remember the effect my words have on him. For my husband right now this is so important as he daily needs my encouragement and praise in his ideas with serving God in preaching and teaching the youth here. It is honestly hard sometimes because I have my own ideas as well, but I want to be sure to present them in a way that doesn't "deflate" his ideas and discourage him and to esteem his ideas first and foremost above any of mine. He is amazing! I pray God will bring these things to the front of my mind and allow me to see them in the moment, because it is so easy to recognize these things and say them out loud and then leave them behind.

Let us seek to inflate instead of deflate our husbands creative ideas and creative sides, can't find his... listen and watch closely... what things does he love to do but doesn't do often maybe because he is unsure of himself.

JOYfully in Him,

Thankful Thursday: My Husband

"There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage." Martin Luther

Today is Day 5 in the husband encouragement challenge, God has given me a deeper love and appreciation for the man in my life. We have been through some really tough times and there have been times when we were not sure if we were going to make it, I praise God for His faithfulness. This morning I sit here at my kitchen table with my "love journal" watching my husband quietly sit on the couch preparing his heart and mind for 3 sermons for a youth rally this weekend... I am thankful...

Lord thank you for that day long ago that you set my heart on a boy, a boy that you new and created me for.

Lord thank you for the love that I have for him and that it continues to grow deeper and deeper each year.

Lord thank you for the perseverence to endure all of the HARDships with in our marriage and getting us through our first few years.

Lord thank you for the man, the new man that sits before me this morning.

Lord thank you for the faith you gave him that continues to grow daily.

Lord thank you for the heart that you gave him to serve you wholeheartidly and with passion.

Lord thank you for the zeal he has for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for his boldness and courage in proclaiming it daily.

Lord thank you for his love for his family, his deep unconditional love for his children and for me.

Lord thank you for his amazing sense of humor, that find me everyday.

Lord thank you for the little things...

his smile
his contagous laugh
his hard working hands
his mind
his caring heart
his down to earth out going personality
his continual humbleness
his passion to know God
his willingness to serve and please people almost to a fault :0)
his deep desire to please God and not man in speaking the truth
his heart for prayer, deep communion with God everyday.
his perseverence in studying the scriptures
his radical thinking and doctrine

Lord thank you for my marriage, for the opportunity to serve you in my calling as a wife in displaying the church in your ulitimate meaning for marriage.

Lord THANK YOU for the forgiveness tha daily reigns in our marriage and the ability to recognize that we are both sinners in desperate need of your grace and mercy and eachothers.

Lord thank you for your GRACE that you lavish us in everyday before we get up, after we get up, as we walk along the light of day, enter into the darkness of night and with each breathe we take.

The Lord is SO faithful and I just continue to, even through the toughest times, fall deeper and deeper in love with my husband. I pray that God will keep revealing himself to us and giving us his wisdom and more and more and more faith. May you be blessed today in your marriage.





Oh, God THANK YOU for my husband!! What a gift for me, strengthen him today and use me to build him up and encourage him to continue boldly serving You...

JOYfully in Him,

How To Say I love You?

Okay in my last post I excluded any thoughts on how to celebrate Valentines day with my everyly amazing husband, Expresso. The truth is I wasn't sure how to on our budget but with a little imagination and the internet I have come up with an inexpensive idea:

I will make him a Heart Book Pendant of my love and appreciation. For the most part the day will go as normal for him except that he will hopefully if I do it right, uncover through out the day little notes hidden for him along with a little kiss. After the littles have all gone to sleep we will bask in the past 8 years of our love through our old love notes to eachother while in college and then watch Amazing Grace.

A Night to Remember

What an amazing evening Expresso and I had Saturday night. Some friends of ours watched our Littles as we ventured out into the night. Before I even begin I must confess something... I am a disgrace to woman everywhere. That morning bright and early Expresso walked in all sleepy eyed and wished us a very happy anniversary, I smiled and returned the wish and then dropped my head down in shame and guilt as I had just realized it was our anniversary! What a thoughtless pig!! I had remembered up until Friday evening and then just plain forgot. I tried to figure out a way to recover from it and creatively find something to do but... nothing. So my 7th anniversary gift to my super sweet husband is a nice huge "You forgot our anniversary" to hang over my head for next year and many years to come. Well, anyway back to the evening. We first had to take a few before pics:

I don't like getting pictures taken of me but have begun to realize that one day my children might want to see what their mother looked like when she was younger. All videos and nearly all pictures are taken by me, I like to be behind the camera not in front of it. Well, our first stop was....

Where we had our very first date, not at this one of course but at one in Natchitoches Louisiana. I love Applebee's, mmm so good. We enjoyed some good food as we watched an important college football game if you live anywhere in Oklahoma or Texas it seems. I was going for Texas but they lost, go figure. I skipped off to the bathroom to finish a card that I had bought for my hubby but just felt to silly as I was writing it in the stall, so I just gave in and sucked it up for I knew he was about to give me my gift that he didn't forget to get for me...

When I saw the box I felt so unworthy! James Avery... I opened it to find a lovely silver ring with a black stone in the middle, perfect! Just perfect. Then he read to me, a poem that he wrote just for me... melt my heart... and it did. It was so beautiful, I felt like a princess....

(I was so caught up in the moment I forgot to get a pic so he posed for me at our next stop :0)

After we finished my hero came riding in on a white horse I mean honda to sweep me away in the rain to our next stop....

a place that I have only heard of and known as the place the men go to talk theology...

It was an amazing place that we are all going to come back to as a family. Very classy but yet casual. After that we stopped in a Urban Outfitters just to gaulk and drool and found a suprising sight... pretty little pillows originally 24.00 for only 4.99. Perfect match for our couches, I had to have them. Then after we made a few puddles on the floor we left to quench our thirst at Starbucks our favorite place where we rushed to get out after getting a call from our friends that our little Butterfly has been crying for a long time not even eating a bite of her food. I went into panic mode inside, we got our drinks and quickly left. On the way home we reflected on many wonderful moments and shared our favorites.

*I have some major making up to do next year, I must clear my name, but the 7th year will always be remembered not only for my absent mindness but for its magnificent memories.

7 Years today

I would like to tell you that was our beautiful wedding cake 7 years ago but the truth is it was actually a friends from a few months ago. A beautiful wedding it was with all of the flowers, brides maids and music. Thinking back to October 6 2000 where we said our "I dos" it was a little less romantic as we stood in Expresso's grandmothers living room in front of the fireplace surrounded by friends and family who I am sure were filled with the lingering thought of "is this going to last". It was crowded to say the least being a single wide trailer. I remember getting ready, trying to get pretty for my soon to be husband but feeling it was a hopeless cause being swollen and 9 months pregnant! Yes, 9 months pregnant with Superman. Obviously neither of us knew the Lord at that time. Standing at the door together about to face all of the people and our fate we asked eachother "Are you ready?" Ready for what? We had no idea!! We both look at where we are now and are just amazed at what God has done in our marriage. The grace that He has poured down on us as we have walked through these 7 years. I am certain we are only together today because of God, there is no way we could have made it with out him especially in the first 3 years. There were so many times we said we couldn't do it and yet we did, said we were leaving and yet stayed, said we hated eachother and yet continued to love.... why? why didn't we follow through? The power of the devil tried to not only reign within our marriage but overtake it but... and I LOVE that but... God had His protective hand holding us up from his snares. You see we were His, yet we didn't know it, He loved us but didn't know it, He had mighty plans for us but we didn't know it and He told us... I will never leave you nor forsake you but we couldn't hear Him. Now 7 years later we are serving Him as we daily try to understand His will for our life and desperately try to yeild to where He leads us. It is good to be a child of the King, not easy, but good.

I remember the day he met my parents. I can not tell you how nervous I was! Pacing through out my house constantly checking the door anxiously waiting for him to drive up my driveway. He made a good impression :0). He is an amazing man and I thank God daily for giving him to me. I have not the words to express the love that my heart holds for him... for it can not be measured and reaches far beyond where even I can not feel but here is a poem that forever comes close....

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I lvoe thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,-I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!-and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Sonnets from the Portuguese, XLIII

Elizabeth Barrett Brownining