Lead Me

I don't know how it works at your house, but in our house, God is the leader of us both, and Tim is my leader. I appreciate very much how the levels of responsibility are assigned in Scripture so that it's pretty clear where our roles are.

Tim is my leader and no matter what we're going through, I cannot imagine what my life would be like without him there to lead me, hold my hand when I can't stand on my own, and guide me through the watery mires as we both follow Christ.

I know that takes a toll on him and adds some pressure to his life, but I'm so thankful for his growth in this area. He continues to amaze me with what he learns and decides. Despite some strong disagreements on certain issues, I'm glad I have him there.

To lead me in life and godliness. To lead me in biblical Christianity. To lead me in honoring Christ with our values, words, actions, and intentions.

However, this gets complicated by the fact that Tim is a pretty shy introvert, and I'm a pretty not-at-all-shy extrovert. We are on two opposite ends of the spectrum.

I know I have a lot of room to grow in honoring him in this area. In shutting up and respecting his authority when he takes a stand on something. I long to grow in this because it's a really important aspect of a healthy, biblical, thriving marriage. And I really value thriving marriages - it's a big deal.

I've seen so many divorces and separations surrounding me the past couple of years. As marriages fall apart, and as we fight our own demons in our home, I grasp the sheer reality of just how vital this relationship is. It is the most important human relationship we will ever have.

For my single friends reading this, don't feel distraught that you're reading yet another post about marriage. I want to encourage you. Don't be dismayed. God really does care about you and your heart. He sees the big picture and knows what heartaches you are going through. Hear me friend, that no matter what you're going through - longing for a spouse, being married and longing for a child, being married and wishing you weren't, being married a long time and now the kids are gone and you feel alone and helpless in your marriage, being divorced and confused - it's all about longing for something beyond ourselves and only GOD can truly fill that void.

He knows your needs, trust him for the results.

As we get just a few days away from celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary, I've been focusing more and more on what marriage means to us. The past 11 years we've seen a lot of ups and downs. Some really, really tough. Some really, really great.

At the end of the day, I'm amazed by the grace that's been poured out in my life. Even though Tim & I butt heads. . . um, a lot. . . we love each other very much and long to honor God in our lives & in our relationship.

God continues to surprise and bless us. May we continue to love him and each other more with each passing day! May our next 11 years be just as amazing and incredible and unreal as the past 11. May we never lose sight of what it's really all about.

And may those of you longing for something more, never give up hope, never stop trusting God, and keep in mind that it could be so much worse than what you have right now. Bloom where you're planted, and truly see God work in your heart and life. As you allow him to mold you into who he wants you to be, you may be surprised at the end result of where your heart is.

More on that soon. . . .