Bullfrog(s) and Butterflies: April 2014

Fourteen years ago I walked down an isle that was surrounded by almost 400 people. I can't even begin to explain the feelings that where building up inside of me but the closer I got to the man that I would soon call my husband, the more peace I could feel come over me. I kept my eyes on him the whole time aching to finally be standing beside him and to feel the comfort that would come from being in his presence. As he reached out for my hands and looked into my eyes, the rest of the world disappeared and suddenly nothing else mattered. I had no idea that the feelings that I was experiencing in the moment would be repeated throughout the rest of my life and that I would come to count on that peace so deeply.

We have come along way since that day in April, and together we have endured many trials and struggles. I often feel like I did that day when I was walking down that isle... it is still in his presence that I long to be when I feel the pressure of the world on me. It is in his eyes that I find the courage to keep going and in his touch that I find the peace to over come my struggles. And still he somehow makes the world disappear when I need him to.

When I was younger God made a covenant with me, he promised to provide me with a source of earthly protection, one to hold me in times of need and lift me up in times of weakness. Fourteen years ago He fulfilled that promise.... and on that day I felt God hold me in His arms through the earthly arms of my husband.

This life is full of hardships but God promises that if we are faithful and remain close to Him then He will provide us with all that we need to endure these struggles. Recently, I was asked to write a letter to a dear friend, giving her advice on her wedding day. These words that I wrote were from my heart and were born out of the trenches of a marriage that not only survived difficulties but thrived through them year after year.

"The definition of your marriage will be created by the bond you form from battling through the struggles of everyday life. You will learn to appreciate your spouse for the great source of strength that they will provide for you. Together you will face many challenges, some bigger than you think you can bear. It is in those moments that you will learn the real value of this gift that God has given you and the true depth of your love for each other. 

However, even a love this deep will never be able to shelter you from the storms of this world. But if you seek comfort in each other arms you will not only weather these trials but grow stronger because of them. You must rely fully on God and on his protection over the commitment that you are making to each other today. 

Your marriage has a purpose and a plan designed by a God that loves you intimately. Trust Him for direction and you will be blessed beyond measure."

Together, Todd and I have gone to God seeking strength when ours wasn't enough, together we have prayed for comfort when we had none to give, and when neither of us had the clarity needed to lead, together we sought guidance from God for His direction.

What is our secret for having a great marriage? God! He is what continues to bring us back together when the world tries to pull us apart. This marriage is not made up of two people.... but of two people and their God. We are the true definition of blessed, not because of what we have been given but because we have an intimate relationship with the GIVER.

Everyone deserves to know this kind of love!