Day 2: Thankful for my husband, Seth

Seth at Cowboys Stadium

Day 2:  This is my husband, Seth.  I love him so very much--he is my best friend. We got married right out of high school and have been married nearly 17 years.  The success of our marriage these days is extremely rare.  We have grown up together, been through the military together, are raising 2 teenagers together (prayers please!), and now I assist him as he pastors the youth of our church.

Absolute....*bliss*....(sigh).

Life has not always been great, though.

We have had lots of ups and downs; but the one thing that has always kept us together on the same track is God.  We have learned to keep Him in focus through our everyday life, and especially when we are going through tough times as well as wonderful times.

Forgiveness has been a key in our marriage as well.  I'm not going to embellish and say that it is easy.  It's not.  But, since Seth and I are both believers, we have been forgiven of our sins by Christ.   How could we not forgive when we fail each other?

Renee Swope is talking about "I'm such a failure..." in chapter 7 of her book, A Confident Heart.  She says:

"How many times has the enemy used a little distraction to lead you into a pattern of destruction and then condemned you for it?" (pg. 123)

That happens a lot.  We start having a bad day; or HE is not doing things the right way; or, I can't seem to do anything to please HIM.  We start to feel like a failure.  All of a sudden, this marriage thing is too hard.  Maybe we should give up.

Jesus says in the Bible:

"Let any one of you who is without sin cast the first stone."  (from John 8:6-8)

Don't ever let Satan win and just give up.  We all fail at some point--whether it is in our personal life, our  marriage, or our job. Ask forgiveness and freely give forgiveness where it is needed.  Ask God to help you do that very thing, because it is hard.  You can't do it alone.  Supernaturally, God works in our lives and helps to change our hearts to be able to forgive freely. It is amazing!

Seth and I have become better with forgiveness--with God's help.  God can do amazing things in your marriage if you and your spouse will just let Him have the reigns.  It can be better than you have ever dreamed!  We have to remember that Satan wants to tear us down.  God wants to build us up.

I love you Seth, and I always will.  I am so thankful to be able to go through life with you!

"I have found the one whom my soul loves."(Song of Solomon 3:4)