Light, Love, Hope

When the path leads you home, after all of these years together and you have lived with your spouse “til death do us part …” what legacy will you leave behind?

This is a sad chapter for me to write on.  It is sad because this is the last chapter and last day in this series, but it is so much more than that.  It goes deeper in that this chapter talks of when you get to the end of your life and you go on home to be with the Lord.  It is sad for me to think of leaving my children behind.  It is sad to think of me leaving my spouse or having my spouse leave me to go on home.  It is sad as I sit and write this thinking of my parents who have been together close to 50 years and how they have shared everything together all of this time.  One day they will be forced to walk alone in life unless the Lord calls them both home at the same time.

I think of my grandmother who lost her husband and how lonely she was when she was forced to face life alone without him after he passed away.  She lived on several years after his passing, 12 years to be exact, but she loved him and missed him so.  She was so incredibly lonely.  While their marriage was not perfect and while they had their share of strife, they found a way to work it out and stay together.  They were best friends, and they did everything together.  They enjoyed retirement years together, and then one day, he fell ill all of a sudden and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance where it was later discovered by the hospital staff that he had an aneurysm.  They operated, but he developed more bleeds in the brain.  There wasn’t anything more the staff could do, and pretty soon a decision had to be made as to whether to discontinue the life support.  This was a decision that my grandma did not want to make, and so she called in her three children for them to make the decision together.  My dad did not want any part in this, and so he allowed my grandma and his brother and sister to make this decision while he prayed for a miracle.  Sadly, my granddaddy passed away a short time after they took him off of life support.  Through all of this, though, my grandmother did not leave my grandfather’s side.  She said she had been with him all of these years, she was not going to leave him now.  And so she stayed as long as she possibly could … until she was forced to leave the cold hospital room … without her life companion.

When we are fighting and fussing with each other, do we stop to think that all of our days are numbered?   None of us know if we will see tomorrow.  We don’t know if we’ll be one of the lucky ones that live well into our 80s like my grandmother did, or if we’ll be called home at an early age.  We hope we have a long life ahead of us and that God will allow us to be here to see our children grow up, graduate, go to college, get married, and start a family of their own.  We pray that God will allow us more time to be with our families, our children, our grandchildren, and to one day hopefully see our great grandchildren.  But, none of us are promised the gift of another day.

Lay your foundation early on in your marriage.  Commit yourselves to each other and to making it work!  Giving up is not an option.  Staying together no matter what comes your way should be your top priority.  Love like Jesus – for we love because He first loved us!

Leave a beautiful legacy behind for your children to talk about long after you’re gone.  Give them something to boast about with their children as they talk of how they witnessed the love you two shared and how you two did special things for each other.  Let them be a witness to you walking hand in hand and heart to heart into your golden years together as best friends, partners in life, and life long companions.  Let them be a witness to your living happily ever after.

If you have been on the fence during this 31 day series and not sure what direction you should take with your marriage, we hope that this series has been an encouragement to you to keep fighting the good fight.  Hold on a little longer, a little tighter, and pray for your spouse and your marriage.  Pray together, and ask God to help you in your marriage.  When things look bleak, remember … all things are possible with God!

What are some things that you have held inside of your heart all of this time and just haven’t spoken to your spouse?  What are some things that you’ve had on your heart that you really need to say?  Won’t you take the time today to let your spouse hear those words not only from your lips but from your heart?  Share them today while you still have the chance.  Write it all down if you are better with the written word than speaking them verbally, but it is important that you say what you need to say now while you still have the chance!

We hope you have been encouraged through this 31 day series.  It has helped me, personally, and I feel it has helped my marriage.  This series came at just the right time when we were struggling.  I can see God’s hand in this and how He is working miracles in my marriage.  He can do this with yours as well, if you only allow Him to.

Thank you so much for joining us!  May God be with you all and help strengthen your marriage and draw you closer to each other as you walk together with Him.

For all posts in this 31 day series, click here.

Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection

When troubles seem to be all around you, when the path looks impossible in your marriage … call on Jesus. All things are possible with Him!

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

Luke 18:27

Nothing is sadder than when a couple decides to throw in the towel.  When you have years invested in this marriage, yet the troubles seem to be too much … the “d” word is uttered, and there seems to be no turning back now.  But, there can be!  Divorce does not solve the problem.  Instead, if there are children involved, it further complicates matters.  Children are forced to live with continued chaos in their lives by being shuffled around from home to home for visitation.  It is especially hard on children and parents that have such a deep bond together to be apart for any length of time, especially if the children are young at the time the parents call it quits.

It is so sad to me to hear of couples that are giving up the good fight.  Yes, life is hard.  Yes, marriage can be extremely difficult at times because you are two completely different human beings with different personalities, different unique qualities and you’re living under one roof trying to make this thing work.  And it can … but it requires work on both parts!  One simply cannot carry the weight of the marriage, it takes two people working together to be the best that they can be for each other.  Marriage is worth it!  Your children are worth it!  You CAN live happily ever after!

Divorce does not solve anything.  If there are issues that have come up in your marriage, if there are things from the past that are haunting you … divorce will not make all of these things go away.  If you give up, nothing will be resolved.  If you have pain from things in your past, running from them and divorcing your spouse will not solve it because you will not have dealt with those things that pain you greatly.  Instead, you will carry these unresolved issues into your next relationship.  It won’t be any better!

I have actually talked couples out of divorcing before.  I have had several couples that have come to me with trouble in their marriage looking for someone to give them permission to let go of their spouse.  What they get from me, instead, is to cling tighter to your spouse and to your marriage!  It is worth saving!  If there is any way possible, make it work!  If there are children involved, especially … you and your children deserve the “happily ever after.”  It doesn’t just have to be for fairy tales that you read or movies that you watch.  You can have your very own happily ever after!  My husband and I have seen some rough times in our marriage, but we are still holding on tighter than ever.  Neither of us wants to lose the other.  We do not want to give up on our family, and so we cling to each other and uphold our marriage vows.  When things seem impossible for us, we know that all things are possible with God!  He is our strength when we are weak.  He fights for us..  He shields and protects, and He gives us the will to continue on.

With God ALL things are possible … ALL things … even the chance to live happily ever after with your spouse.

Join us tomorrow for the final day in this series … When The Path Leads You Home.

For all posts in this series thus far, click here.

Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection

The enemy would like nothing more than to destroy your marriage.  Do you realize that he waits in the wings to steal, kill, and destroy?  He would like nothing more than to throw his wicked head back and laugh with his forked tongue wagging as you and your spouse spiral downhill faster than the speed of light.

When troubles loom large, know that our God is bigger than any attack from the devil.

He IS!  Our God is greater than any trouble the devil can throw your way.  As mean, ugly, and scary as he is, our God is bigger, stronger, and has more power!  When you and your spouse get into trouble in your marriage, ask God to step in and fight for you.  You do not have to fight this battle alone.  God is right there ready, willing, and able to step in – all you have to do is ask Him to do so.

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 9:9

The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

There will be wolves in sheep’s clothing.  There will be those slicked tongued individuals that will slide into your life and wreak havoc in your marriage.  They will try everything to weasel in between you and your spouse.  Do not allow this to happen.

Do you know why your marriage is under attack?  Because nothing comes closer to God’s love for the church than the love spouses are to have for each other.  Your marriage has been ordained by God above!

In times of trouble, put on the full armor of God.   Ephesians 6:10-17 speaks volumes on how to do just that.  As Cindi and Hugh put it in their book:

We are to put on the belt of truth, the breast plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit — all that we might stand firm.

Stand and fight for your marriages, ladies and gentlemen.  Do NOT let the enemy win here.  Guard your hearts, your minds, your body and soul against the devil and the attacks that he launches at you.  He will try to make you doubt that your spouse loves you.  He will try to make you unsure of where you stand with them.  He will put all kinds of thoughts into your head of things that are NOT true, yet he will be so convincing and before you know it, you will be in a fit of rage believing all of the lies that he has told you.  Do not give into temptation.  Just when you are trying to be strong, he will put a person before you that will tempt you and try you.  Do not allow your lustful nature to take over.  Do not sin against yourself, your God, or your spouse!  Do what is right and do not give in to temptation or sin.  Do not give into lust.  Uphold your marriage vows!

Knock that little man with the pitchfork off of your shoulder.  You know the one … he whispers destruction in your ear.  He is the father of lies, deceit and betrayal.  Do NOT fall for any of this.  Do not allow yourself to be lured into believing the lies and focusing on the negatives that he forces into your mind all hours of the day and night.  Do not give into temptation!  Instead, do as the scriptures tell us and focus on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.  

Protect your marriages.  Honor your spouse and uphold your marriage vows.  When times get tough, God can and will fight for you.  Welcome Him into your marriages, allow Him to protect and shelter as only He can.  Your marriage is worth fighting for, and God is just the one to do it.  He can and will defeat the enemy.

Join us tomorrow for … When The Path Looks Impossible.

For all posts in this series, click here.

Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection