15th Anniversary

I must share and brag on my AMAZING husband/knight in shining armor/prince/& best friend!

We celebrated our 15th anniversary this year on July 9th, however on that day we sent our oldest daughter, Shayla, off to Africa for a month long mission trip. (Thanking Jesus for such a desire and opportunity he has provided her!)

So how does that make my hubby so amazing? Well, since we couldn't celebrate on that day he told me he had Saturday planned for us to celebrate. He sent me an email and said pack light and be ready to go on Saturday morning. 

I will spare all the details as this could be a romance novel (ahh, that's an idea~but maybe later), anyhow, he went to amazing lengths to plan a memorable anniversary, not missing one little detail and adding twice the effort as the first time. Ok, I'll share a tid-bit, he took me back to the place he proposed in Dallas and treated me like a queen for two wonderful days. Let me just say, "Richard Gear (in Pretty Woman) has Nothing on my husband!" I will never forget each and every moment of this anniversary! My husband not only told me happy 15th anniversary~I love you, but he showed me in great lengths how important our marriage is and how much I mean to him. 

The theme he proposed was that he loves me more than twice as much at 15 years as the day he proposed. I must say I love this man of mine more than twice as much as the day he proposed and not because he treated me like a queen for two days~although that did light a fire, but because he has remembered his first love in Jesus and made the decision to bless our marriage with more than the everyday, "You should know I love you by now, I come home and pay the bills." 

I praise God for answered prayers and for His amazing work in both of our lives as we continue to seek and grow and blossom into a beautiful thing called, "A Loving Marriage." My husband has changed the direction of our marriage from average and ordinary (like most) to extraordinary and full of joy! He, as the head of this unity, has set the new standard, which will bless our marriage from this point on and our children's view of marriage. I am encouraged to step it up and follow his lead. Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow!!!

I fully realize none of us are perfect and this is neither about comparing who's greater nor condemning our spouse of what they are not doing . I pray this will be an encouragement in the right direction. We all have the same opportunity to make our marriage what we desire it to be, either a reflection of Christ's love for us or the world's standard of marriage. 

Remembering we will still have times of trouble to deal with and times where the romance is not so readily available. Furthermore, as we purposely invest in the loving relationship of our marriage, the stronger our bond becomes and the better we learn to deal with difficulties as we come together as one, rather than two opposing parties trying to get their way or be right all the time! 

When we build on 'The Rock' (Christ Jesus) as our foundation, we have an unseen wall of protection, hope and strength (by faith). However, when we are maintaining our marriages, as the rest of this world does, we will get caught up in constant disappointment and rocky foundations, where the storms rise and the walls come crashing in and you either rebuild or start over.   

Encouragement & Prayer: 

It really doesn't take much to melt a woman's heart~the purposed effort speaks louder than words by far!!!

Husbands if your desire is for your wife to cherish the time with you then show her often how much you cherish her! 

Gifts both simple and meaningful

Offering your time

Offering your listening ear

Doing something special for her often

Words of encouragement

Opening your heart

Romance her

Kindle the flames

Support her

It doesn't take much to win a man's heart and attention~being a woman of virtue, pleasant & exciting speaks louder than nagging and demands!

Wives if you want your husbands to treat you as a woman to be cherished then start supporting him & serving him with grace and remain in prayer by faith. 

Praise him often

Respond to his needs

Accept him as God's vessel

Inspire him to be a man of God

Serve him unselfishly

Encourage him often 

Help him as a helpmate

Invest in him 

Make prayer your tool

I pray blessing over every marriage in a hundred fold. May the enemies scheme's fail to divide families and the Lord's Power, Love, Mercy and Grace be poured out to full and overflowing upon those willing to seek your way which is right, follow your truth & invest in this blessed union with you, my Lord, and our marriage as a blessing and extension of our relationship with you.  Father change the hearts of each one who will look to you and face the truth about themselves and desire to be who you created them to be, not deserving, but full of gratitude and willing to give to others what you have so unselfishly given to us. Let us first love you and receive your loved that we would love unselfishly and with purpose. Take this world of distraction and disappointment and turn it into a harvest, in your Holy Name Jesus~The Christ~My Bridegroom!