The longer I'm married the more I appreciate how perfect my husband is for me. I've seen God grow my husband in amazing ways over the last 8 years and I am humbled that God has given us 3 young boys to pour our lives into and I pray that one day my boys have a passion for Jesus the way that myhusband does. Today I watched my husband get ready for work and leave, and I just thought how thankful I am that I have a husband who literally does believe that "but if anyone does not provide for his own, especially those in his own household he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" 1 Timothy 5:8. I've known my husband for about 8 years now, and been married 6 1/2....of those 6 1/2 married years, we've had children for almost 5 of those years. When we got married we had no idea what the future would hold, we just got married and trusted God in leading us into the ministry. We moved halfway across the country, I was about 8 weeks pregnant, we had no jobs no health insurance...and yet God called us, and "faithful is He who calls you, He will also bring it to pass." 1 Thes 5:24...so we went to Seminary. Our years in Kentucky were interesting, filled with ups and downs as my husband pursued the completion of his degree, and we welcomed two children into our marriage. My husband believed in his heart I should have the opportunity to stay at home with the children, and honestly I never thought growing up I would want to, but God changed my heart and opened my eyes to His plans for our family....I've been at home since the day before Joseph was born and it's been a blessing. I remember walking the halls of our first home carrying Joseph around as he was so tiny just singing to him and reading to him....loving on him as only a mother can. I've seen my husband at times work 3 jobs to support our family...and without complaint. It's amazing that as I look back on the years we've had together to see what God has brought us through. People ask us a lot why we aren't in ministry, or if we haven't seen them in awhile...people just assume we are...and ask where. It was weird at first, almost like we had disappointed so many people that believed in us as we were called to seminary. On this side of the story, I've got to say I am so thankful for a seminary that teaches young families that their number one ministry is their families....and that they should never sacrifice their family for the sake of ministry. I'm thankful that as we followed the Lord's leading, He has led us into "lay" ministry and has given us three sweet little sinners, all in need of Jesus, and He is daily refining us so that we can minister to them and point them to Jesus in their lives.

I've been very fortunate to see many friends' marriages succeed and none fail as of yet. I thank God for that. I think that the last 6 1/2 years of marriage has taught me invaluable lessons that will guide me in the rest of my marriage...I'm thankful that my commitment isn't to my husband but is to my Lord, and my husband's commitment isn't to me but to Jesus as well. Otherwise we'd have no hope. Marriage is tough at times, a breeze at others...but altogether is a blessing. "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth" Proverbs 5:18, I think it works both ways...that as wives we should rejoice in the husband of our youth too....and be thankful for how God crafted our husbands before the foundations of the earth just for us. Simply breath taking isn't it? How much the Lord cares for sinners like us...that He even created our spouses perfectly for each of us.