My husband and I had the privilege of sharing at our churches couples night this past weekend. We spoke about how marriage is full of new beginnings. Life is full of new beginnings but ones we focused on where the ones we went through together. First we spoke of meeting, getting married and buying a new house together. Did you know that those first few years as a couple can be full of so much fun doing all these new things together and making all those decisions. My husband will tell you those decisions came with many “yes dears”.
Then came our first child, D, and me deciding to stay home. I think this for many couples begins some of the most challenging times. It’s no longer just the two of you and now you need to worry about this little one that you brought home. My husband says “You need to take a test to drive a car, but anyone can have a child.” Crazy, we had no parenting experience yet here we were. Next, came our second little spit fire, G, and they were only 18 mos apart so I was a very busy momma trying to figure this whole parenting thing out with two in diapers. Then a few years later we decided to try for number three and along came A. Now as my husband states, “We were outnumbered, we only have two hands, there is only two of us and now we had three.”
Yet as wonderful as all of these new beginnings were, thankfully none of them seemed to pull at us. We had an amazing marriage, we were best friends. However we have learned, not all our new beginnings were good. When A was 2 y/o my niece came to live with us. We went from parenting a then 7 y/o boy to a 14 y/o girl. Not only that but she came from a different upbringing. She didn’t come from a Christian home and didn’t understand rules or authority. She was an only child and didn’t understand the idea of siblings although she thought they were cute.
This became a very trying time for me as I was home all the time. She would listen to my husband but not to me. We had friends that gave us great advise throughout that time such as, “If we are right as a couple, the family will be alright”. We had to make sure she did not drive a wedge between us and she sure did try. This was one of the most difficult times in our marriage, but we would not have been able to go through it alone. She eventually moved back with her grandmother as we knew she needed more attention than we could give her with three little ones in the home.
Another trying time in our life was when I was diagnosed with the tumor behind my cheek bone. I won’t write much now but you can read my blog post here about that time. My husband will state this was a very concerning time for him especially because he knew I had a peace going into this surgery that he did not have or feel. He worried and you can see his words here from the day of the surgery. God is so good that as I read non-stop and listened to sermons on healing after my surgery I had a greater revelation of who God really is. First I came to understand that God didn’t do this to me. God is my father and He loves me. He doesn’t want me sick. Instead I now understand more how we live first in a fallen world and how the enemy comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. He tried and failed. What the enemy tried to use, God instead used as a time of much growth.
After this I was seeking more and because I felt I needed more we ended up looking at some other churches and came to find our current church. We love where we are. We are learning and growing. We are confessing God’s word in our life and into the lives of others.
One thing we have learned through these new beginnings is that we cannot do them alone. As couples, we need other couples. We need to be lifted up and brought along side other fellow believers.
My prayer:
Father thank you for Your word and Your truth. Thank you that we are blessed and not cursed. Thank you for community and the importance of not walking our faith alone. Thank you for Your Son, Jesus, that came and died so we can live victorious. Thank you for all our new beginnings for we know you have made all things new. Bless those that read this blog. Give hope in times of trials and understanding and revelation of Your word and truths. Please restore relations that have been attacked from the enemy and let Your light shine on their marriage. ~Amen
0 thoughts on “New Beginnings”