We always dream as little girls that one day we will meet our Prince Charming, he will gracefully sweep us off our feet and then we will ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after......
Truthfully, I did not ask for any of the above nor did I believe any of the above would "come true." Maybe it was because I was faced with the reality at a very young age that sometimes happily ever after doesn't really happen. I look around and I ask, Where did the effort go? Where did the sacrifice fall? Where did the to death do us part end? Jesus was the only answer I could find. Without Him marriages fail and in some cases with Him marriages fail...So why do we give up so easily? What causes us to say, "It's over?" Are we all so stubborn and so selfish that its all about us and if our needs aren't met then we are gone. Really, I wonder what Jesus is thinking? In the face of death, He didn't run. So why do we? And might I make mention, many of us aren't running because there is a warrant for our death...
Marriage requires us to change. Before it was all about me, me, me! You know what I am talking about :) And now its all about us, us, us! So, yes, change is required in order for the 2 to remain as 1. So this is where I see marriages end. I know its a big word, SACRIFICE. Americans have a hard time comprehending the word sacrifice much less actually doing it. Yet when we look to the greatest "man" that walked the earth, He was all about sacrifice.
So I say all that to say, that God has blessed me ABUNDANTLY with a man who strives everyday to sacrifice himself for me. He lived a life for a long time that was all about him, but he has done an amazing job making it all about me. Is our marriage perfect, are we each struggling with issues that were brought on as a result of our parents, ABSOLUTELY, but at the end of the day, we strive everyday to sacrifice ourselves for each other. And the most important word I can use here is CHANGE. My husband desperatley desires to change everyday, while still holding on to fears that grip him from the past. Change is hard and it requires us to actively change our ways, its not easy. Which explains why many CHOOSE not to change. I can't accept someone who says I can't change....A life lived in the world to a life lived in Christ is a huge example of change. So what is your excuse?
I meant this to be about my husband so here it is...
You truly are the godly man that I prayed for and without you in my life I am lacking. You are my strength when I am weak. You have been my support in many ways. You have enabled me to lift my head when I just wanted it to drop. You've been there for me when no one else was. You constantly strive to make me happy. When I am hurting you hurt. You are a great provider and lover. You are the love of my life! With you I feel secure, safe and satisfied. It's hard to believe that in just a couple of days you got down on one knee. And, yet, here we are, married, in love and living happily ever after. I love you and I know you know. Its obvious, seeing as though I only tell you a million times a day. ;) I promise to continue to put God first and you second because I know that kind of unfailing love will last a life time. True love wasn't modeled before me, but I'm thankful to serve a God everyday who shows me what real love is all about. You are a true example of change. I know you are not where you want to be but know that you are doing a great job getting there! And its because you have a desire to seek change. That is a remarkable quality in and of itself.
I can go on and on but I will stop for now....
I only pray that the love I feel towards you is demonstrated on a day to day basis. I love you with all my heart!
~Jenni~
