Five Months

For me, the most amazing thing about being married is

Andrew.

I know, sounds silly... like, "well duh, Rachel!"

But, seriously... when you think about it, there are many reasons people get married and not all of them are the right reasons.

For Christians, there is a high calling in marriage.  A call to a union that is to be faithful, lasting, and glorifying to God.

Being in love is great, don't get me wrong!  I wouldn't have married Andrew if I didn't love him.

But love is different for Christians.  Instead of a mushy-gushy feeling that can come and go with the ups and downs of life and desire for self-satisfaction, it overflows from us as a result of the love God is constantly pouring into us.  This is a sacrificial love.  A love that can never die, simply because Love has already come, bled, died, and risen never to die again.  It is a fearless love, because it doesn't rest on how we feel, but on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

And following Christ is so much better than following your heart, isn't it? 

So yes, of course, I am SO in love with my husband.  But I am so thankful for God's love for me, how perfect it is, because I know how flawed my own love is.  I would never be able to love Andrew even close to enough without my Savior.  And I'm still learning how to really love both God and Andrew.  It is a process that will never end until I see my Savior face to face and know Him and His love for all it really is.

As Christians, our lives are to be spent in the spreading of the Gospel and the glorification of our Lord.  One huge way that we can either become stronger or weaker in our walk is through being in a relationship.  If being in a relationship causes you to backslide, distracts you from your walk with the Lord, then I would encourage you to rethink if a relationship is what God wants for you at this point in your life.  This is something very important to consider because, once you're married, from God's point of view you are joined to that person.

If, as you get to know this special other person, you see that God can use you both mightily if you join forces, then yes, by all means, get married!!!  Andrew and I both were already actively involved in ministry prior to marriage, but we both saw we shared a love for people, ministry, and growing in the Lord.  We knew we could be strength for each others' weaknesses, an encouragement, and a comfort to each other through life.

That's why my favorite part of my marriage is

Andrew.

He keeps me crazy in love with him through the ways he shows love to me; creatively, spontaneously, in ways so special and personal to me.

The way he reminds me of how much God loves me through his actions and words.

The way he encourages me when I'm struggling, comforts me when I'm hurting, confronts me when I'm backsliding.

How he humbly recieves the same from me.

The way his love for me isn't about what he can get out of it, it is about how much he can give.

Andrew's love for the Lord and his true desire to be a man after God's own heart is so visible and contagious.

He is full of joy and fun, delighting in life.

He counts the blessings that God has given us and trusts Him with the things still to come.

He loves from a true heart; a heart full of the love God has poured into him.

Not the mushy-gushy kind,

but the sacrificial, lay-down-his-life-for-me kind.

A fearless kind of love that only makes me want to shout thankfulness to my Lord and use this beautiful gift He has given me called "marriage" for His complete glory.

Happy Five Months, Sweetheart.

I love being married to you.

God bless you all, my dear readers.  I know I was a tad random in my post today, there was no organized essay written here... just my thoughts on my incredible God, amazing husband, and these five months of marriage.

Have a lovely weekend!