Today, Luisel and I are celebrating 40 years of marriage. 40 years! Though many have been married much longer, most have not. How can two teenagers with a baby on the way in their second year of college make it? One way...by the Grace of God!
There is an opening line from an old Caedmon's Call song that has always resonated with me. It says, No one would love me if they knew the things I hide. That statement is probably true for not only me - but you too. Apart from Christ, I am not a good man. And Luisel is not a perfect woman (though she is pretty close :-)). No, 40 years didn't come because we are special people. It didn't happen because we applied the 5 secrets of a successful marriage or 7 keys to raising your kids. 40 years happened because early in our marriage we embraced and welcomed a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And though we have made mistakes along the way, we decided together to never give up and hold on like crazy to the Lord. Little did we know, it was Him who was actually holding us.
Like many of you, the families we came from had a lot of flaws. Though much was good, there was also a lot of brokenness. We didn't have many examples around us to follow. But just three years into marriage and with a new and renewed commitment to Christ, we got involved in a good Bible teaching church and nurtured godly relationships of like-minded people.
Today we have five children plus four by marriage (and one to come) who love and walk with Jesus Christ. We have 12 grandbabies (and two on the way) who are precious. And we are still committed and serving in a local Bible-teaching church. And I deserve none of it. It is all because God is good. He is very good...in His grip.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Coach's tip - God never said walking with Him would be easy. But He did say it would be so worth it!
Florida-Georgia Line Good to Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCjDHDa_Tuw
Caedmon's Call Love Alone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhq-qEFbE_8
Wits End - What's Going Into Your Head?