How Deep the Father's Love for Us

Today we have been married for 9 years!
(Please excuse this explosion of random thoughts)

I continue to be amazed at God's design for marriage and I am amazed at the blessings He pours out on those who following Him. This fall, we had the privilege of taking a 6 week marriage class taught by the senior pastor of our church. I really had no expectations of the class, I just thought it sounded good and it was! I looked forward to it each week. It was so nice to focus on marriage and not just parenthood.

I have recently been blown away with the story of Adam and Eve's marriage and God's marriage to His children. I have always loved to blame Adam and Eve for all my troubles or the worlds troubles. But a recent sermon made me rethink my view of their sins and The Fall. God's reconciliation to Adam and Eve (after they eat the forbidden fruit) is perhaps the sweetest example of love, second only to God giving His only Son. God has given us an example of love, that does not stop when sin enters, if anything His love is more deeply expressed.

I have been blessed for the past 2 years of having several newly weds in my life. My sister got married in 2008 and a woman in my Wellspring small group got married this summer. It's fun to hear their stories and in return reminisce about mine. But mostly, I am blessed b/c I can say/think, it gets so much better and easier! Not that either of them have terrible stories or b/c they complain about marriage, but b/c they are reminding me how it felt to be a newly wed. It was hard and fun and exciting all at the same time. But NOW, the hard stuff is so quickly worked out and the fun stuff is entirely new b/c we have kids and the excitement is not so much the discovering of new things about each other but instead realizing how well we fit together.

With all that being said, I am discovering it is far easier to love, when it's not about me. I think being married 9 years has helped it be less about me and more about EJ. WOW, this can only come from the Lord. And please don't think I do this perfectly ;)

Happy Anniversary EJ! I am loving our journey!