On June 20th, my husband and I will be celebrating our 40th anniversary! Here’s a post about marriage that doesn’t give false ideals, but realities in its day-to-day struggles. I hope it will encourage your “marriage walk.”
As my husband and I were taking our daily walk yesterday, I took some pictures and realized that our marriage is a lot like the walk we take each day.
- Marriage takes discipline – I make a choice to walk each day, and I make a choice to love my husband. As I add a walking routine to stay fit, I must also make investments in my marriage. Spending time together, planning time away, talking to and listening to one another are all important disciplines.
- Marriage takes hard work. This first street we walk is a steep hill. Some mornings I think it’s steeper than others – it’s hard work! A good marriage takes hard work. Every day you climb past your own desires and meet the needs of your spouse. Every day you push forward instead of staying where you were yesterday. It might be exhausting some days, but it’s worth the effort!
- Distance can intrude a marriage – Sometimes we jog a bit on our morning “walk” – that’s why he’s way ahead of me in the picture below! Some days in marriage there comes a distancing – an icy shoulder, a curt word, and the separation becomes greater and greater. When we’re out walking, someone has to take the initiative to wait for the other to catch up, or the slower one breaks into a run to be able to be side by side again. This is getting right in marriage; getting back together. It’s the humbling of one or both that makes that happen. “Only by pride comes contention.” Proverbs 13:10
- God’s plan for marriage is beautiful – Part of our walk is beautiful. This road is full of views that I never tire looking at! It’s what spurs me out of bed and into my walking clothes! I can’t wait to hear the quiet and see the beauty. Remembering what the Lord desires my marriage to be, and the picture I have of that in Scripture makes me press on. I long for my marriage to be all that God intended. It pushes me to the Word and prayer, because I know in myself I cannot be the godly wife God wants me to be. If I want my marriage to be beautiful, I know I need the Lord’s enablement!
- We must keep eternity in view – Yesterday we ran quite a bit. I got really tired and I was so relieved to see my home come into view! Keeping my eternal home in view will help my marriage too. It will help me to encourage my husband each day and pray that he will be a godly man. It will make me desire to make it easy for him to serve God instead of resisting what he wants to do in our home and family. It will make me remember that rewards are then, not now. It will remind me to be faithful to this ministry of my marriage.
I thank the Lord for a godly husband who loves the Lord and desires to live for him. I am privileged to be his wife. It’s been a great walk!
What part of “The Marriage Walk do you need to focus on? Ask the Lord for His help, then strap on your shoes and get moving!
With a thankful heart,
RefreshHer 
what a sweet post. your front yard looks lovely, by the way. =)
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Happy Anniversary!
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How do you handle the gravels in the road that make you stumble. Everyone has them.
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Yes, everyone does stumble. “A just man falleth seven times and rises up again.: When I'm walking and I stumble, I don't just lie there – I get up. When “bumps” come in my marriage I make the choice to get up. I must think the truth and apply the salve – the Word of God.
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From now on if there is a comment written in any language other than English it will be deleted because I don't know the content. If my blog can be read in English then it can be responded to in English. Thank you.
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My husband and I are first generation christians, I want to be so much more closer to God than what I am. It seems that when we move one step forward we take 2 back. Sometimes I think it is b/c of me. I know I influence him much more than I think but, I want him to be the Leader but I know I need to let go of wanting control. I know he wants to be but I think he feels he doesn't know how. God will give us knowledge as it says in Jm 1:5. We desire for the instruction of the “How to” but sometimes I think our pride gets in the way. We don't know how to ask for help but I know our heart is in the right place. I feel sometimes that when there is a gathering, we are out of place and I don't know if this is b/c of ourselves or what, or the devil just trying to tear us down. We have had some hard times but, I know God will lead us to His way of doing things through any means Jer 29:11. All I know to do is pray that God will show him how to lead.
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Dear Friend,
Praise the Lord for you and your husband trusting Christ and desiring to follow Him! Your desire to want to grow and be close to God is evidence of your regenerated heart; how wonderful!
Remember that “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” It's certainly His will for you to draw to Him. We really are as close to God as we want to be. We must daily be in the Word and prayer, daily commit our way to Him, daily submit… It must be consistent. If we fall, we get up, with God's enablement.
It does indeed take a humble heart to ask for help, but that's what church leaders are for. Ask your pastor or godly leaders in your church for guidance. If that would happen to be my husband, he and I would love to meet with you and your husband. When you go to a church gathering it may take a bit for you to feel comfortable, but the more things you attend, the easier it will be.
I'll be praying for you!
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Happy Anniversary 🌷 Thank you for your blog.
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Thank you!!
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HalleluYah! Thank you for sharing this. Truth and beautiful. Just began my walk in this last year and it’s how you describe it for sure. Do I have permission to share this or link to it?
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Praise the Lord for a his Word and help in our marriages that can display the Gospel of our dear Savior. I’d be happy for you to share my post with link. ❤️
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Such an inspiration post and so true! My husband are entering a new season in our marriage as we are now both retiring. I will need to keep this post close! Thank you for sharing.
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How exciting, Sharon!! New seasons also bring new blessings, and I pray that is so for you and your husband!!
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Hi
I’m new to you blog. I found you by following home for comfort. Congrats on 40 years of marriage, you don’t hear that 40 years of marriage now days.
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Thank you and Welcome!! I like that girl over at Home for Comfort!! 😉 We are so blessed with these 40 years and with sweet daughters who would celebrate our special anniversary in such a grand way!
I’m so glad you stopped in! I post each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I hope you’ll come back and find some refreshment for your life!
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