He put a ring on it!

"Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates."

Proverbs 31:25-31

There is just something about the season of spring. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and weddings are a common thing to see. Three weeks out of the coming month, I will be busy either attending or officiating a ceremony and celebrating with couples as they embark on this next journey of their life together. As I prepare for them, it is natural to reflect on what it actually means to be married. My wife and I have been married for almost 3 and a half years and the journey has been anything but predictable. From traveling across the country, to settling down in our hometown that we grew up in, it is safe to say that we have had incredible experiences so far. We were counseling a couple last night, and they asked if we could sum up marriage in one statement, what would it be? We simply answered, "Marriage is what you make it." The truth is that, whenever you are on a journey, no matter what type, how it looks, or whatever, you cannot erase the fact that there will be turns. There will be stop signs. There will be smooth and easy patches. There will be times that test your faith and there will also be times that strengthen it as well. So many people that I run into, try to literally itemize marriage into a box, or make it an option to check off of their list. But to be honest we have a hard time comprehending the seriousness behind the reality of marriage. When we take into account that this decision to spend our lives with this person is not only a commitment, but it is also a covenant, it will literally shake your perspective. God's idea of marriage compared to our idea of marriage, I believe are two totally different perspectives. The reason I believe it is hard for us to grasp it, is simply because we do not understand it fully. Where did the idea originate from? Who am I meant to marry? Will I be a good spouse? These are all mysteries and to be honest we hate not knowing the outcome of things. I figured out a long time ago, that people that live their life in trying to figure out how God operates, usually, die still trying to figure it out. Marriage is a journey not meant to be solved in one day or a lifetime for that matter. It is what you make it. It is so awesome to think that God has entrusted us with such a valuable and attainable gift, so the question is.....What are you going to do with it? Men, support your wives in all that they do. Women, continue to be the backbone and encouragement system for your husband. Trust me, we NEED it! Try everyday to build one another, not tear the other down. Remember, a house that is worth living in, always takes time and specifications to build. Your spouse needs your time, and be intentional and specific with what you say and do in order to build a relationship that will be worth living in.

For Danielle: Thank you for always being the anchor that has kept me afloat in the midst of the storm.