"Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary"

This month my husband, Brian, and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. WOW!!! Double digits!!!! It’s a little difficult for me to wrap my brain around this thought. We have been through countless testings, trials, joys, and valleys together. And even though we are long past that exciting “newly budding romance” stage in our relationship where we are winning each other’s hearts, we are arriving at the “deep love and appreciation” stage where we are truly able to cherish each other’s hearts.

So, how do we continually cherish each other even after 10 years of marriage (almost12 year, if you count dating)? For me, the secret lies in keeping my personal relationship with Jesus Christ at the center of my existence. As a wife, there is always a temptation to look to my husband to meet needs and desires in my heart that only Christ can truly fulfill. Whenever I start expecting Brian to be the perfect Prince Charming of my childhood fairy tales, I end up focusing on his shortcomings as a husband. When I look to my husband to fulfill me at the deepest level, I put unhealthy pressure upon him. As wonderful as Brian is…. he is still human and he will still let me down at times. I find that I can only love and cherish my husband well when Jesus Christ is my first and ultimate Bridegroom. When I’m fulfilled in Jesus Christ, I don’t spend all my time and energy trying to make Brian into my romantic fairy-tale ideal. Rather, I am free to serve him and love him, without constantly focusing on whether or not he’s living up to my “Prince Charming” expectations every moment of the day.

As Brian builds his life around Christ, he is naturally a reflection of Christ in the way he treats me. And as I build my life around Christ, I learn to love my husband as God has called me to love him. That is what makes a marriage gain more and more beauty as the years go by.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

As this milestone anniversary approaches, I am filled with gratitude and amazement at the beauty of God’s ways. “I have found the one whom my soul loves” Song of Solomon 3:4

Brian and I are praying and expecting God to do wonderful things in our marriage and in our lives as we use our God-given gifts to serve others.

Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary, Brian!! I love you!