Through The Years.......... June 2023

Dear One and I are celebrating.

Time to kick up our heels and

rejoice over one more anniversary.

Sweet daughter got this photo

as we left church one morning.

It says a lot....

arms around one another....

Bible in his hand as we 

walk out to his old truck.

That's how we made it together.

Bible in hand.

Jesus leading us along.

We didn't know the way

when we started out.

We (especially Dear One)

just knew we'd make it somehow.

I wasn't so sure.

I just put my hand in his

and let him lead.

I hadn't had good role models

growing up in a broken home.

I didn't have good experiences

in my life that  would

give my broken heart any

hope that I personally

could be successful in a marriage.

Dear One didn't have the best role

models either.

But off we went...

me following him. 

He full of confidence that

we would find the way.

And we have.

Dear One began his

leadership role in our 

marriage by renewing his walk 

with the Lord and being baptized...

ready and eager to follow Jesus.

What a precious memory from

years ago......

Nothing came easy,

but we do really and truly 

love one another. 

As I write my blog

I seek to share how the Lord

taught us to live life.

I am not here to be

the one who knows it all.

I am not sharing because we

have the answers and we know so much.

No no no:)

we learned as we went.

There have been times...you know what I mean,

but the fears and broken places

we brought into our marriage have

been slowly mended by

 The One Who gave us to each other.

We have a good life together.

And that is because Dear One

and Jesus led the way.

I just followed...

sometimes broken, fearful and stubborn,

but the Lord Himself used Dear One to 

be His Hands of love and mercy.

I was such a broken heart

when we began that one day my Dear One 

said in exasperation...

"You just can't be loved!"

And he was right.

I was not capable of receiving

and understanding love.

I had been harmed as a little girl.

I hadn't known stability and real love.

And I was fearful of men, especially

strong men who wanted to lead.

What I brought to our marriage so 

many years ago was brokenness.

I didn't bring a whole heart.

The first time Dear One met

me, through one of his family members,

he said "I saw the hurt in your eyes and

I wanted to fix it."

Sweet Dear One.

He entered the marriage as the Giver.

He knew Jesus.

He knew (kinda) 

what he was getting into,

he wanted to be the one who was

the vessel God would use to heal

the woman he loved.

And he has done this.

Along with Dear One

the Lord sent two women

who taught me Titus Two

principles and guided me in understanding

how to create a loving home and marriage.

I thought at times the Lord, Dear One

and these women were difficult.

The path they were all leading me on 

was unfamiliar and at times so annoyingly different

 from the world I knew growing up.

My mother was divorced 

and remarried many times.

If she was unhappy she moved on.

She did not believe in the 

Titus Two principles I was learning

and in time it became best for her 

and I to part ways as she tried to 

destroy our marriage from the outside.

The Lord even healed that relationship

to a point and He allowed me to lead mom 

to the Lord before she died.

Ugh...it was all so uphill at times...

so tiring.

But we are 'here' now.

We are enjoying a life

built on The Rock.

This is why I write my blog.

This is why I share with 

the younger women what Jesus

and Dear One have taught me.

There is hope and new beginnings in Jesus.

He is the Healer...Jehovah Rapha.

He sends His own special

vessels into the lives of those who 

are His children to guide them on their way.

Dear One isn't perfect.

He is a vessel fit for the Lord's use.

A humble sort.

A man who wants what is

best for his wife.

And what's best is to 

follow the Lord's Word and 

do as He instructs us to do.

There is forgiveness.

There is a new beginning 

for each of us who is tired

of where we come from and

not having that work out too well for us.

Are you searching for peace?

It can be found in the Word.

He can show you the way

to create a household of faith

and raise up a new generation

for His glory.

It's okay if things haven't 

been the way they should be.

Jesus allows us to start over again.

He isn't asking you to 'be good'

and do this in your own strength.

He is simply asking you to 

allow Him to lead the way 

and for you to admit that you have

not followed Him.

It will not always 

be easy...but it will be fruitful.

In Him is found life

and in Him we can begin a new life

no matter how far away from Him you may have wandered

He is holding out His Hand and offering you His way of life.

I just want to say "thank you" to  my 

Dear One....and to Jesus.

I'd be lost without them.

Our song:).........