REMINDERS TO TRULY APPRECIATE MARRIAGE

by Tammy Phillips
July 31, 2021

Kris and I have known each other for thirty years.  (Am I even that old?) Today, we celebrate our twenty-eighth anniversary.  I am thankful.  I am thankful for a husband who loves me, and I am thankful for a marriage that has endured.  I am guilty of taking are marriage for granted.  I am guilty of taking Kris for granted.  On the day that we married, we walked down the aisle, out of the church and had a private moment in the lobby.  Our first words to each other after our nuptials were, “This is forever.”  As married folk know, forever is a long time.  Newlyweds, newly engaged and about to be marrieds, forever is a long time.  We also made a declaration that divorce was not in our vocabulary.  We both have excelled, and we both have failed.  We have fought hard and not fought hard enough for our marriage.  Praise God together we have endured.  Love endured.  God is love and love is the enduring glue that holds our marriage together.

This week, I was reminded to REALLY appreciate our union.  I have three sisters who are hurting.  One sister celebrated her anniversary with her husband who has dementia and is rapidly declining.  She was so sad because she said she felt like she was celebrating alone. Another sister was struggling in her singleness after her marriage of over twenty years ended.  Finally, a dear sweet sister had been battling for years to save her marriage and she sadly signed divorce papers just yesterday.  My heart was and is breaking for each of my friends.  I became sad because as they endured their individual pains, each of their situations made me realize how very blessed I was to be celebrating another anniversary.

Married folk, newlyweds, about-to-be-marrieds, newly engaged and looking to get marrieds, marriage is precious.  It is not to be taken for granted.  Marriage is forever.  Treasure it.  This week I was painfully remind to appreciate, love, and respect my husband, all the more.  I love you, Kris Phillips!  I am so very thankful for you, your enduring spirit, and our marriage. THIS IS FOREVER.

I enCOURAGE you, married folk, newlyweds, about-to-be-marrieds, newly engaged and looking-to-get-marrieds… Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Hold each other up.  Put up with each other.  Endure. Love is patient. Love is kind.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Do everything in love. (Ephesians 4:2, 1 Corinthians 13:4, Romans 12:10, 1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 Peter 4:8, 1 Corinthians 16:14)

P.S.  Please pray for my sisters in Christ who are hurting.  Earlier, I failed to mention the sweet Mom of a friend who buried her husband of 44 years this week.  Pray for them, too, please?  Know that  I will be praying for your marriage.  I ask that you pray for ours in that it will be all God intended.