Grace and peace family!

The famous Christian author C. S. Lewis once said “Love…is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself.” I believe that it is the desire of God’s heart to see strong marriages that are thriving, overflowing with love, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and grace. For without the help of the Holy Spirit none of this is possible and we can’t make it without Him. Therefore, we can choose to trust God with every part of our marriages surrendering all to Him. Psalm 20:4 (ESV): May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!

MARRIAGE IS HARD WORK. IN SO MANY WAYS, IT STRETCHES US TO BECOME SOMEONE BETTER THAN WE PREVIOUSLY WERE. MT

God’s Desire for marriages

For a covenant that is meant to be about partnership, unity and connection, marriage can sometimes be one of the loneliest places in the world. Even the biggest butterflies stop fluttering eventually. When the initial emotions fade out of a relationship, pain in the form of isolation, abuse and divorce can begin to creep in. But the Bible teaches that this is not a part of God’s perfect design for marriage. Billy Graham once said, “God gave marriage to us, and His plan is for it to be a source of blessing and happiness for us.” In our sinful world, marriage does not always feel like the gift it was meant to be. But God has the power to restore even the most broken relationships. Find comfort in these 5 answers from Billy Graham about when marriage gets difficult: https://billygraham.org/story/when-marriage-is-hard-5-answers-from-billy-graham/

“Determine to pray more words over your marriage than you speak about your marriage.” ~ Lysa TerKeurst

A PRAYER FOR MARRIAGES

Heavenly Father, may you unite both husband and wife in unity reconciling all indifferences leaving no room for the enemy to invade sacred territory to destroy any marriage. We apply the blood of Jesus to our marriages.  We thank you Lord for good wholesome marriages, full of love, forgiveness and compassion for each other guarding against all offenses that try to come to disrupt or peace. In Jesus Christ Name Amen!   

Strength: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” Romans 15:5

Foundation: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27

Faith: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”  Proverbs. 3:3-4

Hope: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah. 29:11

Love: “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other…” 1Thesselonians 3:12

“A Christian marriage is [not] one with no problems or even a marriage with fewer problems. (It may well mean more problems.) But it does mean a life in which two people are able to accept each other and love each other in the midst of problems and fears. It means a marriage in which selfish people can accept selfish people without constantly trying to change them — and even accept themselves because they realize personally that they have been accepted by Christ.” ~ Keith Mill