by Jason Teeters
Prayer: Jesus, it is difficult to thank You and praise You during times of conflict. But I hold onto Your promise that You will never leave me, and through Your grace alone I will get through it. I pray that I can be ready to learn from it as You teach me along the way.
James 1: 2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Although it was 15 years ago, I remember our first year of marriage very well. It was a time of excitement, where we were starting our lives together, but it was also a time of great conflict for my wife Hope and me.
I remember two independent lives struggling to find the common ground that our marriage needed. Coming out of college, I was probably as far away from God as I had ever been, and Hope did not grow up in a Christian home. As a result, our marriage did not have a solid foundation upon which to build. After many arguments and threats of divorce, Hope sought biblical truth from a co-worker’s pastor, and I re-dedicated my life to Jesus. Together, we were baptized, and we finally had the one and only foundation to build a marriage upon.
Looking back on that first year of marriage, although very difficult, it was paramount in establishing the foundation that our marriage needed. I am thankful for that conflict in our lives, as it strengthened our marriage for the future and preserved my soul-mate as my wife. Praise God!
Thanks Jason and Hope for perservering though the tough times to build a marriage that stands in testimony to God's grace, and serves as a witness to all of the rest of the married folks in this church/world.
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