Broken Together

Marriage is hard work. Period. When we enter into marriage with an idealistic picture of how marriage should be and we throw in life, kids, and a few tragedies, you get a recipe for disaster. How is any marriage supposed to survive such disappointment and heartache? To be honest, I’m not sure, but we live in a broken world and I know that it would be a hopeless effort without Christ. Christ provided us with the perfect example of the sacrificial love that is required in marriage: completely selfless, loving the least, choosing to leave his seat at the right hand of God to walk among us, and bear the full weight of all our sins on that cross. It is only when we totally die to ourselves that marriage can become all that God intended it to be. Don’t get me wrong, I have not succeeded at reaching this type of love for my husband and I feel that I am still far from it. Quite frankly, no one ever will because of our sinful nature, but it is something to strive for.

Jake and I have been put through some trials in the few years we have been married. We have struggled with all the typical marriage issues, but we also lived apart for almost a year because of a job situation and a crummy housing market, we lost three pregnancies, and been dealt the potential blow of a losing another. Sometimes my mind wanders back to the simpler times when we first got married…before we had a house to worry about, before kids, and before our busy schedules got in the way of “us.” These years have broken us, but these years have also changed us into who we are today. We have matured, learned how to better communicate our feelings, and learned to pick our battles. Jake has become my hero and my crutch on the days that I don't think I can take another step. We may still be broken, but we have learned how to be broken together. 

Casting Crowns' Broken Together

The next two weeks will be hard for us as we wait to see our little boy again. We are scared, but we are also hopeful. I know we will be able to get through this together and come out better on the other side…no matter what happens.

"Count is all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you my be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 (ESV)