With God’s help, I’m still learning how to be a better, more effective and loving communicator in our marriage.
Honestly, in the beginning our marriage looked more like this:
Those individual hands are easily divided or pulled apart.
Over the years, God’s patiently, mercifully and graciously taught me how to better communicate with my precious wife. He’s had to help me overcome my own fleshly, human, self-preserving tendencies with all its issues, the world’s negative marriage impact, and the generational strongholds I inherited that handicapped my selfish, feeble efforts at communicating with Ann. He’s shown me how to lay down pride; how to better respect and value Ann, how to not get offended; how to listen to Ann instead of thinking about my response; how to give her words the care, weight and importance they deserve; to realize that she’s a gift and not someone I have to feel like I need to butt heads with; and that God’s desire is that we grow and mature in Him in our love for each other.
It’s taken some time, but I’ve found that God’s ways, and learning to listen to the Holy Spirit regarding interacting with Ann have really given me more peace and settled me down. Thank God, this has changed me as a person. It’s really been incredible to learn that marriage doesn’t need to be the tug of war I saw in my parents relationship and in so many others’ married lives. I’m really thankful for my one set of grandparents’ marriage that pictured the kind of kind, gentle, loving relationship that’s possible in Jesus. Thank You, Jesus, for taking the time and attention I needed to help me become a better husband. Thank You for my Annie. Thank You for making us more one in You. Truly, Your unfailing love is a miracle we count on every day.
Listening to the Holy Spirit in our marriage has made communicating easier, more expansive, fulfilling, endearing, loving and productive. It’s shown us that we can talk to each other about anything, supporting each other each day, and that a win-win relationship can flourish when we learn God’s ways and intentions for marriage.
Today, our hands and marriage look like this:
How can I say thanks
for the things You have done for me
Things so undeserved
Yet You give to prove Your love for me
The voices of a million angels
Could not express my gratitude
All that I am and ever hope to be
I owe it all to Thee
To God be the glory
To God be the glory
To God be the glory
For the things He has done
With His blood, He has saved me
With His power, He has raised me.
To God be the glory
For the things he has done
Just let me live my life
Let it be pleasing, Lord to Thee
And should I gain any praise,
Let it go to Calvary.
With His blood, He has saved me
With His power, He has raised me.
To God be the glory
For the things He has done.*
God bless,
Mark
*Song lyric from “To God Be The Glory” by Andrae Crouch