Four years, four months and twenty three days…. this is how long we have been involved in a marriage covenant.
Through five houses, thousands of miles, grey and rainy Seattle days to hot and blustery California afternoons and now to an east coast lifestyle that two west coasters have never experienced before…
Through quitting jobs and new careers, saying goodbye to furry friends, saying hello to new human friends, endless belly laughs and never ending tears about insecurity, fears, loneliness and despair.
Weeklong road trips, puking on planes, unreasonable bosses, 17 hour days, car crashes, swollen hands and rage during 10k runs, Netflix marathons, crappy dinners, not quite fried enough turkeys, triathlons, teenagers…..
Growth in knowledge and understanding of the love and grace shed up on us by Him…
This is our covenant.
We did not make a contract with each other. We did not say, “I’m in…. as long as you hold up your end of the bargain.....otherwise…I’m out.”
We said, “I’m in…. even if you fail. Even if you let me down. Even if the butterflies go away. Even if it gets hard. Even if I'm not "happy". Even if you don’t hold up your end of the deal. I’m in, no matter what. “
Marriage is a covenant, not a contract.
A covenant can really and truly only be understood through the eyes of the Lord. In the way he sees us. How else could it make sense? His covenant with us guides us and leads the way. How would it even be possible without His intervention? It's not, which is why marriage is the perfect earthly picture of his relationship with us. This is why I'm involved with weddings and marriages and covenant. It's worth achieving what it was designed to be.
I am personally so blessed to be in covenant with this man named Paul who promised to love, cherish and put me first despite all of my shortcomings and inability to achieve perfection. It is my hope and daily prayer that all those who enter into the marriage covenant are able to experience the joy that accompanies such a promise.
