We Had No Idea Where It Would Lead

My husband was chatting with a counselor we had just met, easily chronicling the last few years of our lives.  As I met with her later, the first thing she said was, “I CANNOT BELIEVE the amount of transitions you and your husband have been through in the last few years!”

It was an objective statement from someone peering into the type of gypsy living we embarked upon two years into our marriage.  It was pre-kids, so we were still newlywedsJ, and we had no idea where it would lead.  

We didn’t know that a year internship in Budapest, Hungary would lead to a long-term call to that same place.  

We didn’t know that that long-term call would take six years of almost constant transition to come to fruition. 

We didn’t know that the Lord would bless us with three children born in two different states and countries in a little over five years’ time. 

We didn’t know we would spend nearly three years living in other people’s homes while most of our worldly possessions were stored in one place or another.

We didn’t know the tens of thousands of miles we would travel up and down the Eastern seaboard or across the country or the overseas flights we would travel all with little ones in tow.

BUT on that beautiful day we were married, now almost ten years ago, we DID KNOW that we were embarking on a glorious and gritty journey in which we would need the lavish grace and love of God to survive.

In the midst of our vows we recited Lamentations 3:22-23 as an echo of our hearts to one another:

“Because of the Lord’s great love {I said}
{Then he said} We are not consumed
For his compassions/mercies never fail {I said again}
{He said again} They are new every morning
Then finally TOGETHER we said :
GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS OH GOD!

It was a prayer spoken in reverence with a mustard seed of faith, hinging our everything upon the matchless love of God. 

And with every day and every transition ushering in the growing pains of our marriage, that faithful love has proven true over and over and over again.  Stretching and expanding our hearts to give us a love for one another that is all for His Glory.

It is His Glory that shines because marriage has humbled me like nothing else.  I quake in my shoes at the thought of writing about marriage as though I am some kind of glowing example.

No, I am a woman whose tendency towards pride and self and shallow love has been so keenly revealed through this deepest of all human relationships.

Yet, this constant revelation is a priceless gift driving me deeper into the heart of God and the truth of the Gospel.  Allowing forgiveness to become the air I breathe as I first bow before the cross where my debt has been paid.  I become that one who has been forgiven much.  Every day seeing the greater depth of my sin so that I can know the greater depth of the Savior’s love.

Out of this love a well of forgiveness flows to my husband.  It becomes that easy yoke that Christ promises in Matthew 11:28-30.

So, in everything our marriage becomes a living testament of the infinite strength of God’s faithfulness.  These crazy transitions may define the contour of our journey, but they have only magnified the extent to which a marriage can weather the strains of change illuminating the brilliance of a God who is ALL the Glory!!

About Abby

Abby is a small-town loving, big city adventurer.  She and her husband have worked with high school students most of their lives!  Since their internship in Budapest, Hungary in 2005-2006, they have been working with the ministry of CRU.  In May of this year, they moved to Hungary answering God's call to work long-term with the students of Central and Eastern Europe.  Abby loves to laugh, especially at herself, has a passion for God and making Him known and is ever learning how to do that with three small children, ages 5, 3 and one month.  She wouldn't trade the journey for anything!  She blogs regularly at Fan the Flame   

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