….love one another, as I have loved you. John 13:34 

New Love

I Remember when we connected. I was a freshman in high school and he was a Senior. He had piercing blue eyes, a great smile, and sandy brown hair with a hint of curl. He was mischievous with a bad boy vibe. He caught my attention. He graduated and was gone, so I thought! We reconnected at the end of my Sophomore year when we saw each other at our County Fair. A red rose and his phone number were soon delivered.

Promised Love

We said, “I Do”, October 11, 1985, on a Friday night at 6:00 pm in our little country church. 

Fractured Love

Two months married and we were failing each other. We had no idea how to have a successful marriage. He thought the courting was over at I Do and I was heartbroken. I dreamed he would meet my every need. He imagined I would make him happy. Hadn’t we married to complete each other? Adding a new baby to our life nineteen months later and then two more within nine years proved challenging. Financial hardships, broken communication, and immaturity fractured an already fragile love. 

Brotherly Love    

When romantic love is broken, brotherly love can continue. This kind of love reaches beyond ourselves and draws from Jesus. It isn’t romantic or passionate but is friendly and considerate. We grow to realize marriage is not always about our needs being met but about meeting our spouse’s needs, even when we feel disappointed, wounded, neglected, or cheated. It is in those times we must search scripture to see what Jesus says about marriage. 

Redeemed Love

Some damage can only be redeemed through the guidance of Jesus Christ. Choosing to redeem love requires hard work, surrender, and sacrifice. The bride and bridegroom relationship is a beautiful picture of Christ and his church. Christ gave himself in order to redeem us from the hand of the enemy so that we might be his bride. Redemption is precious.

WORDS OF TRUTH

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: 2 Peter 1:4

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Eph. 4:32  

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Eph. 4:2

Let brotherly love continue. Hebrews 13:1

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Psalm 107:2