Partnership

Partnership: affiliation, collaboration, companionship, alliance, relationship, interest, connection, cooperation, association.

Last night, Craig and I celebrated one month of being married and (almost) 10 months of being together. As we sat and waited for our food to arrive, I couldn't help but display a glowing smile because it truly has become "our place". So often, I've heard of couples stating they have a favorite location to go as a couple, to connect, reflect and talk of their relationship as well as their dreams, but didn’t realize this time last year, I’d be one of those couples.

With cell phones being left out of the building, distractions disappear. The focus becomes about the other and the idea and concept we’ve been hearing about lately, the word: “partnership”. When partners in marriage value equality, they see each other as equals, treat each other with respect, consider each other’s needs, and support one another. This is our desire for each other. As equal partners, we are learning to agree on goals together and work as a team to achieve these goals. This shows one another that we have equal commitment to the relationship and want to provide mutual support and nurturing.

I believe that our marriage will be happier because of the equal partnership we are fostering daily. The closeness between my husband and myself is resulting in a stronger and happier marriage. I feel more confident with Craig in my life and because there is a strong emotional intimacy, I know that with God and him, I can do anything! (Or at least I feel that way!) Craig accepts my influence and this gets noted to me as his complete acceptance of me.

As we end this first month of being married and are about to embark into another month, my prayer is that I continue being a better wife to Craig. My heart is that God would teach me His ways, so that I may know them, and so that God would be pleased with me. My need from the Lord is that He’d help me to show my husband honor as unto the Lord, and encourage him in all that he does. May I continue to be given discernment by the Lord to know what to say, how to say it, and when not to say anything at all.

To have the Lord fill my mouth with good things to say, so that I can build him up with my words. Let me be that safe, soft place that he can rest on when the world has beaten him down. Let me be the lifter of his head.

Lastly, I thank God for making me a suitable help meet for him. I thank God for making me a Godly wife, so that He may be glorified.

Devotion

Devotion:

The state of being devoted; eager inclination; strong attachment love or affection; zeal; especially, feelings toward God appropriately expressed by acts of worship; devoutness.

Last Friday, I walked down the aisle and married the man that I know is indeed devoted to not only God, but also devoted to me, his wife. As I walked down the aisle, I could tell that my life was going to change in such a manner that now my life would be shared with not just two (God and me), but three.

As the Pastor spoke on the seriousness of our commitment towards one another, my head warmed from the heat by the sun which decided to come out about the time our vows were to be spoken. After a beautiful display of words from my husband about the word DEVOTION, I proceeded to state my vows and share with him the following:

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." With such a gift as my husband, I know that many new responsibilities face me.
In 1 Corinthians, it explains that it is "required of a steward to be found trustworthy."

I cannot do this on my own strength, but by God's grace and power working within me, I desire to be trustworthy as his wife and following his lead submissively, even as unto Christ, loving and serving him in all circumstances as long as God gives me life on this earth. I gave Craig a ring and the prayer attached to the ring was that it would remind him of my unending and unfailing love for him that won't be moved. I made a conscious decision for him to be my husband and inside of his ring it shares: Marry me, today and every day after. I desire each day for those words to be active and alive in our marriage and life together.

I pledged my faithfulness to show Craig the same kind of love as Christ showed the Church when He died, and to love him as a part of myself because in God's sight we shall be one. I promise to not only pray, take care, encourage and lift him up, but challenge him to grow and be strengthened by and for the Lord. I love him and I thank God for the love that has bound our hearts and lives together in spiritual fellowship of marriage. I will love, honor, cherish and obey him.

I rejoice as we enter upon the privileges and joys of life's most holy relationship and begin together the great adventure of building a Christian home, I will indeed look to Craig as the head of our home as I have looked to Christ as the Head of the Church. I love him more today than yesterday and more tomorrow than today. I am indeed DEVOTED to this new journey as a wife to my husband.