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Saturday, October 18, 2008

True love




This has always been a subject I have loved. After all, I did write a senior paper with a crazy title of something like, "The concept of true love: A comparison of the transformation from the 60's, 70's, 80's, & 90's "(remember, mom? She had to help me throw it together last minute! ;) ) Anyway, I thought I had it all figured out before I got married! But, I soon realized I was just beginning to learn (and still am)! I used to view marriage as what I was going to get out of it! How sweet he would be to me... It was a very self-centered way of thinking. I now know that God's ways are higher and that it is best to look out for the interests of others and to prefer them over ourselves. And I have learned that I need to get the "plank" out of my own eye so that I can see clearly to get the "speck" out of my brother's eye (Matthew 7:3) I still remember the words my brother, Ryan, said to me long before Derrick was in the picture. He said, "Amber, man will fail you every time! The only person you can put your trust in that will not fail you is God." You see, I had been thinking that a man was going to complete me! I know now that only God can fill that place. I now see such beauty in loving the unlovely (an imperfect human being such as myself). What I mean by that is loving someone and accepting them with their faults as well. It's easy to love the lovely. Jesus calls us to love even our enemies as well. And I know I was struck with awe that the God of the universe would accept and forgive me. How can I not forgive when I have been forgiven so much? Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a place for romance! ;) Just before we got married, Derrick said that we would grow and that we would love each other more. I looked around and I didn't agree with that! I thought the beginning warm, fuzzy stuff was going to be the best. But, with every passing year of marriage we grow closer and I see he was right! But, the beauty of it is that our trials are what God has used to grow us closer to Himself and to each other. I still stand amazed by that!

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