Friday, December 27, 2013

Married For 33 Years!


Ken and I celebrate 33 years of marriage today.  The road has not been easy.  The first 23 years we argued all the time.  I was not a godly, submissive wife.  The past ten years, my health has been poor.  However, we have weathered the storms because our marriage is built upon a Rock and that Rock is Christ.

The Bible only gives one admonition to believers about who to marry.  Marry a believer. Period. My mom married a believer.  My sisters married believers.  Now, my children are marrying believers.  My parents raised godly offspring.  My sisters and I raised godly offspring.  I am confident my children will raise godly offspring.

Like I said, just because you marry a believer doesn't guarantee an easy life.  No one has an easy life but with Christ at the center and the foundation of a marriage, the chances of having a good, solid marriage are much stronger.

All of our beliefs come from our faith.  Our political views, our morals and values, the way we raise our children, our hope and joy, the way we handle money and think about the future, even the way we eat come from how we view God, were created by and for Him, and knowing who we are in Christ.

Therefore, if you are considering marriage, make sure you marry a believer.  Speaking from one with many years of experience and many trials, I am extremely thankful to be married to a believer.  Our marriage has stood the test of time and we are reaping wonderful fruit from it.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. 
For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? 
Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14



Comments (25)

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Love this! Very encouraging. And yes I married a non-believer. It has been nothing but difficult. But because of your awesome blog (along with a few ithers and complete saturation in the Word and even the christian radio station on 24/7 in my car) I have submitted and prayed and he now believes. We still have our trials, but I would never recommend marrying a non-believer. I am sure God has shown great mercy on us for my sins. I am not so sure others could be so fortunate as to have such quick salvation. We have been married 7 years and I am sooo in love. Could not have ever imagined this those many years ago in the beginning. God is good to those who trust in Him!!
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
There is a woman at our church that has a large class of married women she mentors. Half of them married unbelievers. Most of their husbands are believers now but they admit if they had to do it over again, they would never marry unbelievers. God knows what He is talking about and it is best to follow His guidance. It spares us from much pain. Happy it worked out for you! It sure doesn't work out this quickly for most.
And congratulations!!!! Sorry. I know you want to know how your blog affects others more. :) but I forgot to congratulate you both on a great achievement!!!! Wishing you many many more years together!!
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
Husband and I are believers, specially because we follow our sweet Jesus' teaching, because He is our Father and it's what makes us weather the storms of life.
Congrats and may God keep blessing your loving unión. Thank you so much for sharing always such inspiring posts dear Lory.
FABBY
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
You're welcome, Fabby! Jesus' teachings are so sweet.
Congratulations!, a great achievement!!
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
One day at a time with God's grace and strength!
Happy Anniversary! I did not marry a believer as I was VERY backslidden when I got married but God worked on his heart many years later and after much prayer. God drew me to my knees and brought me to God. I prayed earnestly for my husbands salvation and only a few short months after that, my husband got saved. Now, he is the one teaching me! I learn so much from him. God bless your marriage and your blog Lori.
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
Such a happy ending, Shannon! Thankfully, God is a God of new beginnings and tons of grace.
Happy anniversary!! I love seeing couples who stay married all their lives. My parents are celebrating 30 this coming year and my husband's parents are celebrating 32. It buoys my hope that we can do it too :) My husband and I were believers when we married, but not anymore. I'm thankful my husband and I share the same values and similar experiences with religion. I can imagine it would be really hard on a marriage (especially if you had kids) to be "unequally yoked."
2 replies · active 587 weeks ago
Nice to hear from you, Courtney. What a blessing to both come from strong, committed marriages! Jesus is a wonderful foundation to build a marriage upon.
hello Courtney, read your post and was a bit confused?, did you mean to say 'My husband and I were UNbelievers when we married but not anymore?'
God bless
Helen UK
A very happy anniversary to you! We're not far behind you (May 30, 2014) in celebrating our 33rd year as well! I'm so thrilled for you!

Amen to marrying a believer. Mother married an unbeliever who expected to be a believer or else he wouldn't marry her. (Huh?) Yes, that's how much an unbeliever Mother married. *sigh* But my husband Dave and I have broken the chains of divorce on my side of our family!

My parents divorced 25 years and 2 days after they married.

On my mother's side, her mother was married three times. Mother's father was married at least two times. Mother's sister was married four times. All of mother's sister's kids are divorced. I have one sibling (out of four of us kids) who is divorced, and that sibling married an unbeliever (atheist).

On my father's side, dad's mother was married twice, although it's my father's side of the family where the believers come in. His mother was raised a believer, but she fell away, only to be renewed in the Lord when her kids were in high school. She apologized to them for backsliding and began living an overcoming lifestyle. However, only one of her three children lived a lifestyle as a believer. Dad and his older little sister never have. Two of dad's kids live for God; two of my siblings do not. Dad's biological father was married four times. Dad's biological paternal grandparents were married for more than forty years when they divorced!!!

Dave and I broke the chains of divorce in our family, but the enemy is angry now... There is an all-out onslaught against the family today. Someone said, "The church is only as strong as its weakest family." I think in place of the word "church," we could insert neighborhood, community, school, etc. It's true! We must build upon the Word of God strong marriages, strong relationships, strong families! "Always Learning" and the lessons you teach is one tool toward that end! Thank you, Lori, for staying in there and choosing to change yourself. It's been a godly example to your readers, and a powerful influence to the glory of God.

Happy anniversary, and may you have a hundred more to celebrate together!
Kelley of Kelley Highway
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
Thank you, Kelley! When I share about my family and how we come from a lineage of solid marriages, I do it in hopes of encouraging others that they can begin a lineage of solid marriages. It only takes only one godly committed couple to change the winds of divorce in their family line. Congratulations on doing just that.
Congratulations on 33 years! My husband & I are coming upon our 30th in May. I had wanted my childhood pastor to officiate but he wouldn't since my soon-to-be husband was a non-believer. It hurt me to the core. We ended up eloping after dating for only 8 months. I stayed out of church for several months since he was not interested in going. Then one Sunday he wanted to go -- he had felt the Lord tugging at him for those first months of our marriage. To this day he says that God worked through me to bring him to his Savior. And for that I am grateful.
2 replies · active 587 weeks ago
I am happy it worked out for you, Susan! For many it does not and it is always a risk to marry an unbeliever. Your pastor was trying to protect you. I respect him for that.
At just 19 years old, I dearly respected my pastor back then too... and he is still my dear friend. So many times it does not work out for a believer to marry a non-believer. I am very thankful for God's grace & His mercies in bringing my husband to Him. My husband & I are truly blessed. Again, Happy 33 to you & your husband --- I love your blog & please know that we continue to pray for your health and your ministry. God bless.
Lori - Happy Anniversary! My hubby and I celebrated 34 years last June! I totally agree - marry a believer! Hubby and I are both Christian and without that common bond, I'm not sure our marriage would have lasted some of the ups and downs we have had! Both of my daughters also married Christian men and they are raising their children to believe in and love Jesus. What a blessing. One of my sons has totally left his faith but youngest son is living a Christian life and we hope he will also marry in the faith one day. Thank you for this post and congratulations!
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
Thank you, Deb! Keep on your knees for that prodigal, which I am sure you are. It must be tough...
Happy Anniversary! You are a wonderful couple.
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
Thank you, Tiffany!
My husband and I have been married 42 years!

You two very cute on your wedding day.
1 reply · active 587 weeks ago
Wow! Congratulations, Pamela.
Congratulations, Lori!! We are 5 years older, I guess! Married 40 years ago today! May you be blessed with many, many more~

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