Sometimes I just have to sit and giggle at the way God works.
The hubbs and I are on a weekend trip to Branson, Missouri. It's this quaint little city nestled in the Ozark mountains, and has long been one of my favorite getaways. My parents live about an hour from here, and my dad is in business development, so he spends a lot of time in the area. He's been encouraging me for a long while to come stay at the Savannah House, so when Nick and I decided we were going to get away for Memorial Day weekend, I booked a room. They have not disappointed my expectations.
Let me give you a little back story on Nick and I. We met through a campus ministry we were both part of in college. I was deeply involved in the ministry: worship on Monday night, d-group on Thursday, and events/get together severe weekend. At the time when I came in, there was a lot of conversation in my girls' bible study centered around what a Godly relationship is supposed to look like. Two phrases still stick out in my mind, that the man is supposed to "lead you," and that he is supposed to "wash you in the Word."
I had a long term boyfriend at the time, and I think those phrases stick out because they were the largest parts of what was missing from that relationship. I met said ex-boyfriend while on a mission trip. He was assigned to my sister's team, and at the time I felt that was qualification enough. He's following the great commission, he's got this down pat.
Fast forward five years, and we had never sat down to read the bible together. He'd never given me encouraging verses when I was having a bad day. Our relationship was weakend by the fact that it wasn't centered on God, and I was at a loss as to how to change that. As with everything else in a relationship, it takes two.
Nick and I ran in the same circles, so we hung out in groups a lot. Over the next year through his actions, I began to see what being "washed by the Word" and "led" meant. Even though we were no more than friends, he was constantly encouraging me, pushing me to be closer to God on my own. We had deep theological conversations, bonded over hours of worship music with our friends. I began to realize that my current relationship wouldn't survive if we didn't solidify our foundation. Long story short, those changes weren't made and the relationship ended.
Five months later, Nick met my dad and asked if he could persue me. A year and a half after that, we were married.
Lots of life happened in that period of time. We both got out of college, and were no longer surrounded our friends constantly. We stopped reading together as often. We no longer stay up till 4am talking about how we saw God work today. I'll admit, has made this first year of marriage difficult.
So last night we check into the Savannah House around 12:30, and when we got to our room, the bible isn't stuffed in a drawer, but it out on the desk open to the book of Psalms. I picked it up, and started a conversation between Nick and I about re-centering our relationship. A Godly relationship is something that you have to constantly work toward, and fight for. Not against each other, but together against the worldly things that try to come between you.
That verse has been playing through my head since before I went to sleep last night. I woke up before Nick this morning and started doing a devotional, which happened to be based on Psalm 100. Read it. But I will tell you that hearing that God always has open arms for us when we are ready to come running back was the most glorious thing to start your morning with. He is so divine with His appointments.
Find him today 💙
xoxo,
LRod.
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