8 years ago...

Wow, I can't believe my husband and I are celebrating our anniversary for the 8th time today. It just doesn't seem possible that it's now 2009 and we were married on a beautiful day back in 2001. When I take a quick look back it seems like it was yesterday and I feel myself getting older as I think, where has the time gone?

It's true I am getting older, but in those 8 years we've walked thru two thousand nine hundred twenty days together. Obviously a lot has taken place! The first thing that comes to mind is the children God has blessed us with - they've created some long nights and busy days, but brought blessings to our marriage that I never even expected.

Speaking of expectations, I'm not sure how much of our married life today matches up with what I envisioned 8 years ago. Our relationship no longer revolves around dinner out, long talks on the phone and time alone. Though our number of dates is down our relationship is stronger than ever. I'm so thankful God had a better plan than we did.

Does that mean it's always been easy? No, we've had misunderstandings, we've let each other down, we've walked through a miscarriage and struggled with normally daily life. The key word is "we" - whether times have been good or life's become hard we walk together. That alone isn't always easy, but it is what God meant when He said two shall become one.

Eight years ago we read the love chapter from 1 Corinthians at our wedding. At the time I'd heard the passage quite often and recognized it as wedding words, but now I'm grateful for the opportunity to not just know it, but have experienced it.

Love is patient and kind,
love is not jealous or boastful,
it is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on it's own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never ends.

I'm grateful for what the last 8 years have taught me and how God has strengthened our marriage and because of that I look forward to what He has in store for Job and me in the years to come.

I pray the same is true for you and your spouse - just remember as DC Talk sings, "Love is a verb." And I've come to find out the action begins with a choice - decide today to love your spouse unconditionally. God will be honored, your spouse will be touched and others will be inspired.