But now thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.” Isaiah 43:1 Oh that we could grasp this truth! He has called each of us by name … and we are HIS. Even greater than the sweetness of belonging to each other is belonging to the God of all. But when we know this, when the depth of His love for us is embedded into our hearts, it should change us.  Jesus said, By this all ... [Read More]

My beloved is mine, and I am his … Song of Songs 2:16 For our tenth anniversary my husband bought us rings with this verse inscribed in Hebrew. Often I am asked about my ring. I always think it is such a privilege to share what the ring says and when I got it. Next year we’ll celebrate our 20th anniversary {yes, I was a child bride!}. Both Scott and I have grandparents who have been married more than 60 years.  My parents will celebrate their 44th anniversary in April. Long marriages are a ... [Read More]

She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:12 What does that mean, “she does him good”? I think it’s about being an asset to him and making his life better.  It’s one of the reasons I try to ask the same question every day: What can I do to help you today? It’s about being on his team and in his corner, affirming him and cheering him on.  But it’s also about filling in the gaps and serving him. This is definitely an area of my life where I need to ... [Read More]

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 Life gets busy. The kids’ schedules run our calendars. There are more home projects than time to do them. Money is in even less supply than time. And we can wake up and realize our relationships with our husbands have lost the spark — not just sexually, but emotionally.  We can get so busy tag-teaming life that we lose sight of our need for friendship. I’ve seen it happen in my marriage and in my friends’ marriages as ... [Read More]

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4 I shared before my prayer for our home … to create space for people, for relationships. These verses from Proverbs 24  invite us to understand what makes the foundation of Christ-centered home Wisdom: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. Understanding: the ability to understand ... [Read More]

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21 What are you chasing as a couple? If we are really honest, sometimes we are not on the same page, we don’t have the same pursuits. He’s pushing ahead on a hobby. She’s wholly invested in the children. His eye is on the prize at work. She is diligent about exercise.  The ways this plays out are endless. And, it is distinctly possible both are pursuing good things, noble things. But if we are ... [Read More]