Marry Me by Sally Breen

Sally and Mike have always been incredibly encouraging of Mark and I, and we have deep respect for the way they so openly share their lives with others.  Here is a beautiful poem that Sally wrote about how she and Mike got together: 

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This should be read with the song MARRY ME by TRAIN in the background.

I met him when I was just 15.  I had been dancing and skipping and singing my way through childhood while he had been travelling and thinking and talking his way to become a teenager.

He entered my world through a door, an old wooden rough church door, someone new, a stranger, a friend?

Challenging Your Spouse to a Hamburger

One of the first things I said to Mark was a put-down.  He was bragging about his well-paid job in the north of England (which wasn’t that well-paid – I think he was trying to impress me!) I worked out his hourly rate in my head and exclaimed: “I earn more than that in my part-time job in London!” I was just 17, outspoken and bold, and he liked my sassiness. 

The Source by Anna Robinson

Despite coming from the same church in the UK, and crossing paths for many years now, I probably know more about Anna from her blog than from sharing life together and she would probably say the same! I invited Anna to share this month not only because she is a great writer, but because I also have a lot of respect for her and her husband, Rich, and their desire to live lives that others can imitate. AND I knew you would all love to hear what she has to say too! 

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I remember the precise moment when it clicked. The penny dropped. The scales fell from my eyes.

We’d argued. Not one of those slightly- raised- voice type of disagreements.  But one of those red-raw, swollen eyed, puffy cheeked, soul-wrenching arguments.

Me, Myself and I by Naomi Bhadreshwar

Naomi is one of my most gracious friends here in Lima, Peru. I love her beautiful generous heart and her stark honesty with her humanness and need for God.  It is refreshing. This article is no exception.  She shows us a reality all married people find, and dares to look at the reasons and the remedy in this very raw piece.     

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Me, myself and I

Ok, so I have just sat down to write this article on marriage.  The purpose?

To encourage you and myself this month as we consider and celebrate marriage and perhaps to share the odd pearl of wisdom gained in nearly 8 years of marriage.  However, I have to tell you I have just had an argument with my husband! 

Two Ticks and No Dog - by Ben and Deb Sternke

I have yet to meet Ben and Deb, but my husband Mark tells me they are amazing, so I am honoured and thrilled to have them contribute to this month's blog series.  You are not going to want to miss this piece, it's one of those simple but powerful truths that we all need to catch hold of:  

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Many years ago, Deb and I were sitting in a conference on marriage and family, and the speaker said one of the funniest and most helpful things we'd ever heard on marriage:

"Most marriages are two ticks and no dog."

What does respect mean anyway?

“You are a terrible mother, and a terrible wife.  Totally disrespectful.”

Those might not have been the exact words, but that’s how I heard them.  They then went on to list all the reasons why.

Mark sat there with me and said nothing.

The arrows sunk in deeper.

Join me for marriage month - I am so excited!

It was the day before my 19th birthday.  The bridesmaids had gone ahead and I stood waiting for the car to return.  My Dad and I.  He asked me if I was certain I wanted to do this.  Not because he didn’t believe in our relationship, or because he disapproved of Mark, but because he understood the nature of covenant and he was reminding me that from now on, divorce was not an option.  My commitment, in my mind, must be until death.  Did I understand that?