God's Successful Marriage

  Key Verse “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” — Mark 10:9 Daniel and Karla, congratulations!  There is something deeply joyful about watching two people reach the point where they can look at one another and say, " I choose you. I want to build my life with you".  As your family, we are excited for you both. We are excited about the wedding, the plans, the celebration, and all the memories that will come with this season. But even more than that, we are excited about the life you are choosing to build together. Marriage Is A Wonderful Gift It is not perfect, and it is not always easy, but there is something incredibly meaningful about having one person who becomes your partner through all of it—the celebrations, the disappointments, the ordinary days, the unexpected turns, and the years you cannot yet imagine. So, enjoy this season - Take pictures. Laugh together. Dream together. Talk about the future. Enjoy being engaged. But somewhere betwee...

  Welcome to the World, Genevieve Leann - A Special Family Reflection from God’s Successful Marriage “ Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” — Psalm 127:3 There are moments in life that seem to stop time. For several hours, a family waits, prays, watches the clock, and hopes for good news. Then, in one beautiful moment, everything changes. A child takes her first breath, a mother and father meet their daughter, and a family grows larger. Today was one of those moments for our family - our third grandchild, Genevieve Leann, entered the world. As her grandfather, I find myself looking at her name and thinking about everything that name will one day represent. Today, she is a newborn daughter resting in the arms of her parents. In time, she will develop her own personality, her own laughter, her own interests, her own questions, and her own story. For now, however, she is simply Genevieve. She is precious, small, newly arrived, and already dee...

 There are some days on the calendar that should not be rushed through, and Memorial Day is one of them. For many people, it has become the unofficial beginning of summer. It is a long weekend, a day off work, a time for cookouts, travel, family, and rest. There is nothing wrong with enjoying those things. In fact, the ability to gather freely, rest peacefully, and enjoy time with the people we love is part of the blessing we have been given. But there is something deeply wrong if we enjoy the freedom and forget what that freedom cost. Memorial Day is not simply about patriotism. It is not just about flags, uniforms, ceremonies, or familiar words spoken once a year. It is a day set aside to remember those who gave their lives in service to this nation. This is not the day when we merely thank everyone who has served. That gratitude has its place, and it matters. But Memorial Day stands in a different place. This is the day we remember those who wore the uniform and did not come...

  “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” — Proverbs 31:28 Motherhood changes through the years, but its impact never stops echoing. In a world that often reduces Mother’s Day to flowers, cards, and social media posts, it is easy to overlook the deeper reality of what motherhood truly is. It is not simply a title. It is years of pouring, carrying, teaching, comforting, correcting, sacrificing, praying, and loving in ways that often go unseen. It is holy work. Not because mothers are perfect, but because God has entrusted them with hearts, homes, and lives that help shape generations. Some mothers are just beginning the journey, carrying children they have not yet met. Others are learning how to survive sleepless nights and endless laundry. Some are walking the difficult years of raising teenagers. Others are standing in quieter homes now, watching grown children build lives of their own. And for many, Mother’s Day carries both gratitude an...

  “ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” — Revelation 12:1 There is something we do — often without realizing it. We hear one testimony, and it grips the room: "I was delivered from a lifetime of drugs, alcohol, abuse, and a life that was clearly broken."  We respond with energy: “Look what the Lord has done.” “God is powerful.” “Only God could bring someone out of that.” And we should respond that way because that is the mighty power of God on display. But then we hear another testimony: “I grew up in church… I gave my life to Christ when I was young… and I’ve walked with Him since.” And our response is often....quieter: “Praise the Lord.” ......and we move on. We may not say it out loud, but over time, we begin to treat one testimony like a miracle… and the other like an expectation. And that is where we have to be careful because somewhere along the way, we unintentionally send a message: That one salvation story is POWERFUL...

  There is a quiet truth many couples carry but rarely say out loud: Praying together feels harder than it should. We can talk about schedules, bills, children, and even deep struggles—but when it comes time to pray together, something tightens. Words feel awkward. Timing feels off. One leads, the other listens. Sometimes both wait for the other to start… and neither does. So the moment passes. Not because we don’t love God. Not because we don’t love each other. But because spiritual intimacy doesn’t always come naturally—it must be learned. Why It Feels So Hard For many of us, prayer has always been personal. It is where we are most vulnerable with God—honest, unfiltered, sometimes even unsure. Inviting your spouse into that space can feel like opening a door you’ve kept closed for years. There can also be unspoken fears: “What if I don’t say the right words?” “What if this feels forced?” “What if my spouse is more spiritual than I am?” So instead of ...

  Early in marriage, encouragement comes naturally. Newly married couples often speak admiration freely. Compliments come easily. Gratitude is expressed often. There is excitement in discovering the good qualities in the person you married. But over time, something subtle happens in many marriages. Life becomes busy. Responsibilities increase. Children arrive. Work schedules tighten. Bills need to be paid. Stress has a way of crowding the margins of daily life. Slowly, encouragement begins to fade from everyday conversation. It usually isn’t replaced with hostility. Instead, it is often replaced with silence. Yet Scripture reminds us that words carry tremendous power , especially within marriage. Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (KJV) The Bible repeatedly teaches that our words shape the environment around us. Nowhere is that more evident than within the home. Your spouse hears your voice more than ...

  Marriage has a way of becoming busy. Careers grow, children arrive, responsibilities increase, and financial priorities shift. The early days of dating — when couples seemed to naturally carve out time for one another — can slowly be replaced by schedules, obligations, and fatigue. What once felt effortless can begin to feel like another item on a long list of things to manage. Many couples assume the solution is more money, more time, or fewer responsibilities. Yet after thirty years of marriage, we have learned something different: intentional attention matters far more than financial ability . Some of the strongest moments in our marriage did not happen during seasons of abundance. They happened during lean years — young marriage, military life, tight budgets, and long work weeks. Yet we discovered something that has remained true through every stage of life: dating your spouse is not about spending money; it is about choosing pursuit. Scripture repeatedly warns about small ne...

  When Pain Didn’t Leave, but Joy Still Showed Up I didn’t wake up healed. The pain was still there. The anxiety. The depression. The moral injury. The numbness. PTSD hadn’t gone anywhere. Nothing about my life suddenly became easier. And yet, on that day—at an amusement park with my wife and my 17-year-old daughter—I still had a good day. That alone felt worth paying attention to. Joy Without Conditions I wasn’t chasing happiness. I wasn’t trying to “make the most of it.” I wasn’t pretending things were okay. I was just present. For once, I wasn’t replaying the past or bracing for the future. I wasn’t fixing myself, explaining myself, or carrying everything else I’ve been holding. I was walking. Laughing. Standing in lines. Watching my daughter smile. Holding my wife’s hand. And somewhere in the middle of all that, joy showed up—uninvited, unexpected, and unearned. Scripture tells us: “Though sorrow may last for the night, joy comes in the morning.” — Psalm 30...