Valuable Lessons From The Bumpy Road

I never knew how much grit, stamina, and relentless determination I possessed until I got married.

Like many young people in love, I assumed my marriage would be easy, and we would sail through life together effortlessly.  In fact, the only thing Joe and I instituted for our relationship’s success was agreeing never to divorce or threaten each other with it during conversations or arguments.  Aside from that, we jumped into marriage “on a wing and a prayer.”

It did not take long to realize how much hard work a marriage required.  I learned even quicker how great relationships demand more than “a wing and a prayer” but endless amounts of communication, determination, stamina, and love to survive and thrive!

There were times in my marriage when I was not sure we would make it.  But each time we faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles trying to divide us, Jesus always provided us with enough grit, stamina, and relentless determination to overcome them.  Plus, we were unwilling to allow any challenge, hardship, disagreement, differences of opinion, or other people to come between us.  The commitment we made to each other before God was too precious to throw away or neglect.

Looking back over the past 33 years of my marriage, I have learned valuable lessons about what is required for an "almost too good to be true" relationship.  Joe and I are monumentally grateful for the incredibly close marriage we share despite traveling the bumpy road at times getting there.  Our experiences have also fueled a passion for helping other couples navigate marriage's obstacles and everyday challenges because—after all—anything worth fighting for is worth fighting for!

What about you?  What have you learned in your marriage that you can pass on to other couples to help them navigate theirs?  Let me know in the comments.