I made that phrase up.  But we were married seven years ago today!  OJ and I wrote vows to each other, said the traditional vows, and wrote a vow to the community…I know, long wedding!  Anyway, we cannot believe how faithful God has been to allow us to live these dreams! Literally, we looked at the words the other day and just were struck.  This is exactly what the Lord has done.

OJ and I were talking about there can be an illusion that “grace” or “anointing” ever substitutes for really hard work.  When we wrote these words, we had very little idea of what we were really getting ourselves into!  Much of these first seven years of marriage were spent in really hard work submitting ourselves to God in our marriage, breaking through in Biblical parenting, and laying a foundation.  There were many moments of…shall we say…REALLY HARD  work.  But the payoff…wow, the payoff.  Jubilee!!    God is so faithful!!!  Thank you, Jesus!!!

Commitment to the Community as One

“Suzanna and I could each give you a testimony of coming to Jesus and finding in Him the treasure that is worth everything.  We have been saved, set free, accepted as the Beloved of the Most High.  Most of you know the commitments we’ve made as individuals to, in the words of Paul, ‘offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable…’  But today, out of two God forges a new thing:  one flesh, individuals no longer.  And so we bring to you the renewed commitment verbalized and declared, personal testimonies become also the testimony of a marriage–from two, one voice.

“This marriage we offer to God as a living sacrifice.  This marriage we commit to Jesus for His use and pleasure.  In unity, we ask for the ministry of Jesus to flow through us, to bind up the wounded, nourish the impoverished, set the captives free.  as one flesh we choose to reject the idols of culture and comfort in favor of the kingdom of God.  We ask of Jesus that He take possession of our home, our marriage, and our children, just as He took possession of our broken souls.

“We commit to you, His beloved church, to live for Him, to seek Him on your behalf, to lean on you for support and love, rejecting independence.  We pray that when you come into our home, instead of finding us in pursuit of vain ambitions, you’ll encounter Jesus with arms open, saying, ‘All who are thirsty, come and drink…’

“We see our frailty, but we rest in the promise of Christ, the guarantee of the Spirit, and the trust that you will offer grace when we fail.”

7 years. 3 kids. 5 moves. Lots of Joy.