Today I feel extremely blessed to celebrate 21 years of marriage. I’m thankful we are not “just married” but happily married. I know the only way it’s possible is through God, His mercy and His redemptive work in our lives! Thank you Lord!

I feel led today to share a little of our past that leads us to today, a little more about our story. If you read the first part of Our Story, then you know we married very young. We had no idea how to navigate this thing called marriage. At year seven of our marriage we were still learning to balance jobs, small kids and marriage. If you have those three right now then you know it can be a tough season. During this year we were surprised when we found ourselves pregnant with a third child. We thought we were done having kids so this came as a total shock to us both. Honestly, I was in a panic thinking about juggling three kids and my job while trying to be the wife and the mom I felt called to be. There were some tears shed out of fear. It took me a couple weeks but I had finally just about gotten myself together when I started to have some symptoms I knew were not good. I remember going to the doctor and him telling me I was miscarrying this baby. All this happened so fast, I had just come to grasp I would be a mom to three kids and now they are telling me this one isn’t going to make it. I was full of emotions. I remember feeling mad, guilty, sad, a lot of emotion at one time. Unfortunately, I didn’t handle any of this well and I really just drew to myself. I didn’t lean on Keith during this time which caused tension between us. Looking back this ended up being one of the toughest years of our marriage. The devil really took advantage of this hard time in our lives. When I had Destini and Becca the devil would whisper you will never be a good mom, look at you, a young teen mom. How could you be? I believed him. After listening to that for years I had started to replace those thoughts with scripture. I had began studying what a Godly mom and wife looked like. After such feelings of defeat early on I had finally found inner peace through scripture and prayer. The Lord knew I so badly wanted to be a good mom and wife, a Godly mom and wife. But again the devil began to whisper look at you, you can’t be a good mom to another child. You are not a good wife. I believed him, and sadly during this time that Keith and I should have been there for each other, I pulled away. I backed up in a corner and I tried dealing with it myself. Looking back I can see so much we did wrong. I finally again met my breaking point and turned it all over to God in prayer. I wish I would have from the beginning but I didn’t. Prayer was the answer though. Prayer got me out of the corner and my marriage back on track, eventually. God was the answer.

I’m thankful we made it through it and have been able to learn from it. I’m thankful again for God’s mercy on mine and Keith’s life. We have learned so much since that time. We have learned in a marriage we must communicate. My tendency is to pull away but that doesn’t help anything. We have learned we must walk these hard times together, we must be each others best friend that we can depend on and lean on. The devils goal is to make a wedge between us but we can’t allow it. We have learned to see clearly the attacks of the enemy and to call it what it is. We understand we do not wrestle with flesh and blood. We have learned that without God, “I and we”, can’t navigate these tough seasons. We must turn it all, every day, every season, every situation over to Him. He is our only hope at making it. I see now that walking through that season strengthened us and our marriage. I see walking through that season taught me more about God, His love and His mercy.

My prayer is that this can encourage someone walking through a difficult season. Don’t pull away, don’t try and make it alone, don’t listen to the enemy. God is the answer. Turn it all over to Him. Pray, pray, pray! Even when you don’t feel like it pray, even when you don’t see your situation turning around keep praying. Do not stop. Pray no matter what. Prayer and God is the answer to your breakthrough. One day you will look back and see how this time strengthened you, how it drew you closer to God. God is going to use this time for His Glory. May God always be glorified in our lives and through each of our seasons!

When I heard this song, “Scars”, I was immediately reminded of this time in my life. If you haven’t heard this song go listen to it!

Scars”

Waking up to a new sunrise

Looking back from the other side

I can see now with open eyes

Darkest water and deepest pain

I wouldn’t trade it for anything

Cause my brokenness brought me to You

And these wounds are a story You’ll use

So I’m thankful for the scars

‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart

And I know they’ll always tell of who You are

So forever I am thankful for the scars

Now I’m standing in confidence

With the strength of Your faithfulness

And I’m not who I was before

No, I don’t have to fear anymore

My brokenness brought me to you 🙌🏻

These wounds are a story you will use. So thankful for His love and mercy! Thank you Lord!

21 years ago!! Wow!

A walk down memory lane!

So very thankful!

Michelle