NeWnEsS ~ Today is the day that the Lord has made!

These are the flowers Jacob got me last week. I think flowers represent newness and freshness in life, and that is what I feel has taken place in our lives, our marriage, and the Springtime that is budding before us outside.

Marriage is hard. Marriage is something to work at DAILY, but it is so worth it. Me and Jacob learned that this week. It is a hard transition to go from living for self for 20+ years to surrendering that mindset and living for your spouse and your marriage FIRST in all aspects for your life.  It's hard to really understand what marriage is all about until you are willing to get down and dirty, work through each others' dirt and hurts, and ABANDON selfishness in our hearts. Difficult conversations are bound to happen in order to understand each other on the deepest level possible.  But, Oh, WHAT A JOY to finally understand that you are not in this physical life alone. To have someone to walk beside, to pray for diligently EVERYDAY, to conquer strongholds and obstacles TOGETHER, to laugh togather, to cry together, to pray together, and to live life to the fullest side by side. WHAT A JOY! Easy to figure out and live by? Absolutely not. Satan will surely attack at any time we leave the door cracked to our home and hearts. He waits and prowls around waiting to attack! {I really dislike Satan!!!} But Our God has already defeated him! Hallelujah!

This life is SO not about me! First, it's about my Jesus! My Savior! Giving my all for His calling and for the advancement of His kingdom! Second, my everyday life, attitude, actions, thoughts, words, focus is on Jacob and our marriage. HARD! I am a selfish person. I want to be ALL things to ALL people. Yes, I am a servant and am called to love ALL, but my husband HAS to be my priority! I CANNOT and WILL NOT expend ALL my energy on things such as work that are NOT ETERNAL!!! I will cater and love and exhaust myself for things that will not burn up, that will last forever, and that will please my Savior's heart! I am convinced that the time, effort, tears, laughter, prayers, etc. that I pour into my marriage will bring a smile on my Jesus' face and He will say, "Good job, my good and faithful servant!"

I am a wife now. I love my husband with ALL my heart and am so excited to live with my best friend for the rest of my life here on this crazy earth. I am thankful for problems. I am thankful for hard conversations. I am thankful for my marriage and my Jesus.