{"id":28464,"date":"2021-08-04T08:53:15","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T12:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=28464"},"modified":"2021-08-04T10:10:48","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T14:10:48","slug":"worship-wednesday-37-years-married-a-walk-with-god-as-much-as-with-each-other","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=28464","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday &#8211; 37 Years Married &#8211; a Walk with God as Much as With Each Other"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2009-April-May-Trip-to-Georgia-112-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-533\" src=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2009-April-May-Trip-to-Georgia-112-2.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2009-April-May-Trip-to-Georgia-112-2.jpg 1704w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2009-April-May-Trip-to-Georgia-112-2-224x300.jpg 224w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2009-April-May-Trip-to-Georgia-112-2-768x1024.jpg 768w\" alt=\"2009 April May Trip to Georgia 112 (2)\" width=\"296\" height=\"395\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>[Adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=22975&amp;fbclid=IwAR1mS2Uk9PzX93YviZ250qeXCKxQ0XR9De2wLN7gsBPXNJGNAKT4Ovbq5qE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Archives<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 \u2013 Colossians 3:15-20<\/p>\n<p>37 years today.<\/p>\n<p>The flight of years shows in our bodies and minds, but for us, it is most apparent in the launch of adult children into their own lives and marriages. Then\u2026it comes back to just the two of us\u2026and I am grateful for his company.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0009-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-542\" src=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0009-2.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0009-2.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0009-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0009-2-685x1024.jpg 685w\" alt=\"IMG_0009 (2)\" width=\"197\" height=\"295\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2012-December-family-snapshot-014.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-538\" src=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2012-December-family-snapshot-014.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 382px) 100vw, 382px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2012-December-family-snapshot-014.jpg 3240w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2012-December-family-snapshot-014-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2012-December-family-snapshot-014-768x1024.jpg 768w\" alt=\"2012 December family snapshot 014\" width=\"220\" height=\"294\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our marriage has always been of a quiet steady sort . My husband and I married best friends. We were polar opposites in most ways, except our faith and being raised in Southern families. He was \u201cread and follow directions\u201d marrying \u201cfly by the seat of her pants.\u201d It was definitely a match made in Heaven because we would need\u00a0the God of\u00a0Heaven to keep us on course as we figured marriage out\u2026both without and, later, with children.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, those of you who know us well know the struggles we have had figuring out parenting (both young children and then adult children). Also the challenges of having very different ideas and giftings on doing life. I&#8217;ve written so much about this in my journals over the years, wrestling with God and myself in these areas. Our daughter already knows to handle with understanding the pages of angst about our marriage. She would probably be the only one who will read them. The best part is she has seen us pull together more than pull apart.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve often quoted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crosswalk.com\/faith\/spiritual-life\/inspiring-quotes\/40-inspiring-quotes-from-elisabeth-elliot.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elisabeth Elliot<\/a> on love and marriage. Two thoughts come to mind. She speaks of love as being <strong>&#8220;a laid-down life.\u201d<\/strong> She also talks of marriage as being good for Christians to mature in their walk with God, because [in marriage] \u201cthere\u2019s so much scope for sinning.\u201d My husband has taught me a lot in both of these areas, and I, him \u2013 hopefully more on the lines of laying down our lives for each other, rather than the scope for sinning part\u2026sigh.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BLog-Dave-Christie-Nathan-Daniel-Oualidia-Morocco.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-22979\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BLog-Dave-Christie-Nathan-Daniel-Oualidia-Morocco.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 464px) 100vw, 464px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BLog-Dave-Christie-Nathan-Daniel-Oualidia-Morocco.jpg 1483w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BLog-Dave-Christie-Nathan-Daniel-Oualidia-Morocco-300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BLog-Dave-Christie-Nathan-Daniel-Oualidia-Morocco-768x534.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BLog-Dave-Christie-Nathan-Daniel-Oualidia-Morocco-1024x712.jpg 1024w\" alt=\"\" width=\"464\" height=\"322\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2005-December-Christmas-with-Mills-Halls-089a-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-536\" src=\"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2005-December-Christmas-with-Mills-Halls-089a-2.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2005-December-Christmas-with-Mills-Halls-089a-2.jpg 2160w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2005-December-Christmas-with-Mills-Halls-089a-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2005-December-Christmas-with-Mills-Halls-089a-2-1024x685.jpg 1024w\" alt=\"2005 December - Christmas with Mills &amp; Halls 089a (2)\" width=\"464\" height=\"310\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Whatever these nearing forty years have produced with us together,\u00a0the best of it\u00a0has been 3 great young people (and the extra children who\u2019ve joined our family through them, so far)\u2026and GRANDCHILDREN! Alongside those treasures is the unalterable way\u00a0the Lord has knit us together, my husband and me, with each other and with Him.<\/p>\n<p>I have some idea what is ahead, given our ages and the world around us (we&#8217;ve already been through a cancer diagnosis, big job changes, losses of dear parents, and sickness in our children and grandchildren). The hard is softened by what is promised (and proven) through God\u2019s Word. Whatever is ahead, I am so grateful for what I\u2019ve learned through this man who married me 37 years ago.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Blog-What-You-Think-of-People-Matters-Dave-6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19673\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Blog-What-You-Think-of-People-Matters-Dave-6.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3240px) 100vw, 3240px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Blog-What-You-Think-of-People-Matters-Dave-6.jpg 3240w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Blog-What-You-Think-of-People-Matters-Dave-6-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Blog-What-You-Think-of-People-Matters-Dave-6-768x1024.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"3240\" height=\"4320\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>He has given me a face of one who does not give up, of one who fights for what is right, of one who is tender toward the weak, of one who loves no matter what. I have been both the recipient of this and the one on his side as he extends himself to others.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dave-Debbie-Cracker-Barrel-2017.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22981\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dave-Debbie-Cracker-Barrel-2017.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dave-Debbie-Cracker-Barrel-2017.jpg 420w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dave-Debbie-Cracker-Barrel-2017-300x221.jpg 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"309\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now, we are two again\u2026as in the beginning of our relationship.\u00a0\u00a0Yet we are at a very different place. God has shown Himself to be ever-present in all these years of our lives. For many years I didn&#8217;t think marriage was to be mine&#8230;then Dave came into my life quite providentially. God gave me exactly what I needed in this husband of mine \u2013 <strong>a man as true as steel in his walk with God and with his family. We count on him; he counts on God.<\/strong> Whatever happens out there in front of us\u2026I have peace, on this 37th anniversary, that <strong>God will be there for each of us, to show us how to live\u2026as He has in all these years thus far.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=S4WvK442P6U\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Through the Years \u2013 YouTube video of Kenny Rogers Ballad<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kJhVA8YW5yY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube Video \u2013 <em>Jesus and You<\/em> \u2013 Matthew West<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pDNRjL7cY9w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube Video \u2013 <em>You\u2019re Still the One<\/em> \u2013 Shania Twain<\/a> [Twain&#8217;s &#8220;still the one&#8221; is no longer her one, but the song is beautiful. So I wanted to keep it in this list since Dave&#8217;s still my one.]<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.garythomas.com\/books\/sacred-marriage\/\"><em>Sacred Marriage \u2013 What if God Designed Marriage to Make us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy<\/em> \u2013 by Gary Thomas \u2013 Such a great book!<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/lovinglifeathome.com\/2014\/05\/30\/i-married-a-sinner\/\">An example of Elisabeth Elliot\u2019s counsel to one marrying \u2013 Always forgive.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/author\/quotes\/6264.Elisabeth_Elliot\">Elisabeth Elliot Quotes<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dave-Debbie-37th-Anniversary-Aug-4-2021-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28469\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dave-Debbie-37th-Anniversary-Aug-4-2021-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3088\" height=\"2320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dave-Debbie-37th-Anniversary-Aug-4-2021-2.jpg 3088w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dave-Debbie-37th-Anniversary-Aug-4-2021-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dave-Debbie-37th-Anniversary-Aug-4-2021-2-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dave-Debbie-37th-Anniversary-Aug-4-2021-2-1024x769.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3088px) 100vw, 3088px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[Adapted from the Archives] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=28464\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Worship Wednesday &#8211; 37 Years Married &#8211; a Walk with God as Much as With Each Other<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2763,810,690,1070,1628,1241,4343,794,147,3208,50,903,2556,1435,18,317,795,337,888,432,31,789,887,4160,1001,610,32,47,946],"tags":[423,97,3526,418,265,798,40,1836,959,338,7443,3530,42,448,5,889,2149,7442,3531,7444],"class_list":["post-28464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aging","category-all-good-gifts","category-babies-children","category-cancer","category-character","category-contentment","category-daughters-and-sons","category-faithfulness","category-family-2","category-finishing-strong","category-god","category-grace","category-grief-and-loss","category-growing-up","category-jesus","category-lessons-learned","category-love-2","category-marriage-2","category-memories","category-music","category-parenting","category-relationships","category-remembering","category-resilience","category-stories","category-thanksgiving-or-gratefulness","category-walk-with-god","category-wednesday-worship","category-worship","tag-anniversary","tag-children","tag-dave","tag-elisabeth-elliot","tag-faith","tag-faithfulness-2","tag-gary-thomas","tag-god","tag-grandchildren","tag-husband","tag-jesus-and-you","tag-kenny-rogers","tag-marriage","tag-matthew-west","tag-memories","tag-remembering","tag-resilience","tag-shania-twain","tag-through-the-years","tag-youre-still-the-one"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauPAB-7p6","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28464"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28470,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28464\/revisions\/28470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}