Last week, in Part 1, I shared the idea of creating a vision statement for your family. Today, I want to share the journey Ry and I took to get to ours. Our vision statement is based upon the Bible verse Romans 5:1-2 and represents what our relationship is all about, GRACE. You can read the full post from Here Comes the Bride Part 1.
Getting to our vision statement wasn’t all roses and rainbows. It was rough. We dated for 5 years with many breaks, including a substantial one in 2012 that lasted over 6 months. Little did I know how vital that waiting period would be for my life, my relationship with Ryan and ultimately my marriage.
You see, I grew up in a Christian home, went to church, etc. I knew all rules, rights/wrongs and standards and had been living that way my entire life. It wasn’t until June 2012, when Ry and I officially broke up, that I realized I had been living under the law, not grace. This was something we had argued about most of our relationship. I had been forcing him to live under the law, and he was desperately trying to live by grace. In an act that only God could orchestrate, I finally understood the burden I had placed upon Ry and our potential life together. I could only apologize and pray he would keep fighting for that freedom found in a grace filled life.
Learning this changed my entire life. It changed my relationship with Ryan and was the one thing that brought us back together, took us to our wedding day and has sustained us since. Living by grace has transformed the way I interact with others, my relationship with God and the way I view myself.
That waiting period in 2012 saved my life. Pause a second to let that sink it. I just declared waiting, something we typically avoid, dislike and disregard, as saving my life. There is value in the wait and amazing things can come from it!
This post is the heart of who I am. God flipped my life upside down and I am forever grateful. I wasn’t at the time, but I can see how Him teaching me about grace has impacted everything in my life ever since. I am in awe recalling how God provided for us during that time in our lives.
I know I got all personal and mushy on you, but I share this to provide perspective for your wait. While I had no idea what God was doing during my wait to marriage, I know, without a doubt, it was the best thing that happened to me. That time was so valuable in shaping the person I am today. While I did not enjoy that waiting period, I am reaping the benefits of my wait every day. I know if God provided for me during that wait, He can, and will, provide for me during this one too.
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Please share with someone you know who could use some encouragement in the wait.
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