Here we are at the end of 2016. What a year it is has been! I thought for this last month, I’d do sort of a round-up of all my featured married couples throughout the year. I went through each of their answers and picked out my favorite quotes from both the wife and husband. I think there are some true pearls of wisdom with regards to marriage in what they have to say. I’ve loved interviewing these beautiful Christian couples and I’ve learned so much from reading their answers. Marriage is a sacrament and it is meant to draw us closer to Christ, help us become more like Christ, and give us the strength, patience, and grace to help others to Christ. I hope you’ve enjoyed these couples who have honestly shown us that marriage is messy, sacrificial, hard at times, but oh so beautiful.
(If you would like to read the full interview for each couple, click on their names.)
Dawn and Shawn–Married 17 Years
Dawn: Always listen to each other, keep calm, and bring God into your lives as soon as possible.
Shawn: There are times when you may want to give up and you will have to continue on and say “yes” for the true joy that awaits. Continually saying “yes” during difficult times is life changing in ways you could never imagine and can only be realized by looking back and reflecting. It is amazing how God reveals you to yourself through the continual “yes” of marriage.
John Paul and Annie–Married 4 Years
Annie: Marriage is about dying to oneself, serving others, serving God, becoming more Christ-like, and hopefully helping your spouse and children spend eternity in Heaven.
John Paul: Forgiveness and mercy. These are what we need from God, but we also must be like God in giving them to each other. We started early on in our marriage to make a point of asking for forgiveness from each other and giving forgiveness to each other. We do it out loud and sincerely. Sometimes it’s hard to be the one to ask for forgiveness, but it makes a huge difference in our marriage and it’s one important way we bring God’s mercy to our relationship.
Erin and Michael–Married 8 Years
Erin: God knew that I needed this man, these children, and the particular joys and sorrows of my marriage so far in order to keep growing me into the woman He created me to be.
Michael: We are meant to help one another get to Heaven, and to help the souls God may entrust to us (our children) get to Heaven, as well.
Ernest and Sarah–Married 13 years
Sarah: It is my calling to be a wife and mother. I am called to give my family my time, love, and care. I am called to love and respect my husband and support him while he supports our family. I am called to teach my children respect, the value of hard work, and that God is their number one priority.
Ernest: A common misconception about marriage is that it should be easy. No relationship is easy. All people are imperfect and make mistakes and when you are married you have to be able to accept and love that other person in spite of and, at times, because of their mistakes and imperfections. In marriage you have to choose to love that person everyday. Love is a choice.
Michael and Kim–Married 9 Years
Kim: It seems to me that many people believe that the goal of marriage is to be happy. I have found that the goal of marriage is to learn to love well.
Michael: Marriage removes selfishness from your heart. If you are married for the right reasons, you must resign your selfishness and put someone else first, and contrary to how it sounds, it is incredibly fulfilling. Being dedicated to your spouse to the point where they can count on you when they need you is an amazing feeling.
Sterling and Michael–Married 6 Years
Sterling: Marriage is like a mirror. I think we anticipated that living with another person and accepting their faults was going to be difficult. I’m not sure we knew how hard it was going to be to face our own faults.
Michael: No one will ever know you quite like your spouse. It’s a deeply personal and intimate relationship. It echoes the love of God because marriage is a sacrament. You receive graces (and you’ll need them) that help bring you closer to Jesus.
Vinnie and Lindsay–Married 1 Year
Lindsay: Society tries to warn you that if you don’t “play house” prior to marriage, you’re in for a rude awakening. That definitely has not been the case for us. Though we each have had to make some small adjustments, every day has been a huge blessing and an adventure together.
Vinnie: I love serving Lindsay. From the small to the large acts, this giving of myself brings about incredible fulfillment in life. She really is the light in my darkness, a great motivation, and teammate who supports me in all I am and do.
Yvette and Javier–Married 8 years
Yvette: Communication is very important in a marriage. Try to never assume that your spouse thinks like you. He is your lifetime partner and no one will ever know you as well as he does on an intimate and personal level. It’s important to talk about your feelings to help the relationship grow.
Javier: Keep the Lord in your lives on a daily basis. He provides so much that you have to keep Him close. Leverage His spirit when the times are hard or just when you all need guidance. Keep His teachings alive by sharing them with your kids. Say a prayer before eating together as a family. It isn’t always easy keeping the faith, but it helps more than words can say.
