New Hampshire

I was blessed this past weekend to go away with my bride and celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. First of all, it is really hard to believe forty years has passed. It has not always been easy. We have seen up and downs. Confronted challenges and trials, but we faced them together and with God’s help overcame them all. Along the way, we raised three sons and now have a grandson. We embraced change together when the Lord called our young family into the ministry in 1997. It is amazing to think that four decades has gone by, and as we now begin the walk toward the finish line, we are both grateful that God has been a constant companion along the way. Without Him, we surely would have ended as many couples do – shattered and broken. 

It is sad to admit that, nowadays, fewer and fewer marriages pass a forty-year mark. Though Renée and I have, please do not lift us up. Left to our own devices, we too would not have made it. Instead, lift up the Lord. If He was not a part of our marriage, this weekend would have just been another weekend. Believe me. I hope you understand how important it is to make God not “a part,” but “the part” of your relationship. He is the solid rock upon which, if you build your marriage, nothing can tear it down. Trust Him together. Seek Him together. He will never let you down.

Now, I did not plan to make this Food 4 Thought all about Renée and I. Rather, I was thinking about how we went away this weekend. We headed up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The drive was amazing. The foliage breathtaking. I just love fall in New England. The truth is we all need to get away every now and again. Jesus did so regularly. Luke 5:16, “…Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” Mark 1:35, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” 

I know I don’t have to tell you that life can be hectic. Work. Children. Preparing meals. Baseball practice. Games. Dance lessons. Change the litter box. Doctor’s appointments. Mowing the lawn. Raking leaves. Walk the dog. Find time to go to the gym. Laundry. Vacuuming. Dusting. Grocery shopping. And don’t forget to get your oil changed.  

Sometimes it can be overwhelming, and we forget to spend time in God’s Word or speak with Him in prayer. I know life is crazy. Jesus’ life was too. People were seeking Him everywhere, all the time. Still, He knew, it was important to spend time with the Father. We need to make God a priority as well. When we do, it can be like traveling the back roads of Bretton Woods, Bethlehem, Franconia, and Sugar Hill, New Hampshire on a beautiful autumn day. Calming and restorative. Jesus told us, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Make Jesus the central part of your marriage and your life. You will find a peace that passes all understanding.    

----------------------------------------------------- 

Remember to email your praises and petitions to southchurchprayer@gmail.com. We lift them up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 4:00 pm on Facebook Live