The Truth of Reality

That last post was never supposed to happen (which is why I deleted it mid sentence). I had started writing what was going to be a witty little story about my recent trip to the Aldi grocery store (where we bought broccoli, a Dr. Seuss book, ice cream sandwiches, and saw a bearded lady buying a frozen peach strawberry pie). But then I got a text message from my best friend from college saying that her and her husband of 3 years are getting divorced. So that kind of killed the Aldi humor.

I am having a hard time processing what is going on right now. The only thought that keeps coming to mind is how important it is as a Christian to be actively involved in a loving, growing community that loves the Lord, is striving to love and serve Him more, and holds each other accountable for how we live that out. It is impossible for a live coal to stay warm without the heat of other coals around it. If a live coal becomes isolated from the group, it will quickly grow cold, and forget the purpose of why it was created. When you take your eyes off of Jesus, as Peter did in Matthew 14, you will quickly become self consumed and ultimately drown. This is what happened to my dear friends, causing their marriage crumble and eventually to self-destruct.

This news is incredibly sobering to me and Eric as well as to our community of friends here in Chicago who are also in relationship with this couple. Our friends here are becoming cynical of marriage and discouraged in our relationships. After all, if it happened to them, it could happen to any of us, right?

Being in a marriage relationship is an incredibly beautiful, sacred, and difficult lifestyle. It is a daily choice to love, serve, and honor the person that you said your vows to. There is no place for selfishness.

So keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, we are slowly walking forward, choosing to learn from this couple's mistakes and grow in spite of it.

I am so thankful to be married to my best friend.

If you think of us, please pray that we would continue to grow in our marriage and in our love for the Lord and for each other.

And don't worry. I'm sure my humor will show up again soon.