25 Years Later – A New Beginning

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)

New Beginnings! This is the opportunity that we all have every January 1st as we ring in the New Year. Dad and I especially enjoyed a new beginning on December 30, 1989. On that date, 25 years ago, we were married in a small church in Kearny, New Jersey.

As I look back over the past quarter of a century, I have many memories of good times and growing times. There are numerous things that we have learned along the way and I would like to share a few with you as each of you are on the cusp of your own new beginnings.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart: The Lord is completely trustworthy. He is the only One Who will never let you down. Even when you find that “perfect someone,” they will only be human. There will be times when you are both tired or when you just don’t understand each other. Do not expect to meet each others needs perfectly. The Lord is the only One who can do this. As you each grow closer to Him and trust Him with your heart, you will grow closer to each other and your marriage will be stronger.

Lean not on your own understanding: There will be many times when you do not understand everything that is happening in your life. There will be good times but there will also be difficult times. Do not try to figure everything out or blame each other for mistakes. Seek God in the hard times and trust Him to take care of you. Learn to overlook annoyances and always be ready to forgive and give the benefit of the doubt.

In all your ways acknowledge Him: There will be many times when you do not know what to do. Maybe there will be situations where your finances are dwindling or possibly you will experience health problems that require sacrifice. There will be opportunities to try new things and decisions about how to live your lives. Always seek God through His Word and  pray together asking for His guidance in all that you do.

He will make your paths straight: As you seek God’s will for your life together, He will open up the path before you. It may be by closing certain doors and opening others. It may be through providential circumstances. But as you seek Him daily on your own and together as a couple, He will reveal His plans for your life.

No matter what you will face in the upcoming years, today’s verse is a promise you can rely on. Dad and I have lived it for 25 years and plan to for at least 25 more New Beginnings.

Love,

Mama