20 simple lessons learned in 20 years of marriage

As Leslie and I celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary I thought I would share with you 20 simple lessons learned in 20 years of marriage.

1. Love your spouse. (Use 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as a guide.)
2. Marriage is different than what I expected.
3. Marriage is better than what I expected.
4. Being a parent can be the hardest job on the planet. (So work together.)
5. Be strong when your partner is weak.
6. Spend time together. 
7. Have a TV show you enjoy and watch together.  (And share the remote.)
8. Encourage each other.
9. Have a regular date night.
10. Embrace your differences.  (Don’t try to change each other.)
11. Use fun nicknames. (i.e. BooBear)
12. Remember you’re on the same team.
13. Be generous. 
14. Figure out what is important and let the little things go.
15. You won’t always win.
16. Sometimes things don’t work out like you planned.
17. Honor and respect each other.
18. Talk it out.
19. Have fun together.
20. Don’t give up.

Be still, and know that I am God!

Be still, and know that I am God!

Psalm 46:10

There are days I long to be close to God and hear His voice and yet it feels like God is both distant and silent.  I know God is always with me.  I know that He is always speaking to those who have ears to hear.  The problem almost always lies with me and my cluttered life.  

Shouldn’t it get easier?  Yet, we learned earlier this year in our study of the Holy Spirit with John Bevere and through the prophetic ministry of Steve Sampson that the longer we walk with God His voice doesn’t grow stronger, rather it grows more faint and we must strive to hear His leading.  How is it possible for me to hear God’s still small voice as such a busy husband, dad, pastor, etc.?

There are many times I wish I wasn't so busy with “life,” that I could just get away from everything and commune with God.  I want to be like the monks of old that left their wordily lives behind to solely commune with God.  What’s interesting is in some of their writings they confess that in leaving everything behind the struggles and temptations of life instead increased and they actually felt even farther away from God.  

Running away is never the answer.  Being still, sensing God’s presence, hearing His voice and following His leading needs to happen in the midst of real life with the kids, homes, jobs, etc.  Be still in the midst of your busy day.  Spend time talking and listening to the God who will never leave you and never forsake you.  As you wait on the Lord, He will be there to give you strength even in the busiest seasons of life.