A Whole New Year

I can not believe it is 2014 already. Where did last year go? It's easy to say that marrying my best friend and becoming a wife was the best part of 2013. We've officially been married for 5 months today, I know, that's a really long time. Before we got married we participated in marriage counseling with some of the finest and most experienced Christian husbands and wives that we know. During that process were warned about the troubles that might arise in the first year of marriage and the different responsibilities we would each have. I was still too excited about the fact that we were getting married to actually pay attention at the best of my ability. We have encountered numerous times from random people that ask how long we have been married with this response "Ohhh how's it going? The first year is always the hardest." It might be too soon to say since we still have 7 months to go before we jump over that hurdle of being married for an entire year, but we have been doing great. Better than we ever did while we were dating. Sure we have had the occasional arguments but nothing serious. Hearing this from people who have been married for many years makes us wonder why exactly we're not having a lot of trouble this first year. The only thing I can think of that could be the answer to that, is our Heavenly Father and the comfort we have by knowing that he leads our marriage.

During our dating years, I had a tendency to try to lead our relationship and always make things based on me because 1. I was young, 2. It had always been that way in my previous relationships, and 3. I didn't know what it actually meant to be submissive. We went through some real difficult times while we were dating and I know that we wouldn't be as strong as we are today if it wasn't for those troubled times. The thoughts of those times still pop in both of our minds on different occasions but we both know that it is just the Devil trying to stir up heartache again. In all honesty I am still learning how to be submissive and a good help meet to my hubby. I had a vague idea of what being a help meet actually meant when we said "I do" but with the help of "Created to be His Help Meet" by Debi Pearl and God's Word I feel as if I am finally starting to understand what it means.

I have some big things coming up this year and I don't know what I would do if Bradley wasn't by my side every day, encouraging me to keep pushing. I have been struggling with "contentment" for what seems like a long time now. I constantly think about the future and that's all that consumes my mind. "I can't wait to have babies", "I can't wait to have our own home", "I can't wait to be finished with school so I can help my husband out", "What if I chose the wrong profession? Sure, I love it enough to be content with it every day, but what if I was meant to do something else?" These types of thoughts lurk in my mind and heart. I keep saying to myself "Not my will, but thine be done." I just have to start believing it with every inch of my body and soul.

Now that all of that is out on the table I wanted to announce my verse for the year of 2014. I didn't want to pick just one word to define or strive for this coming year, but a verse to help me live by. My verses I chose are James 1:5-8- If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given unto him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 

I chose these verses because I am striving for wisdom this year. Wisdom in my marriage, wisdom in school, wisdom in my faith, and wisdom in my Jesus.