We sometimes resent that our life isn’t what it once was - Or perhaps the “sameness” of life has caused us to be discontent, pushing us to wander this world and seek what it has to offer.

Have you heard the phrase "Someone who has broken down the fence wanders endlessly"?

Surely, there must be no harm in searching for the meaning and purpose of our lives - but there is a serious danger when we do it alone, following our heart's desires and lowering our guard. 

We can be easily attacked by the "roaring lions" and eventually become lost.

In Jeremiah we read that our hearts are crafty - they cannot be trusted.

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Jesus also said that nothing good comes from our hearts. 

Matthew 15:19 NLT

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.

We MUST NOT follow our heart, but instead guard it, for everything we do flows from it.

Don't break or lower the fence we are in.

We must guard it.

We must stay alert.

How? Let's unfold some stories from the book of Genesis and learn from them.

1. GENESIS 24: A Wife for Isaac

Genesis 24:39-40 NLT

“But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me?’ He responded, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family.

READ FULL STORY HERE

This story serves as a reminder of the firm FAITH of Abraham's servant in choosing a spouse for his master's son.

CAREFULLY obeying all instructions given by his master, Abraham.

First of is, it must be from his father's family, not to mention how long the journey from Canaan to Haran is and the possibility that there will be no woman willing to go with him and marry Isaac.

- Yet this servant believes what his master believes in - that surely God will make his journey successful.

We cannot settle for less in choosing the one we will going to marry.

Someone we choose to love or pour our energy and focus into will surely affect our walk with the Lord.

It is very important that we mustn't let our hearts be captivated by those who are not in the family of faith, even if the search and waiting are long, or there is no assurance that we will meet our future spouses or not.

Don't settle for less or compromise with our values as Christians, following our heart's desires, thinking there's no harm in trying, or bargaining with the Lord, because the truth is that issues will arise later on.

The Bible says in Proverbs,

Proverbs 14:12 NLT

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

Let's save ourselves from the unnecessary pain that wrong relationships might bring.

It may start well, but it surely will not finish well.

Like Abraham's servant, we must also believe our Master in Heaven - that His will is the best and He has our best interest at us.

2. GENESIS 26: Isaac caresses her wife Rebekah

Genesis 26:8-10 NLT

But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah.

Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” “Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied.

“How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”

READ FULL STORY HERE

What we can learn from this story is the importance of spending time with our spouses, and this is not just a simple time; it is a time that ONLY a husband and a wife can SHARE.

The truth is marriage will not always be a sweet walk together, but a little mix of everything.

Its inertia is not to grow close together, but with the demands of life - kids, bills, chores - it may drift apart if we are not intentional in guarding and taking care of it.

Isaac caressing her wife Rebekah is a reminder that we must keep putting spices in our marriages.

Honoring it by honoring our marriage bed - don't stop "flirting" with our spouses, invest in each other.

Date each other once in a while.

Laugh together.

Surprise each other.

Tickle each other.

Enjoy each other, have fun!

King Abimelech had an interest in Rebekah, but when he saw how Isaac was intimately touching his wife Rebekah, this made King Abimelech stop his desire, and it saved the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah.

Let's not be ashamed of showing our affection to each other in public from time to time.

Let's talk about our spouses in front of our friends, officemates, relatives, churchmates even acquaintances.

Share their photos, and show some moments together in the open.

Don't hide them.

Let us not be too comfortable and complacent with our marriages - marriage is work, and love is an action, a choice, and a commitment.

For new and especially mature Christians, we all know that the Bible is our compass - its counseling is usually in the form of a warning, exhortation, and instruction.

Let's guard our hearts by listening to the scriptures, asking God to align our hearts with His.

Staying alert by being fervent in our prayers to the Lord, sharing the troubles and concerns of our hearts with Him, and asking for protection from the attacks of evil.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Be alert and of sober mind.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

Maybe sometimes we find it hard to celebrate our own spouse.

It is easier to give in to the frustrations and anger we feel at the moment than to pause and pray for ourselves and our spouses.

Of course, the devil loves to point out our spouse’s flaws because he is the accuser.

He comes to steal, kill, and destroy the happiness in our marriages.

They say that the natural inertia of a marriage is not to grow closer - life happens, children come, bills are unending, work is demanding, responsibilities are getting real, and so on; that's why we should always find ways to honor our marriages.

As they say "The grass is greener where you water it" so our marriages will be kept alive if we are investing in it.

As the Bible says in Galatians, whatever a man sows, he will also reap.

If we sow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our spouses - and if we do not give up doing these, then we will reap these things in due time.

Galatians 6:7,9

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 

9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

So how can we water our marriages?

1. WATER it with TIME

Spend time with your spouse.

Date them, Talk with them, Listen to them, Share stories, and Cultivate togetherness by finding and creating things you enjoy together.

As Audrey Hepburn says "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."

Hold your spouse.

Don't make them feel neglected.

Prioritized them.

Surprise them.

Serve them.

Lost time is never found again.

We can only invest time.

We cannot make more of it nor save any of it.

If we don't use it, we will lose it forever.

2. WATER it with WORDS

Speak not just words but life-giving words to our spouses.

Encourage one another, Affirm one another.

The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue.

It's either our words will kill or bring life to those who hear them.

Words indeed pierce deeper than any swords.

Sometimes, it's better to be silent when we are angry since out of the overflow of our hearts, our mouths speak, and then when our hearts are hurt, we likewise speak hurts.

Proverbs 10:19

Too much talk leads to sin, but he who seals his lips is wise.

Let us be careful that with the same mouth, we don't speak both praises to God and curses to other people, especially to our spouses.

James 3:9-12

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh?

3. WATER it with PRAYERS

Pray for your spouse.

Pray that the Lord will be pleased and glorified in your marriage.

Fights and conflicts are inevitable.

There will always be misunderstandings and mistakes, disappointments and hurts and pain and shortcomings, and so on - there's no such thing as a "perfect marriage" that is why we need to cover our marriages in prayers.

Pray for protection, for peace, for strength, for continuous joy, and so on.

Involve God in your marriage.

Pray not just for one another but pray together.

As we end this,

Do you know why Falling in love is easy?

Because you don't do anything - you just FALL.

But Staying in Love is different.

Staying is a choice.

And whenever your love for one another prevails, Marriage has to be celebrated.

So today, I am celebrating my husband.

I am in awe of Him, for the Love we have prevails, and keeps prevailing against the test of time. 

And we know that this Love we have is not from us.

We love because He first Loved us (1 John 4:19)

Happy 4th hon!

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, 

Most of us think that marriage is bliss and every marriage is a happy ever after.

After all, I married my prince charming and I will be his princess forever.

There will be no fighting, no disagreements, arguments, or struggles.

My husband says maybe that's why most fairytales end in a wedding because it will be a different story if we read it further.

In a perfect world, living a happily ever after is possible but since marriage is a union of two imperfect people living in an imperfect world - these are inevitable.

We are surprised by the reality that our prince charming is not ALWAYS charming at all and we are not ALWAYS treated the way we wanted to be treated as their princess.

Sometimes it feels like we married the wrong person - they must be the villain or the witch.

And there is really no fairy godmother to the rescue.

So are we saying that we cannot live a happy married life?

- Of course not :)

The truth is every marriage will always be under attack by the enemy, that's why we have to work for it.

And they say that God doesn't ultimately fix marriages, but He fixes people in it first.

Good marriage follows when the person in it changes.

They also say that we don't have to have a great marriage, we have to be the great spouse by focusing on what we can control.

Men and women are wired differently.

They were made differently.

God made men out of the dust of the earth while women were made out of a man.

In marriage, husbands and wives also have different roles.

Looking throughout the Bible we see one woman who exceeds the role of being a wife - She is called a woman with a noble character.

Her worth is far above rubies.

And she is his husband's most precious treasure.

Proverbs 18:22

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,  and he receives favor from the LORD.

So what's in the heart of this woman that her husband and children praise her?

As a woman ourselves, what can we learn from her?

1. A Heart that can be TRUSTED

A TRUSTWORTHY wife is more concerned about doing her husband good than how much good is he doing to her.

Her husband's heart fully trusts her.

He doesn't hide anything from her because he has confidence in her.

Her husband doesn't worry about the way she handles their resources.

Nor does he bother sharing anything including his failures because he is not afraid to be judged or to be blamed whenever things go out of their way.

He feels respected - and this is how men translate love.

We respect them not based on how good are they doing but because of their position in the house - and this is WISDOM.

They are the head - the Leader.

The Bible even says Sarah obeys Abraham by calling him Lord.

They say that a man wouldn't fight for the leadership in his home.

He will quit.

He wouldn't fight to get that respect.

Proverbs 21:9

It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.

Respect also includes the way we treat them both in private and in public.

How we speak about them in front of others - including our jokes about them.

Respect also involves how we listen to them.

Their opinion matters - it is valuable.

It means we also consider our husband's wishes.

2. A Heart that CARES

A CARING wife means we nurture the things God has entrusted around us.

We bring out the best in them, that's why the Bible calls us "helpers"

Nurturing BEGINS in our home.

Regardless of whether the house is big or small, remember that wherever we live, that is our home and our husband wants us to take care of it.

Part of caring is being appreciative of our husbands.

A man has a big responsibility to provide for his family that's why they need appreciation.

Words are also a huge part of nurturing someone; hence, the way we speak to our husbands plays an important role in whether they will succeed in leading our home.

We are not called helpers because they are already perfect.

My husband says that how can I help him if I am not encouraging him, I am not believing in him, I am not cheering him up.

Be careful not to speak discouragement to them - our words have the POWER to build them up and to tear them down.

Someone says that we have to recognize our husband's efforts even if they don't meet our expectations.

Because our affirmation in responding to their effort will encourage them to make more effort.

Also, a woman who truly cares carefully watches her household.

She rises early and prepares food for her family.

She doesn't suffer from idleness.

She is purposeful in her time and this is WISDOM.

She clothes his husband and children with not just clothes but with SCARLET clothes.

She does all these things with DELIGHT.

The whole household is in order because she CARES.

Her children feel blessed to have her.

Her husband feels proud of her.

Proverbs 12:4

An excellent wife is the CROWN of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.

She brings honor to her husband.

Lastly, we cannot be caring and not to be kind.

This wife extends help to the needy.

She does not hesitate to extend her hands to the poor because she believes that the LORD owns all things and that her future is secured in the Lord.

She can SMILE while thinking of the future.

This is also WISDOM.

3. A Heart that is BEAUTIFUL inside-out

They say that no man married his wife as an act of mercy.

The Bible even mentioned that Rebekah was beautiful in form and appearance.

In this proverb, the woman is cloth in fine linen and purple gown.

She takes care of herself - of her well-being as well.

She makes herself lovely for his husband.

The way we dress and look nice is also WISDOM.

But don't get it wrong, making ourselves presentable and obsessing over our looks are two different things.

A woman whose heart has been made beautiful through holiness will delight in dressing in a way that pleases her Lord.

The outside appearance is important but only secondary to what we look on the inside.

This proverb also highlights that charm is deceitful and that beauty is fleeting.

This woman clothes himself not just with good clothes but also with strength and dignity.

The inner beauty of a woman is also WISDOM.

A beautiful woman without a good character is a waste of beauty.

It is like a gold ring on a pig's nose they say, just a waste of beauty.

Proverbs 31:10-31

A wife of noble character, who can find?

She is far more precious than rubies.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good and not harm

all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She rises while it is still night

to provide food for her household

and portions for her maidservants.

She appraises a field and buys it;

from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength

and shows that her arms are strong.

 

She sees that her gain is good,

and her lamp is not extinguished at night.

She stretches out her hands to the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household,

for they are all clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known at the city gate,

where he sits among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchants.

Strength and honor are her clothing,

and she can laugh at the days to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband praises her as well:

“Many daughters have done noble things,

but you surpass them all!”

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her at the gates

 To wrap this up, I think this woman exemplifies wisdom because she took to her heart what the Bible says in 1 PETER 3:1-6

Maybe let's dig into these verses a little further on our next blog.

Thank you for reading :)

This world tells us that love is a FEELING that can come and go.

I, myself once thought like this.

But if this is true, then love will fail us all the time. 

And it will never be strong enough to hold a marriage together - so this world created ways for us to leave it behind.

But this is NOT how God defines love.

Yes, feelings do come and go but that is IF Love is a feeling.

- because it is NOT.

The dangerous thing about looking at love as a feeling is the INCONSISTENCY of it.

It means we live based on our emotions.

The Bible tells us that true love is UNCONDITIONAL.

In reality, not every day is a good day.

There are days that we just can't get along with our spouse.

Well, truly finding love and being married are totally different things.

Finding love is something like a butterfly in your stomach which is mostly about the feeling of happiness.

It brings different levels of excitement and spark and chemistry and feeling of being in the air.

We are focus to see only the good part, the good things.

Marriage, on the other hand, is much like a little mix of everything.

Your spouse really brings out not only the best of who you are but also the worst.

It is not always a sweet walk together they say.

While marriage serves several purposes like companionship, support, intimacy, and procreation - the ultimate purpose of it will never be happiness but instead HOLINESS.

And while the world tells us to leave marriage when we are no longer happy, it's always the opposite of it.

Marriage has to be SANCTIFYING.

Not to mention that whatever status we are in - being single or married, it's always for the purpose of holiness.

None is better, and none is easier than the other.

The truth is sometimes we cannot get along with our spouse because we have something in our lives that is not CHRIST-LIKE.

And most of us don't want to deal with it.

We don't want to admit our faults.

We ignore that the ultimate problem is we just don't want to love like Jesus does.

Why?

- It's hard.

- It feels humiliating.

- It's too self-giving

- It's contrary to what this world says like "Do what makes you happy", "Follow your heart", "Put yourself first", etc...

We don't want to be sanctified.

We don't want to change.

We don't want to adjust.

You know what we want?

We want is...

 - just to be HAPPY.

And most of the time being happy means we have to be selfish, self-centered, and self-absorbed.

We want the other person to change.

We want them to do what we want - to please us.

This is what our flesh craves - to be the first, the top, the priority.

We want to always be served - to receive.

And if everyone thinks this way and acts like it's ALL ABOUT THEM, then we have no hope for melody.

Everyone has their own AGENDA and so we have no hope for peace and LOVE will not truly exist.

So, that's why God set it to be ALL ABOUT HIM, walking in harmony having one perspective, one purpose, and one end goal.

Not to see love as an act of receiving but GIVING.

John 3:16

"For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Even this famous verse says,

Love is indeed an act of GIVING.

It is a SACRIFICE.

He loves us so He gave His Son to us - His one and only Son.

Marrying someone means LOSING too.

We have to lose a lot of who we are in order for us to BECOME ONE with our spouse.

We have to let go of what we want, of what we prefer, of what we used to.

Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Rather, in humility VALUE others above yourselves,

not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Ps. Happy 3rd year wedding anniversary to us, my God's best!

I've been watching Kdrama lately after almost 6 yrs of stopping myself from it.

I still got butterflies in my stomach with all the love stories I watched and made me wonder what bible love stories feel like and look like.

What can we get from them?

What can we learn from God about them?

And so here they go.

1. Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 24:62-65

Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 

He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.

Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac.

She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

Genesis 24:67

Isaac brought her into the tent of her mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her;...

Love at first sight.

Although Isaac and Rebekah had not met each other before they got married they were able to love each other their entire lives because they chose to.

This may tell us that love is more than just a feeling, it is a commitment - A decision.

Their relationship shows us that marriage is deciding to love a person and that we can rely on God to keep us going and loving each other to the end even when differences and difficulties arise in the marriage.

2. Jacob and Leah

Genesis 28:1

So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman"...

Genesis 29:23

Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.

One of the very important principles in entering into a relationship is that we should look for a spouse from among God’s people and that our parents' blessing must also be sought.

Their wisdom shouldn't be disregarded.

If we get involved with unbelievers, with someone who has a different faith from ours we will have to deal with the differences in beliefs and values.

Worse, we might even follow theirs and abandon the Lord.

1 King 11:2

"You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.

1 King 11:4

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God... 

3. Hosea and Gomer

Hosea 1:1

When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution.

Hosea 3:1

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”

If there's anything we can learn from Hosea and Gomer it is that we all marry imperfect people - a sinner.

God's love shines brightest through us when marriage is hardest.

We cannot stay in the marriage unless we truly love and fear the Lord.

Their love story displays what it means to be chosen, forgiven, and treasured by God.

Since every marriage is a union between two sinners, forgiveness will be a constant guest. 

It should always be welcome when it is knocking and celebrated when it prevails.

4. Joseph and Mary

Matthew 1:18-19

Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

I think this is a picture of "when love and respect kiss each other".

Though Joseph might found himself as the offended party, he did not make a big deal out of it by getting the attention to himself.

He has no plan of disgracing Mary publicly nor looking for sympathy of people towards him.

His love is kind and while he might felt angry and disappointed, in his anger, he did not sin.

While these stories might not give that same feeling of excitement and romance to our bones - these for sure are kind to last because it is God who wrote them.

It is the picture of the gospel.

How Christ loves his bride, the church.

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...

Furthermore, did you know that the Bible itself even began and ended in a wedding?

The picture of God giving Eve to Adam and Jesus Christ welcoming His bride, the church.

Genesis 2:18

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:24-25

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Revelations 21:2-3

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Matthew 22:30

At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

I will be honest, every time I encounter this verse, I'm not sure what to feel.

It seems I feel a little bit emotional.

Being married for exactly 2 years now, I can say I understand how special this relationship is.

Love do truly is greatest in marriage.

Unlike parents and children relationships, no flesh and blood bind you here, and still, you choose to love one another EVERY DAY even in its UGLIEST.

I remember someone saying that your spouse will no longer be connected to you when you are divorced, but for those who believe in the Bible, this, we do not believe in, we do not partake in.

Marriage displays what it means to be chosen, forgiven, and accepted - REPEATEDLY.

Why? because you and your spouse will constantly make mistakes.

This is a union of two imperfect people after all.

And yet, why does marriage feel good still?

For me, maybe because It feels good to know that I was pursued.

I am wanted by someone.

I am special to him and It is just feels good to love and be loved in return.

So somehow It's sad to think that someday I will not be my husband's wife anymore.

I cannot love him anymore like the way I love him right now.

I will no longer be special to him as the only woman he committed to love and that what we have now will might just gone one day - for good, forever, for eternity.

As pondering upon this, I met this phrase and was comforted somehow.

"LOVE WILL NEVER ENDS, IT WILL CONTINUE IN ETERNITY WITH US."

1 Corinthians 13:13

Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.

Indeed, along with faith and hope, love will never be gone, will never stop, will never end.

And since marriage shows the covenant we have in Christ, it pictures the love of Christ to His church - a love that nothing can take.

Romans 8:38-39

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christ's love never fades.

It is too wide, too long, too high, and too deep.

Ephesians 3:17-18

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

All married couples know that marriage is not always a sweet walk together - sometimes, it is bitter, salty, and sour.

We get to taste a little bit of everything and still stay because that's how marriage is sanctifying.

They say marriage is not ultimately a road to happiness but rather to holiness.

We get to know everything about each other so much seeing the worst - yet we cannot escape one another because that's what being one means.

I think the intimacy shared in marriage ties us for a lifetime that we became so comfortably used to it - 

And so somehow we are afraid to end.

But it is good to be reminded that there will be a greater intimacy awaiting us - the new depth of intimacy with the Lord.

Surely all the joys in marriage will not be missed - we will never look back on it with longing but with fondness.

Because since Jesus Christ will live with us and will be among us in eternity.

All that is good, sweet, and lovely in marriage will not be totally lost but will transform.

It will make everything beautiful, sweeter, and lovelier all the more.

Because in heaven...

There will be no more tears and sorrow, no more fights, no misunderstanding, no problems.

It will always be for better, no more for worst.

It will always be for richer, no more for poorer.

And no more in sickness, only in health.

Ps.

Cheers to our second year of togetherness under His covenant.

Dear Daddy,

I want you to know that we need you and we want you.

Sometimes I know she feels trapped.

It's hard for her to move.

She can't do anything but stay beside me. 

Suddenly, she changed and became someone she have never met before.

Sometimes she feels she carries all the loads because she just can't pass it.

She's all I need the most for now - I can't help it.

Her new self requires her to invest more of her - to the point of emptying herself sometimes.

That's why we want to thank you Daddy for investing your time and strength in us.

She really needs you the most during this time Daddy.

She is scared.

She is confused.

She is overwhelmed.

She is tired. 

I know Mommy doesn't hate her newfound self.

In fact, where she is right now is a place she called something beautiful, something so precious. 

She was never been this happy all her life, not until I came and she enters this new place called "motherhood".

It's just that Mommy needs someone who will help her figure out things.

And thank you for being that someone.

Thank you for helping Mommy to embrace her new self for there is no way she can be the same after I grew inside of her and came out from her.

Your support means so much to me and Mommy.

And we thank you for offering your arms and back to us.

You make Mommy feel beautiful more than before.

I know you are proud of Mommy for carrying and delivering me but we also want you to know that without you, we cannot make it through.

Your positivity has a great impact on us.

You shared with mommy's burdens, worries, and fears and assured her that everything is fine and okay because God holds us.

You know that Mommy feels loved whenever you carry me and play with me so you do it even if sometimes all I want is Mommy alone.

Don't be jealous, Daddy.

I also do love you with all that I am.

Please know that she loves it when I laugh because of you. 

It makes her fall in love with you the more.

She appreciates you when you help her stop me from crying and sing me lullabies to sleep.

My smiles, laughter, and touch make mommy's world more than better.

You know it pains mommy seeing me cry, so you always find ways to make me smile.

We feel safe and secure whenever you are with us.

That's why we always want to be with you Daddy - so be used to being with us always.

We don't want you to be away for so long and are always excited whenever you are going home.

I love seeing both of your faces and I love hearing both of your voices.

I want you and mommy to witness my everyday growth and development.

Thank you for sharing mommy's joy by discovering myself - what I love, I hate, what makes me smile, makes me cry, what I can do and what I am fascinated by.

I praise God for you Daddy because I know you are also adjusting to fatherhood and yet you need to be strong for both of us. 

Mommy and I can lean on you while you don't have anyone here physically to lean on - Thankfully you know there is a God who sees us.

He is our ultimate Father, ultimate Protector, and ultimate source of strength.

Whenever it's hard for you to understand Mommy, remember there is the Lord who can give you wisdom whenever you ask for it.

And even if you have made mistakes, I still have confidence in you Daddy because I know you love the LORD ultimately more than us.

And like Jesus, you are gentle and humble at heart.

Indeed, His love has perfected us through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

I am thankful that I was made out of this perfected love of Christ through Mommy and you.

After all, parenthood takes its pattern from God himself because He is love.

This life I have comes from your intimate love with each other as husband and wife and that love ultimately began within God Himself because, in His love, there is life.

Thank you Daddy for being there whenever we need you and we want you.

Please also know that we love you more than so much.

Love,

your Baby as spokesperson of Mommy

Those who hopefully wait for Me will never be put to shame.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Yet those who wait for the LORD

will gain new strength;

They will mount up on wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired.

They will walk and not become weary.

Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it. 

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 

See I am doing a new thing.

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. 

Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things from the past.

Do not cling to the events that happened.

For what He will be doing - in fact already doing.

And is now happening!

These are nothing compare to those things of old.

Yet, God made it happen.

Our church set the wedding date; but a few days before it, we are told that it will not be pushed through for some reason.

By this time, we have adjusted with our church's chosen date twice already - filing our leaves twice including our families.

It became stressful for us knowing we are just a few days away from our set wedding date and we still have no concrete plans how will our wedding be like.

We got no pastor to officiate our wedding, our venue is now unknown and we are not sure of our witnesses' availability for we haven't asked them yet.

But God one by one, made a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

September 9, Wednesday, God provided us a pastor to officiate our wedding then that same day, our venue confirmed it's availability including the number of guests they can accommodate with.

Lastly, some of our witnesses said yes to us.

It's like Tuesday we are problematic then Wednesday, God came to our rescue.

He really does hasten it in its time by sending His people's favor towards us - all compressed in just one day to bless us on our wedding day.

... For the LORD delights in you, And to Him your land will be married.

Do not be anxious but pray.

When I read that word from Isaiah 62:4 that night, I was moved to read the previous bible readings I wrote in my journal just this September. 

Here are some of them.

I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.

You will go out with joy and be led forth with peace...

Those who hopefully wait for Me will never be put to shame.

My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure... Truly I have spoken; I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.

Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?...

Do not fear for I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground.

The Lord makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty waters. 

Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars... 

I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears... 

Say to those with anxious heart "Take Courage, Fear not"...

But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief...