Promises

Promises made and kept, anchor the heart. 

Steady our steps. 

Bring comfort in the dark. And courage for the day to day. 

Wholehearted commitment and follow-through reflects and reveals the faithfulness of our God. 

As we celebrate Christmas each year, my husband and I also rejoice in another anniversary. Remembering promises we made to one another. 

Covenant

Thirty-four years ago. On a Saturday in December. Todd and I stood together. 

Before God. 

In the presence of family and friends.

Making a covenant.

In those candlelit moments of spoken vows and prayers, we took a step by faith. Into marriage.

Surrender

After years of never meeting “the one.” I’d given up on “romance.” Filigreed and fancy. 

Packaged dreams. Gathering dust as time marched on.

Surrender shifted my focus. Helping me entrust the future to Him. 

Completely.

What really matters

That altar clarified what really matters. In a spouse. And as I prayed, a list formed. Detailed. In short lines. Down the page of my journal. 

“Integrity
a heart for God
a devotion/obedience to God’s Word
a commitment to the vision of missions
courage to really love
one who can laugh in life and knows the freedom of releasing the outcome to Christ
one who truly ministers to others with deep compassion and wisdom
faithful, honest, secure in Christ’s love, confident of my love….”

I laid it aside. And went on with life. 

Forgot about it, really. 

Answer

In the year I turned 29, Todd walked into the office where I worked. And introduced himself.

During that first conversation, I remember talking around the world. 

His two years in Scotland. My home in Indonesia. And my  summer in Taiwan.

The rest, as they say, is history. 

The Lord answered my prayer. Above and beyond what I asked or imagined. 

Promises

In the summer we were nearing engagement.

In the past, each of us had made promises. In writing. To go wherever the Lord leads.

Then. A surprise discovery. Those commitments had been made within the same 24-hour period. Across the country from each other.

His, at a conference in California. Mine, at a conference in Tennessee. 

And we met seven years later.

Philippians 2:2

So, happy anniversary to my Todd. Strong and courageous. Faithful and true. 

I love you.

As we continue walking this road, season after season, we’ll keep praying “our verse.”

“…make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love,
united in spirit,
intent on one purpose.”
Philippians 2:2 NASB

What about you?

What is a promise of God that steadies your steps? How have you been encouraged by vows made and kept? 

Related posts

He is enough – Divided heart – Waiting, we worship – Shouts and whispers – Immanuel: God with us – My soul magnifies the Lord – 

Note: This week our family will gather together for the first time since June 2017. Traveling from Singapore and Tennessee and east of the Blue Ridge mountains. So I’ll take a brief break from the blog. 

Thank you for reading. May you have a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.