testimony tuesday!

So it's tuesday, and at this point it's been over a month since I last blogged. There's been so many different things try to come up and take my time and defeat me in feeling writing has no purpose, but when Manny asked me this weekend what my favorite Bible verse was, I was reminded of my goal, my vision and mission to encourage others through writing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, therefore to encourage others. My life verse. My blog verse. My email signature. No matter what I am going through I was reminded God has called me to encourage others with everything I go through myself.

Talking to my husband this weekend as well, I was reminded of childhood dreams to be a writer and a teacher. After bypassing college, getting married and having kids, I put those dreams behind me. I could never imagine exactly how I would end up doing what I love. I have a job, bills to pay. But God does have a way of giving us the desires of our heart once we delight ourselves In Him, and when we were coming home from church on Saturday after serving in the family ministry teaching kindergarten and 1st grade, I realized that whether it is my career or not God has opened doors and made a way for me to teach and write. And most importantly I get to do it all for Him. Through the family ministry and through blogging. It's my job to continue no matter what comes at me.

I entitled this testimony tuesday, because despite of all the busyness in life that's tried to keep me from writing I am extremely blessed and can see God working in every area of our life.

I've written about marriage before and the trials and tribulations that we went through as a couple. Not doing life or marriage right, and almost letting our marriage fall apart. We encountered all types of financial hardships, we were dishonest, and could have easily ended up as the youngest married and divorced couple. However, God had a plan to restore our marriage and to use the pain, and the lessons for our good. If only we were willing. God is in the business of restoration, people, marriage, families, but it takes our willing and wanting in order for Him to do it. My husband and I both had a choice to stay or to quit. It would have never worked if we both decided the opposite of each other. And that's where the quote comes in: "there's nothing God cannot do with 2 willing people". My husband and I are living proof of that.

We did marriage wrong. We made idols of one another. We were dishonest. We crossed boundaries. We tried to do it all without God at the center of our lives. But in the moment of truth, regret, shame and hurt, God showed us both individually that if we stayed He would work it all out for our good, that He had plans to prosper and not to harm and that He could take 2 broken people, a broken marriage and not only restore but unite and make better then ever before. More than we could ever imagine.

It's been 5 years since that turning point in our lives, where Jesus saved us from ourselves, and opened up our eyes. It's been 5 years since God placed a desire in us to work with couples and families and teach others God's purpose and design for marriage. The importance of the family unit in God's kingdom.

We have met incredible couples, been blessed with chances to go to marriage conferences and retreats, and as of a year ago been blessed with the opportunity to serve in the family ministry at our church and even grew our family adding Emeli.

My story is still being written, our marriage is still growing, and I'm still learning, but on this testimony tuesday I had to look at where we are now and know that it's not where we thought we would be. No, it is better. Because our God holds our marriage, our family, and now is in control of our lives. What we learned as a young couple, and everything we went through was God equipping us, and leading us into things we never even dreamed of.

We pray we can only continue seeking Him, encouraging others and never taking the opportunity to serve and teach kids for granted. Marriage, family, life without Jesus at the center of it all is not living. He can take broken things and make them beautiful. He can take 2 willing hearts and do what is impossible for men. There is a purpose for your life!!! You are loved.

I encourage you today to hand over to God, any broken dream, any desire, your marriage, your family and just surrender knowing He has better plans for you than you could make for yourself. Every situation, every tear, He sees and He knows and He can use it for something bigger than yourself if only you allow it.  ♡-Meli