Full of hope

Jeremiah 29:11

I have been told for some time by a close friend that I ought to start a marital blog to chronicle the lessons and experiences that we learn over the course in our marriage. She also suggested that I log (or blog even) the stories and God-incidences that eventually brought us to this point in our lives. She said those stories and memories would be lost if I did not record them. I knew she was right, but I certainly was not ready to start blogging about our marriage. The thought had crossed my mind several times but as a newlywed I did not think I had as much to share as other married couples who had been married for a much longer time. So I just kept putting it off although it was in the back of my mind the whole time. Perhaps it was not so much in the back of my mind but really in the forefront.

I think one of the biggest road blocks in starting our marital blog was a title or name for our blog. I wanted one that not only expressed who we were but told a story on its own. There is so much in a name or title. A name is how you identify or know someone. The name has to fit and has to catch your eye in order to get others to notice. As the idea for starting a marital blog lay in the back (or forefront even) of my mind, I began to try to think of a title for such blog. One did not come to me immediately so I just kept putting it off and telling myself eventually I would get around to starting a marital blog. In the meantime, I kept sharing and telling stories of our experience with friends and family so as to keep a record of what we had experienced.  

Last night after sharing our blessing (see first post) with a friend, I finally got the courage start our marital blog. I knew I wanted to share the joy of our family gathering and how God had provided enough food and room for everyone in our small yet adequate home. The one thing I kept thinking about was a title. I wanted to start our marital blog but I did not want it to go without a title. I already had our first post written having sent it out as an email to share with friends but I did not have a title yet. I could not start our blog without one.

I thought for a moment about my favorite Scripture passage - Jeremiah 29:11. This passage has meant so much to me since I heard it when I was part of Singles for Christ. This passage has become my mantra. It finds it way to me by no coincidence but always by God incidence. Someone will share it with me or I will find it or see it somewhere when I least expect it. I think of it often when I am struggling. I remind myself that God has something planned for me. Something greater than where I am at that moment. He has a future full of hope planned for me. I have found my hope in this passage.

And that is when the title of my blog came to me last night. A Marriage Full of Hope. I know that God had this marriage planned for us. Even though it took us a long time to get here, He had this planned for us from the very beginning. He made us for one another. In the nine years we waited, He made us both ready for marriage. At times we both felt ready, but it was never at the same time. We were not on the same page. Perhaps the same chapter but not on the same page. We have been close but still never on the same page. God did an amazing work on both of and over time we became closer and closer. Eventually, we both realized that this marriage was our future. This marriage is our future full of hope that God had planned for both of us. This was the future God had planned all along. This is what I was seeking when I thought of my favorite passage.

This marriage is our future. This marriage is our hope.