Day 31--"Love and Marriage"

Didn't have a lot of feeling around today's dare. Not so much because of the topic...I am very interested in love and marriage, but due to the fact that Kendra and I don't have any "leaving" issues in our marriage. We've long ago established that we have created our own relationship free from the negative influences of our families. Now, I also understand that we have embraced many of the positive factors that we noticed in both of our parents marriages. I will say that I have loved getting to know Kendra's family and really studying how they established their relationship based on God's principles. As Kendra and I have talked about this issue, I've come to realize that this was an opportunity for growth for me. In the beginning I was always comparing my relationship with Kendra to the "Godly" example provided by her parents. Soon I learned that I did not need to compare, but as the apostle Paul says, I needed to follow their lead. I asked questions, had detailed conversations with her dad about spiritual leadership and how he provided guidance for his family. It was a great shift in me when I realized that God had placed me in this family for a reason and that I will continue to grow in Christ as I take on more of the attributes of Christ. I will admit that it took Kendra and I some time to sort out all the baggage I had from my home experience. It was night and day different from hers. I was not raised in a Christian household and my parents marriage was stable, but not necessarily Godly. I love them dearly and they have given so much to Kendra and I, but I was eager to leave their household. I've had to really look at the principles that they (my parents) had in their marriage and discuss these with Kendra. We've got a common agreement that we need to base our relationship on biblical principles (especially Eph. 5) and then work to create an atmosphere in our home that fosters love and holiness. All in all, I've learned that I am eager to continue to grow our relationship with each other and look forward to the positive impact our lives will have on our family and those around us.