Proverbs 31:10-12       A wife of noble character who can find?  She is worth far more than rubies.  ¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.  ¹² She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

I am the richest man in the world!  I have the Lord and He gave me Donna.  My August 25, 26 and 27 devotionals describe the extraordinary way that the Lord brought us together.  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would be loved the way she loves me.  I never imagined how wonderful marriage could be.  It’s so incredible to be able to spend your life with the one person you would rather be with than anyone else.

When Donna smiles at me and I see the twinkle in her eyes, the thrill that goes through me is beyond words.  Even more amazing is the fact that our love not only hasn’t grown old – it’s gotten better with time.  We ‘get to’ spend every day of our lives loving one another, and we both understand that is a choice the Lord expects (and requires) us to make!  Right choices lead to blessing and wonder.  Wrong choices lead to pain, separation and becoming a statistic.

We both recognize that what the Lord has given us is priceless and our commitment to Him requires us both to guard and protect our marriage.  We do not have the option of indulging sinful behavior that undealt with, could damage what we have.  We know that one day we will give an account of how we have loved our spouse.

The grace of God, the enabling power of His Spirit and our commitment to His Word and to each other have enabled us to navigate the difficult times.  These were (and are) times when our actions and attitudes haven’t been what they should be.  The Lord has enabled us to recognize our sin and repent and ask forgiveness of one another.  We cannot overemphasize the importance of ‘I’m sorry’, ‘Please forgive me’, ‘I was wrong’, ‘I forgive
you’.

We are so grateful for the fact that we recognize that forgiveness is not optional.  It is an absolute requirement of our faith and so vital to our existence.  Best of all is the fact that we are committed to loving our God most of all.  Loving each other is part and parcel of
loving Him.  In fact, loving our spouse is a primary way we show our love for God.  The more we love Him, the more we love each other – the more our lives express love for each other.  He is the center of it all.

I thank God that 43 years ago today, Donna and I were married.  Our love and appreciation for each other is the best it’s ever been – with the best still to come!