Divorce

The average marriage last 7 years.

According to statistics, this year alone 200,000 marriages will end in divorce that didn't see their second anniversary.

I was listening to a podcast today on the way back from my vacation and I heard these two shocking statistics. I couldn't believe that the average marriage in America last 7 years. When I heard that all I thought was wow that's so sad.

And in that moment I heard Jesus whisper, "that's why" to a question I had been asking in my heart for about a year. And in that moment I broke down, literally sobbing in my car driving through San Antonio. But they were good tears. Thankful tears. Because He had protected me from divorce. He knew I wasn't ready, He knew we weren't ready and He allowed us to break up instead of divorcing years down the road.

Marriage is work. Marriage isn't something that you can auto-pilot through. Marriage isn't something that can be sustained only with love.

Had I got married when I wanted to, at the time I wanted to, it would have ended in divorce. Not because that person is awful, he is actually a very dear friend of mine now. But because neither one of us was willing to do the work. Neither one of us was mature enough to handle marriage, at the time.

As I continued to drive, Jesus continued to shine a light into my heart. He spoke softly to me about the areas that need His touch. The areas that I need to fix. The areas where I need to do work. And this time, I'm willing to do the work.

I want to get married one day and I want it to be forever. God has work for us to do, He has plans for me and my husband to accomplish together. He has a purpose for our marriage. The whole reason that a man and woman come together are to help each other. To be a team.

Genesis 2:18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work."

Proverbs 12:4 "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown..."
Crown here literally means victory. As a wife you have the ability to cause your husband to have victory. Your character can empower him to feel victorious. Wow!

Jesus,

Thank you for protecting me. For allowing my heart to hurt for a short period of time in order to avoid a greater pain later. Thank you for working in my heart to prepare me for my husband. Continue to illuminate the places in my heart that need your touch, that need correction. Make me the wife that will empower her husband to feel victorious. That won't run away. That will trust.

Prepare me.

Prepare him.

Mold us into the amazing power couple that you have destined us to be. That our weaknesses would be the other's strengths. That we would help eachother, accept eachother, respect eachother, encourage eachother and always be willing to grow together. That we would honor You in our relationship, that we would bring You glory.

I love you Jesus!

Amen.

Michelle Nicole.