Becky Crenshaw

“The Scriptures say that God designed and created marriage as a good thing. It is a beautiful, priceless gift. If we are teachable, we will learn to do the one thing that is most important in marriage – to love.”

– Stephen Kenrick, The Love Dare

When I was seven-years-old, I remember my mother calling me into the living room. She sat on a big, red vinyl stool and patted her knee. I climbed up into her lap. Her cheeks streaked from tears. “Its just going to be us girls now. Your daddy and I are going to be living apart. We both love you girls very much. Our lives will just look different. We are going to be alright. Don’t you cry. We’re going to make it.”

Twenty-six years later this memory is as fresh as the moment it happened.

Divorce: Brokenness. Arguing. Anger. Fear. Loneliness. Sadness.

These are a few words that mark my childhood.

If my seven-year-old heart could have willed it so, I would have wished my parent’s to view marriage as this passage declares: “a beautiful and priceless gift.”

They tried. They really did. But on our own efforts, we can only accomplish so much.

My heart beats and breaks for the hurting marriage.

Selfless love is so hard to do.

The Lord knew this about us. The Word teaches:

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Unfortunately, our culture has reduced this life-changing Scripture to “coffee mug” status. Its truth has become clichéd and common.

But God’s intention is to teach us how to love one another. Really LOVE one another.

Love endures all things.

Is your marriage struggling to endure?

This morning I am so honored to make a little announcement.
Drum roll…

The Word of God and a Cup of Joe will be hosting a Guest Blogger on marriage.

I didn’t have to go very far to find him either.

Mr. Brent Crenshaw.

Here is a word from the mister:
***
Because of Now.

Monday morning, Becky asked me to pray about co-writing an upcoming blog series on marriage. While at first it was difficult to know exactly what to write (and still is), it is not difficult to know why to write on marriage. My “why to write” is summed up in one word…now.

You may be thinking that this word is pregnant with existential meaning or has lingering aftershocks from the phrase “Carpe Diem” (Dead Poet’s Society). Or you might think it’s my attempt to ask husbands to love their wives in the “now-ness” of every minuscule fraction of every second of every day of every month of every year.

You’d be wrong.

I am motivated to write on marriage because “now” is the word found first in Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 2 concludes with marriage in it’s most pristine form. God walked Eve down the aisle (so to speak) and presented her to Adam. He (Adam) sang a love song/poem over her (as some scholars believe).

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” Genesis 2:23

After God officiated the ceremony, the Bible records that they were “naked and unashamed” – hence the first honeymoon.

(Becky’s blushing)

However, after the first and purest wedding in history, the word “now” appears.

Genesis ch. 3 states, “Now the serpent was more crafty…”

Immediately, Satan moves in to attack the institution of marriage. He wasted no time then. He is wasting no time now.

The reason I want to write with Becky is because Satan is attacking marriage – NOW. It’s been his strategy from the beginning and it will be his strategy until his end.
***
Thanks Brent!

Well remember that little giveaway? The Dare to Love Booklet? Brent and I will be walking our way through each of the eight chapters.

Will you join us?

Each day we will explain the Love Dare challenge and share our feelings, thoughts, struggles and experiences.

Please pray for us as I’m sure we are due some rough terrain.

And as for you, where is your marriage today?

In need of fine tuning? Bruised? Completely broken?

God wants to meet you right where you are.

Also…You can still enter to win the drawing for the Dare to Love booklet.

Share today’s post and leave us a comment.. The winner will be announced this weekend.

So thankful for you.