God’s gift of marriage takes us on adventures, mountaintops and valleys, successes and trials.

How are you and your spouse doing during this pandemic?

Six years into our marriage, Keith, our daughter of 18 months, and I moved to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He was a JAG (lawyer) at the highest courts-martial rate installation in the world.

That was 43 years ago. Imagine the isolation we felt from our friends and families. No cell phones, no internet, and no landline phones until we moved on base. Connections with our families were through cassette tapes, yes cassette tapes, and letters.

That three years made our marriage. We were forced to lean on each other as we learned a new culture, made new friends, adjusted to the enormous demands of Keith’s work, and learned to appreciate geckos barking in the house.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

We considered the isolation a great trial. We were away from all that was comfortable. Tension was high in our family.

We watched wives take their children and move back to the States. We grieved when couples divorced. All we could do was to press into each other and support each other.

Now, we consider that time of isolation as a blessing. We became friends as well as husband and wife.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Are you and your spouse friends?

Think of your best friend. What do you do with your best friend that you do not do with other friends? How do you talk? Act? React? Do you love your best friend?

Perhaps you have not thought of your spouse as your friend, let alone, your best friend.

You can start today.

Prayer is powerful. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the actions you can take to become your spouse’s best friend.

My prayer

Almighty God, You are our Great Healer. You know all things and have all things under Your control. The pandemic has turned the world upside down. It is affecting our relationships with others and with You. Cause this trial that the world is enduring to bring people to You. We cry out to You to heal our marriages and to heal our bodies. We are holding fast to You and trusting You to draw us closer to You and to our spouses. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let’s start a conversation. I will address your concerns in upcoming posts.

Please share in the Comments Section how the pandemic is affecting your marriage.

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