Meant to Be. Forever.

Paul and I had a very interesting conversation last night......

When Paul asked me to marry him, we didn't set a date for a while. At some point, he said it's now or never. Then we planned a wedding in 5 months time.

I'll never forget those words he spoke. "Now or never." 

A very interesting phrase to say. God has a plan for our lives and it was so clear to me then and even clearer to me now, 16 years into marriage, that God brought Paul and I together. No doubt about that. Not a single ounce.

So when Paul asked me last night where I thought I might be if we hadn't married, I couldn't think of anywhere else I would be except with him. I may have lived with my parents for several years longer and I'd still be in my hometown attending services at my home church house. Would I have ended up with someone else? I seriously can't see it. However it may have happened, Paul and I would've been a couple again and planning a wedding. Whether it was right when we did or a couple of years later, I am certain that we would be married to each other. Paul is the man God had for me. Period. 

To further this thought, we have stayed together through all kinds of junk. We have had plenty of situations where one or both of us had good reason to walk away.  I admitted to Paul last night that the times I wanted out, I couldn't, just because it wasn't the right thing to do. Apart of being scared to follow through those thoughts & feelings, it just wasn't right. That is what kept me there.  

I am so glad both of us have stayed in this life-long journey together.

Now we love each other so much more than the day we got married. We are stronger, individually as well as a couple. And we are witness to God's faithfulness through all the rough "I-can't-go-on" times. We started off young, immature and ugly (in our conduct), but God has worked in our lives.  He takes the broken and makes something stunning out of it. Our marriage is proof of that. 

Sixteen years and two beautiful children later, we are still relying on God to mold us into His servants as we continue to commit ourselves to Him.