As far back as I can remember, I knew about God. Our family was in church and Sunday school every week. I knew all the Bible stories and the songs that went with them.
My granddad was a man of God, and he was my hero. Honestly, I thought I had that whole God thing nailed down. God and I were tight. I think I understood faith as good as an eleven-year-old could understand it. I even thought I would be a pastor someday. It was awesome.
Then I entered puberty. My body began to change. More than that, the girl down the block who used to ride bikes and shoot baskets with me began to change too. I was confused. What had seemed so easy suddenly seemed really difficult for me.
I was on a roller-coaster ride with God that continued through middle school and high school. Sometimes I had it nailed down, and sometimes I was confused. Then came college life, and other than going to church when I was at home on school breaks, I put God on a shelf somewhere in my life.
It was halfway through my junior year of college that I met Nancy and my life changed not overnight, but over the next two years. I knew I had to find God again. I was falling in love with this woman and was thinking about marriage. Somewhere deep inside, I knew God had to be a part of it. Nancy felt the same way. We agreed to look for a church that we both liked; other than that, we had no idea where to begin. We knew we needed to put Him first in our lives, but putting Him first in our marriage was a mystery. Uncovering that mystery became a process for us.
What about you? You and God? You and God and your marriage? Where is He in your life today? Where is He in your marriage?
Please, listen to me closely here. We are all from different spiritual backgrounds. The last thing I want is for you to make a checklist of all you need to do to put God in your marriage. Including Him in your marriage doesn’t require a checklist. It is not about what you are supposed to do and not do. It has to do with one thing and one thing only: your heart. Love Him with everything your entire being and then invite Him into your marriage. Give Him the steering wheel of your life and marriage. Follow His lead. Trust Him. Seek Him. When you do that, He will build your marriage into something far greater than you ever dreamed or expected! The bottom line is that you have a choice: to allow God in or leave God out. What will you choose?
