Choosing the Right Path

This year Tim and I decided to revisit the Oregon Coast to memorialize our 1st trip 40 years ago.  Tim and I embarked on our first vacation to the Oregon Coast on a Gold Wing Motorcycle.  Although it was filled with some scary moments and some treacherous conditions, we adventured together and lived to tell the story.  

Tim and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary on September 7, 2024.  It seems a bit surreal to think we have been together that long, and yet every year has flown by, and we are blessed to have found a relationship that has stood the test of time.  Our marriage was pretty rocky in the beginning but by God's grace, we made it through, and have learned some valuable lessons along the way.  Some of the most important lessons we have learned is the importance of choosing the right path.  

Much of our life together has been two people choosing different paths when it came to recreating or socializing. Originally, I was barrel racing and Tim was skydiving almost every weekend. Thankfully we had a common faith that brought us together and served to anchor our marriage with God's direction and focus instead.

There are many scriptures that speak to the paths in the Bible, but Psalm 16:11 could be Tim and I's life verse and guiding principle for any success our partnership has experienced. "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with the joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." God has been so good to us, and we have seen the benefits of following Him and His wisdom in whatever path we have taken.

Recently, when we were on our trip down the Oregon Coast, we did quite a bit of hiking. Some of our paths were level but long, and others were steep but short. We discovered that there were some filled with many people and others where we were all alone. But every path we took required some effort and persistence. There was one long hike of over 10 miles that I became very tired, my feet hurt, and I wished the end was in sight. This got me to thinking about a sermon our pastor recently shared on "Lessons Learned from the Trail." There were many good points that seemed so relevant to Tim and I's life together. One that hit home is that "every person has something they have to push through to reach the end." James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trials because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." It is important to recognize that hard is not always bad, difficult situations help us grow, and Christ is always with us through those challenging times. The Lord is so good to use all situations to benefit us. Leaning on Him, and learning from Him, gives us victory and joy through those challenges.

Tim and I have faced a fair share of challenges in our marriage and have had to persevere, double down and take some risks in order to make it 40 years together. One thing we have gotten better at is being committed to doing things together. It definitely requires flexibility and compromise, but it is so worth it. When we see each other prioritizing our spouse over the many other paths we can choose to take, we sense that commitment and it draws us closer together. We fly together, ride horses together, take walks together, work on projects together but most importantly we pray together. Inviting God into our daily routines and responsibilities brings his presence to bear on what we are hoping to accomplish, and he directs our paths to bring about His will.

After 40 years of marriage, the right path for Tim and I has depended on a strong commitment to God and his purpose in our lives. We love each other and always have, but without God's love pouring through us, for that extra measure of patience and understanding, we might have not made it. His love is perfect and knowing that we can have more fulfillment and joy as we commit to Him, helps us love each other as He has intended.