7 Years of Marriage

Wow, 7 years of marriage!  (Just for fun here are pictures from our 2nd and 4th anniversaries so you can see how much we have (or haven't) changed.)  This last year of marriage has been the most challenging., but the struggles have brought us closer together as a family and increased our faith.  Jonathan was at a job making more than he ever had, yet was very unhappy with how he was being treated.  (It is true, you can't buy happiness.) We then made a leap of faith with him switching to teaching, which he does enjoy, yet taking a pay decrease.  We stuck it out though, always making sure we tithed, and I believe because of that, God provided in miraculous ways.

With all the struggles though we were able to stick to our tight budget and pay off our debt, finishing Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace #2 step, paying off all debt besides our mortgage.  We give God all the glory and just mention it to encourage others to persevere.  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Also in this last year of marriage we went from two children to three!  Going from zero to one child was hard, one to two was easy, but two to three was insane.   The first month after having Liberty was the toughest of these last 7 years.  Thankfully we had many friends and family pitching in time and meals during that rough season.  We have all settled in nicely now and we couldn't feel more blessed.  Having a daughter, which we had always hoped for, really seemed to complete our family.  We are undeserving but thankful.

So there is our last year of marriage in a nut shell.  Although we are making less than we ever have, we feel rich.  "And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:2-4