Marriage is like riding a roller coaster...

Today, June 1st, 2015, my wife and I celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. Other than lunch together today we don't really have any big plans. For most of our anniversaries we've taken turns choosing a day trip which we celebrated on Memorial Day since we were both off from work and our anniversary is usually later in the week. Two years ago we had one of the most exciting and interesting anniversary trips we've had to date. We took our boys and my parents to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. We spent our anniversary riding roller coasters that made your head spin. Before we headed to the park that morning I posted something on Facebook about our anniversary. As I wrote it out I couldn't help but think about how marriage is like riding a roller coaster. Here's what I wrote:

Marriage is a lot like a roller coaster. There is fear and trepidation of the unknown before going through with it. Once you are strapped in and ready you start out going uphill slowly. But as you progress, there is inevitably a down side to the heights you just attained. When things are headed down they seem to be going faster than you can handle. There are twists, turns, corkscrews and the occasional flip or loop that leaves you spinning. It involves tears of fear and of joy. There are times of screaming at each other and screaming for no reason at all. At other times you throw your hands up and at others you hold on for dear life. Sometimes you feel beat up and banged up and you just want to get off the ride. But at the end of the day you can look at your partner on the ride, smile and say..."That was awesome!"

Marriage, like a roller coaster, is not for the faint of heart. It requires a great deal of patience, mercy, compromise, love, forgiveness, and grace. If two people want their marriage to succeed then both spouses must work to make it a success. Every couple I counsel during pre-marital counseling is warned that marriage is hard and it requires work. If one spouse gives up on a marriage it doesn't matter how much the other spouse tries to "make it work," it won't happen. In today's culture godly marriages are under constant attack from Satan. He's trying his best to tear down what God has made good and holy. Marriages are no exception. Marriage is not easy but in the end it is well worth the blood, sweat, and tears we pour into it to make it something great. We get to look back 5, 10, 25, or 50 years later and see what we've built...together.

My encouragement to you today is to enjoy the roller coaster ride that is marriage. Work together to make your marriage a godly marriage that honors God and brings glory to Him. Reflect God's character in your marriage by forgiving, loving, and showing grace to each other. In the end you'll be glad that you did.

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