9 WAYS TO DISPLAY THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN MY MARRIAGE:
1 Love – I will show love to my spouse every day.
2 Joy – I will invite the joy of the Lord to rise in me continually.
3 Peace – I will walk in peace and not stress.
4 Patience – I will be patient with my spouse and not lose my temper.
5 Kindness – I will show kindness to my spouse no matter what.
6 Goodness – I will do good for my spouse in every way.
7 Faithfulness – I will be faithful to my spouse in all I do.
8 Gentleness – I will be gentle and not harsh with my spouse.
9 Self-Control – I will not allow myself to get out of control.
(Galatians 5:22-23)
Babes...I want you to know that you were ALL of the above! You were a true example of the Fruits of the Spirit everyday! Not a single moment passed that I ever doubted your love for me after I realized you weren't just a dream...you were a dream come true.
Even when my insecurities got the best of me in the beginning, you never left my side...just like you promised. You hated that I felt "unworthy" and stuck around to show and tell me why you loved me everyday. And even after losing you the way I did, I wouldn't have changed a thing about our relationship.
So we made some bad choices and didn't necessarily live up to our potential...but it forced us into a situation where we grew closer and closer everyday as a family! We had no choice! One car, family of five, and many, many daily stops to make between jobs, schools, ministry, etc... And even better-we spent your last few years on earth getting closer to the Lord! For that, I'm grateful beyond comprehension!
I hate to think about how the girls and I would have handled losing you if we didn't have the faith we have. Our natural human tendencies alone, without Christ in our hearts, would have led us to so much self-destruction! Not to say that we've handled ourselves perfectly...but if we weren't continuously embraced by our Heavenly Father, we'd be so lost!
Thank you for leading our family the way you did and continue to do by our memories of you. You are truly a part of our daily lives in all we do. Like the author of the book I'm reading expressed...I may not know when I'm gonna see you again, but I have peace knowing that God does know! And He's providing you with the best care possible. Perfect care.
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