In the words of Effie Trinket, “Welcome, welcome, welcome!”
I can’t even put into words how happy I am you are here. And I have to say, starting this series on a Sunday makes me smile. It seems appropriate somehow to begin this month of focused prayer for our marriages on the day we gather to worship.
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And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” — Matthew 4:19
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I don’t like to lead through a crowd. I much, much, much prefer Scott to be in front and me to follow. Because he’s taller than I am, I like him to be ahead of me where I can see him. When I end up in front, I get distracted by turning around to make sure he’s still there and usually end up bumping into people and getting (understandably) dirty looks.
Scott is a good leader and not just in crowds. He’s kind and considerate but also willing to be bold and courageous. I feel safe with Scott in charge. I always have.
But the thing is, Scott is also following someone. The same Someone I am following. We’re both 100% committed to following Jesus. It’s looked a lot of different ways over the years. Perhaps the most dramatic example was on our first wedding anniversary when Scott resigned from the church he was serving. Talk about being courageous! I remember the two of kneeling down beside a chair in our living room and praying for wisdom, making sure we were doing what the Lord was leading. God answered us with clarity and gave us both confidence to make what seemed to be a crazy decision in light. I have no doubt that choice was a proving ground for other difficult situations we would face … and through each of them we’ve found the same confidence as we faithfully followed Him.
Our marriage hasn’t been perfect … by any sort of measurement or definition. But one thing has always been true of us as individuals and as a couple — we’ve chosen to follow Jesus. No matter what.
~ Teri Lynne
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Today’s Prayer
Lord, may we always be faithful to follow You. Let us trust You wholly and be bold in our obedience. May we shine light for You through our relationship and may we stand firm in our commitment to walk with You, led by You, every day, in every way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Thank you for joining us for #MarriagePrayers: 31 Verses to Pray for Your Marriage. Scott and I will be sharing a new verse and prayer every day throughout May, leading up to our 20th anniversary on June 1. You can find every day’s post indexed here. We pray you will be encouraged and challenged as you pray God’s Word for your marriage.
And for fun, we’ll be sharing some pictures of us from the past 20 years, like this one … from December 1995, about six months before we got married. Y’all, we were smokin’ hot!!
Cyndie casey says
I love this. What a perfect couple to share marriage insight. You both are a great example of what it looks like when two become one and follow Christ. So happy he shared y’all with Brunswick for those years. Love you both.
Teri Lynne Underwood says
Cyndie, thank you! It’s always a gift when people who know us are so kind and generous with their words. Love you!