impossible marriage...?
If I hadn’t gotten to know Laurie Krieg, I would have thought that her book on marriage would have little to do with me. Besides differing in personality, location, age, number of children, generation,...we also differ in sexual orientation.
Instead, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of this book because I see something so God glorifying in the two of them, that I want to allow their lives and story to impact my own. And I’d love for it to impact yours as well.
Long before this book was published, Laurie (and Matt) were teaching and modelling for me an incredible love for Jesus. As well as a perspective on “denying self” that has shaped me in the past couple of years.
I have learned about sacrificial love listening to Laurie and Matt share and challenge.
I have learned to ask myself what the Lord might be asking me to deny in order to follow Him?
I have seen Laurie be honest even about the ugly parts and that is so reflective of Christ in her.
I’ve seen in my own life what a powerful tool our open lives, transparent marriages, hospitable houses, and yards to invite people into, can be for the Kingdom. My life, house , and marriage was not meant solely for me and the kids that are now adults. We serve a God of hospitality, a God of pursuit, and a God of welcome. A God who brings unlikely people together so that we reflect Him.
We do not live in a culture that applauds self denial of any sort. Our culture screams for us to seek our highest pleasure with all that we have. But in the end, being my own god is profoundly empty.
We also do not live in a culture that values real relationships. The kind that lasts for years, despite pain, sin, and struggle. Even in our relationships we are seeking our own good- we want someone that “completes me”, “a friend that gets me”, “someone to listens to me”, “someone that will never leave me”, and the list could go on. Always with ME as the point of things.
And if you aren’t pleasing to me, I will move on to a new friendship, a new work environment, and a new marriage.
We rarely see examples of “impossible” becoming possible through Christ because we don’t stay long enough. Romans 4 has long been something I’ve read over and over. I just again read this morning through this passage, and also read all the dates and prayers written in the margin of my Bible.
Abraham believed against hope in a God who does crazy, impossible things!
“This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.”
Satan heaps shame on us.
The world pushes us to be our own gods.
Our heavenly Father calls us to reach for the impossible with Him.