A Simple Word
Below is a word of encouragement that I recently shared with a friend. The word is important for all married people, so I thought I’d share it with you too.
Hey friend!
I had heard last week that you guys were having a rough time, so I wanted to share a word that helped me turn our marriage around a few years ago: cherish.
I remember imagining 2 versions of us as old people – one where we’re grumpy & always picking at each other, and one where we simply adore each other – “cherish,” if you will. I obviously wanted the one where we are calm and patient, where we look lovingly at each other and just love being together.
So I decided that the theme of my life (not just my marriage) from that point forward would be to cherish my wife. That’s who I want to be. It’s what I want to be known for, not just in the marriage pocket of my life, but in everything. “He’s the guy who really cherishes his wife.”
I also decided that as the leader of my family, I would take the responsibility to help Jenny learn what it means to cherish me. At first, she didn’t get it at all. “Cherish” is kind of an old-fashioned word that she remembers from our marriage vows but has never seen used in real life. So I promised myself I would be patient and gentle about it (perhaps the hardest thing I’ve ever done!), and would just point out the worst of offenses, like being sassy, and say “That doesn’t feel like cherishing.”
Anyways, I know that what applies to me doesn’t always apply to others, but sometimes your story is all you’ve got, so I thought I’d offer mine.
Love you and praying for you,
-Mark- +
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