Monday, October 15, 2012

Happy Anniversary



    Six years ago today I married my ANSWER TO PRAYER, Robert.  I was entering my mid-30's and I wasn't married yet.  I was the eldest of three and all were happily married but me!  I remember taking a dating sabbatical after a gut retching break up and thank God I did.  Because without taking the time to heal and trust the Lord I would have never been ready for Robert.  I would have been injured and forever victimized, or so I thought. I dove deep into counseling, wanting to know myself more deeply and completely!  

    I entered a honeymoon period with the Lord and even planned an actual HONEYMOON with just me and the Lord.  So I sailed away for a week on a Caribbean cruise.  Most of my friends thought I was insane yet those who knew me best, knew it was just what the doctor ordered!  I set sail off the coast of Florida just me and the Lord in a beautiful honeymoon suite!  Everywhere I looked were blissful newlyweds and I was freshly out of a 3 year relationship with a man whom I thought was the one!  I ate my meals alone and dressed up every night and went to the breathtaking ballroom to dine at a 12 person table, just God and me!  The people who sat at the tables around me felt sorry for me FOR SURE!  Some people invited me to dine with them and their families.  I giggled and thankfully declined their offer. 
 
    The next day I remember deciding to stay in my room all day and night. Worshipping and spending some REAL time with the Lord!  I was sunbathing on my balcony on the very rear of the ship and can recall the water being very choppy, windy with LOTS of rain.  During this cruise Katrina was hitting the Louisiana coastline and I was none the wiser!  I stood at the edge of my balcony and shouted, "Lord, I love you SO MUCH! (As I began to cry with intense emotion!) God I trust you with my heart and my future!  Lord, you said in your word that if you care for the birds of the air and feed them then how much more do you care for me!!  Well Lord I want to feel you!  I want to know that I am more special to you than the birds of the air"!  Suddenly the rain stopped and out of NO WHERE and very small bird appeared tweeting away singing a song that instantly brought me to my knee!  I wept as that little bird sang and sang over me!  Still weeping I stood up with my face facing up to the heavens, arms out stretched and eyes closed and the rain began to fall again with such power that it was hurting my skin!  I began to dance and spin celebrating God's love for me!  Some would have called me CRAZY and others would have witnessed the sweetest move of the Lord!  I walked back into my room dried of and fell to sleep!  

     That next morning I woke up with a new zeal, a new song on my heart!  I was complete again!  The wrongs and words that were said against me where erased!  The hurt seemed like a vague memory and the details where foggy!  If you have ever asked if God could erase hurt and bad memories let me tell you He CAN!  I watched those newlyweds be close and giggly and it tickled my heart where a few days before I was broken and would have to turn away! 
 
      A few months later I met Robert!  We dated for a few months, engaged for 2 and quickly married!  And through this marriage God has become more present!  My relationship with him has intensified in ways I can't explain!  These short 6 years has brought happiness, hope, joy, victory, heartache, loss, doubt, desperation, challenges, financial woes, death, blessing, strength, courage, tenacity, laughter and SO MUCH MORE!

     If you were to tell us 6 years ago that we'd go through all of that we would have laughed at you!  And yet we are STRONGER for it!  And we know that there's still more challenges and TONS of victories yet to celebrate!  And so we pray for God's way to be demonstrated in our marriage!  And for you that are yet to be married we pray GOD'S BEST for you!  That you be all about your relationship with HIM and let HIM show up and show off!  And for those of you marrieds out there we pray that you remain resilient and fortified making HIM your core and standing fast on HIS word because it NEVER come back void!
 
So Happy Anniversary to you Robert Lainez!  My love grows deeper still and our future is forever in the Master’s hands! 

XOXOXO


Stephanie Lainez
Author/Speaker/Mommy-SuperHero
www.mystoryhousebooks.com


 


    

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for being part of my life and being next to me through this journey. Looking forward to many, many and many more years.

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