by Beth Johnson

When Dennis and I decided to make a commitment to God and to each other, we picked out wedding rings and had them engraved. The message inside said, "Together for HIM, 1-27-62."

What did that all mean? It meant that we were committing our lives to each other and to God for His work. Dennis had long wanted to preach the gospel, and I had long wanted to be a preacher's wife. We each had to make some adjustments to do the work we desired to do. We knew there would be hardships, but we were willing to face those together. We knew there would be criticism (we had no idea how much!), but we were willing to face that together. We knew we would live "in a glass house," but the rewards we might reap would far outweigh the temporal sadness.

A recent article by Tom Moore brought some of these things to my mind. Tom wrote: In the art of marriage, it is the little things that become big things:

It's never being too old to hold hands.

It's remembering to say "I love you" at least once each day.

It's never going to sleep angry.

It's having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is standing together, facing the world.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not only marrying the right partner, but also being the right partner.

Marriage is the most important commitment besides our original decision to become a child of God. The marriage of two Christians can be a force for God that no other force can overcome. However, there will be rocks in the road especially for the preacher and his wife. Being constantly on display like preachers' families are is one of the biggest hurdles any couple has to deal with. They, of all people, must keep their focus on God and the rest will fall into place."But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).