This one’s personal. I posted it on Valentine’s Day this year, and it’s a doozy!
Hey folks, if you’ve followed me on X, you know I don’t shy away from sharing my two cents on faith, family, and the mess the world’s in these days. Family is important—I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.
Today, I want to dive into something close to my heart: marriage. It’s not just a ceremony or a piece of paper—it’s a lifelong dedication that nobody should rush into. But let me tell you, when done right, it’s the single most fulfilling worldly activity available to us. And the children that come from a healthy marriage? They’re your greatest achievements and your greatest joy.
Let’s start with the basics. Marriage isn’t a fairy tale sold by Hollywood or some fleeting feel-good moment. It’s a covenant—a sacred promise before God and your spouse to love, honor, and stick it out through thick and thin. The Bible lays it out clearly in Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” That’s no light commitment; it’s sacrificial, enduring, and demands everything you’ve got. I’ve seen too many folks treat it like a trial run, bailing when the going gets tough. No wonder divorce rates are through the roof. If you’re not ready to put in the work, pray about it, seek wise counsel, and maybe hold off. Entering marriage lightly is a recipe for heartbreak—not just for you, but for everyone involved.
But here’s the flip side, the beautiful truth that makes it all worthwhile: a strong marriage is the pinnacle of earthly joy. In a world full of distractions—endless scrolling, career chases, and superficial hookups—nothing compares to building a life with someone who shares your values, laughs at your bad jokes (or in my case, tolerates the sarcasm), and walks beside you. I can attest that the intimacy, companionship, and growth you experience in a committed marriage sharpen you like iron on iron (Proverbs 27:17). It’s where you learn true selflessness, forgiveness, and the kind of love that mirrors Christ’s for us. Sure, there are storms—financial woes, health scares, or just the daily grind—but navigating them together builds a bond that’s unbreakable.
It’s also fulfilling because it’s God-ordained, designed to reflect His eternal love. In my early years, my father raised us alone, and he chose to guide and nurture us children in the love of God and in the belief that we are special in His eyes. I always saw the pain in his eyes, the loneliness, and partly because of that, I was determined early on that I would never have to raise my family alone. Fortunately, my children never knew what that felt like, since my wife and I raised our girls together.
We’ve celebrated the additions of both our children together, and I’ve held her in my arms in the hospital, wondering if that would be our last day on earth. Fielding the question “Is this mommy’s time?” from one of my children is as gut-wrenching as it gets, but after trials like that, you grow ever closer; the things that used to divide us stopped mattering so much. Sometimes life can seem to be trudging along one hopeless breath at a time, but it’s especially during those times when your faith in each other can turn trials into a closer bond, deepening your love and helping you grow more connected than ever. For me, that time came when my wife lay in the hospital, fighting what turned out to be the end of a long battle with cancer. She had gone through a tough surgery, and the kids were still at school. We were chatting together when she suddenly stared into space, and her vitals monitor started squealing in the background as her catatonic stare bored right through me. Faith calls you in those moments, and when my wife recovered and beat cancer, we came through it with a bond closer than either of us had ever felt before.
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Originally posted on X.
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