He is our “True North”
Throughout nineteen years of marriage, my husband and I resembled greedy fledglings knocking each other out of our marital nest. Our singular stubborn dispositions and intense feelings took up so much room in the nest one of us was getting knocked to the ground. It would take us weeks to find our feet and get back to the nest only to plummet again. A cycle that repeated itself for almost two decades.
When we struggle, I tend to be assertive and soar while Greg likes to be invisible and laid back. Oddly enough, I expected him to be assertive and accountable and he expected me to be patient while giving him nautical miles of space. It wasn’t until we put God in the center of ourselves and our relationship three years ago that change came. We now see God as a compass and hold Him with respect instead of resistance. He became our “true north.”
Greg and I have developed a rhythm over the past couple of years to do daily devotionals at sunrise before we begin our day with the world. The intimacy with one another within prayer has become a vital part to the health in our relationship. On a solo trip to OBX, I waited on that morning call from my husband. He was running late and I became impatient. I stubbornly asked God, “Ok what do you want me to do?” He replied, “Be patient.” A skein of geese flew over with their encouraging trumpets honking. This is a visual that always gives me great comfort, and I knew this was a divine appointment. It was a reminder that allowing space and sharing responsibility creates stability and safety. I got to talk to Greg, only a few moments later, and we shared our morning experiences. When I asked what God had told him, he said God’s direction was, “Be accountable.”
Before talking with Greg that morning I saw the assertive force the geese were using to fly, but I also saw the 3 foot gap between them. Noticing this image was the divine appointment. An overarching visual of a beautiful marriage that has come by surrendering with my husband. The stability and safety of the relationship relies on the optimal efforts of both people to become the best formation.
