Dreaming Forward

 For the last ten Fridays, I've reminisced about the decade behind us. I've looked back at some of my favorite memories from our marriage together. I've shaken my head in amazement at some of the things we've been able to accomplish and survive that seem insurmountable when I look back at them from more of an outside perspective. God is so good to give grace for the moment, isn't He? All of us go through things that are impossible, except for God. Never underestimate His power and grace to get you through what's in front of you!

Today I want to dream forward a bit. Not in specifics, of course. Ryan and I are in this together, and we'll dream the specifics together. But I do want to dream in generalities some of the hopes I have for decade #2.

* Growing in the Lord. This is always our highest goal as individuals, but it's also a goal for us as a couple. It has been, and it will continue to be! I'm not sure exactly what it will look like, because who can fathom the ways God uses to teach? But my hope is that we will sit in the stillness to hear His voice, we will study Scripture in-depth, and we will pray and learn together as a couple more about God, Who made us and wrote our story. I hope we serve Him well in whatever capacity He gives us - in vocation, in church ministry, and with our everyday lives.

* Finding our rhythm. Just like everyone else, life since the pandemic (and even before that, really) has felt a bit disjointed. We've had a lot of moves and changes and newness in our lives since 2018, actually. As I look back over those seasons, I'm grateful for all we were able to do to plod forward in hard times, but I am in great hope that the decade ahead helps us find our rhythm again. We've explored many things. We're both ready for some settling. We've spent a lot of time keeping up with the expectations we've perceived from others, and while we certainly want to be available to others and serve them well, I also hope we can find (even more) the places God has for US, so we can serve there well, regardless of others' expectations!

* Dating and celebrating! I feel like we did this very well in the first decade, and I don't think we have any intention of giving it up! Celebrating our milestones, going on dates, and investing in one another in the ways that drew us together in the beginning...these all matter. May we continue to realize the responsibility of nurturing this relationship and do so with great joy and celebration!

* Following the Lord wherever He leads. As much as we both crave finding rhythm and regularity after so many changes, I know we also are both committed to being available to follow the Lord wherever He leads. If He leads us to stay right here and do what we're doing in this very moment, I say HOORAY! But if He calls us to anything else in life, vocation, or ministry, I say HOORAY! We just want to be obedient! 

* Seeing new things. I'd personally love to complete our 92 County tour project. It took us almost a decade to get a third of the way through it, but I think if we can get back on a schedule, we can do it! (And, of course, barring further pandemics.) I also hope we can see many wonderful destinations that we haven't made it to yet. (I'd also love to retry a couple of travel-fails from the first decade.) This is one of our favorite parts of marriage, and I hope we can enjoy it more and more!

* Simplifying. In our first decade of marriage, we helped sort through a million (not joking) things after Ryan's mom and Allen passed away. It was a valuable lesson for us in being conscious of what we have, what we need, and what we can live without. Our multiple moves have helped us simplify some, but I want to be even more intentional about making sure everything we own tells part of our story and eliminating the excess.

* Seeing dreams come true. We dreamed so many dreams in our first decade. We have been thrilled to see some of them come true in most unexpected ways. I'm crazy enough to believe God can make that happen more and more in the second decade. I have no idea which ones He'll pick or how they'll look, but I'm counting on Him to make it amazing!

I am genuinely giddy about a second decade of marriage. The joy and excitement I felt in my heart leading up to our wedding day is still there. I am SO excited for what's to come!