Those who have imperfect wives love more than those who have perfect wives

I deeply believe God gave me Phill to remind me of His love and grace daily. Phill is not a perfect husband at all yet I have been amazed by his persistent love and grace towards me. I knew he loved me, but I am discovering more than ever the ways he loves me, as if I had only known the "tip of the iceberg" before we were married. The more grace Phill pours out on me, and the more love he gives me, the more I want to give back to him.

Just yesterday, I looked at myself (I literally imagined to be someone else looking at myself) and thought, "Man, I am a big mess. I have a terrible attitude, I am rude, I am mean, I am stubborn, and I am disorganzied." Then, just before I got fearful, depressed, and discouraged, my husband came to my mind. "Well, if I am such a big mess, Phill should have yelled at me, tried to divorce me, mocked me or something a while ago now... but I have never ever heard anything but affirmation, praises, and love from him...." And that's when this dawned on me. Those who have imperfect wives love more than those who have perfect wives! Phill loves me with a supernatural love that never dies!

On the day we first agreed to court each other towards marriage, he said to me, (and this is in front of a Dairy Queen in Miami) I promise to show you more of God in this relationship. My heart melted like ice cream and I wanted to marry this man knowing that I was willing to submit to him just as he had submitted himself to Christ. The more imperfect I am, the more I know he loves me. For when I fall short in being a mommy, a wife, a follower of Christ, or a friend, he is always here to pray with me and for me, love me, speak life unto me, encourage me, make me laugh, and hear me cry. Not that I will fall short more just to get more of his love, but that I will also love him back. The way Phill loves me, makes me want to love him more, pray for him more, love his children more, take care of this home more, and be a more Christ centered wife each day! I want to trust him, submit to him, serve him, and yet challenge him, stretch him, and "intense fellowship" (fight with a point) with him.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because [God] first loved us." 1John4:18-19

Heavenly Father, You are the perfect love that drives us to love each other with sacrifice, selflessness, affirmation, and till eternity. Continue to pour Your love into us so we may overflow and in turn pour Your love to everyone around us. I pray that You will continue to mature us in our faith, teach us to season our words with grace and sprinkle them with love, and have mercy on our children and children's children. Help us to be Christ centered spouses, parents, and friends. AMEN.