FEATURE: BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES
Setting
Priorities
By Bruce Ewing
When I saw my bride walking down the aisle
towards me, the first thought that came to my
mind was not how beautiful she was, but Lord,
how am I going to support her? I had no money!
I had just finish college and would graduate that
night, right after our marriage ceremony. Here
she comes Lord, how am I going to take care
of her?’ The Lord spoke to my heart, “Who has
taken care of you, your entire life? If I can take
care of you, I can certainly take care of both of
you. I smiled, and when my eyes cleared, I saw
the most beautiful bride coming towards me.
The Lord was true to his word. After the wedding
ceremony and graduation from South Eastern
College in Lakeland, Florida, my parents drove
us four hundred fifty miles to my hometown,
Milton, Florida. The next week, my uncle
traveled from Cincinnati, Ohio to Milton to drive
my bride and me to Payne Theological Seminary
in Wilberforce, Ohio. We spent three years
getting me through Seminary before entering
the United States Air Force as a Chaplain. During
the time of traveling and getting to know each
other as husband and wife, we learned that the
ultimate priority of marriage was to Let the Lord
build our house. Psalm 127:1-2 declares, “Unless
the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in
vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the
guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early
and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he
grants sleep to those he loves.”
Marriage, especially today, has many challenges.
Without God, those challenges become
insurmountable. With God, all things are
possible. Building a good marriage is to ensure
that Jesus Christ is your Savior; it is imperative
to be equally yoked together with a spouse who
loves the Lord. Valerie and I have been married
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