Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Fifty Years of God's Faithfulness

Jeremiah 9:24 says, "But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things." HCSB

Today I would like to "boast in the LORD", for His faithfulness in our lives as Stan and I celebrated our 50th Wedding anniversary on July 1st. He has shown us His "faithful love" in so many countless ways over these years. His provision, His grace and blessing, His protection, His guidance as we have walked this journey one day at a time. The week before we were married, I asked my mother, "What if we change after we are married?", having heard people say that they had changed and their marriage dissolved. Her answer to me was that you "just do one day at a time, and trust in the Lord to keep the commitment you've made." So here we are, fifty years later, still looking to the Lord, one day at a time. We've changed; God has changed us and grown us, stretched us and continues teaching us many new things about His "steadfast love", enabling us to serve in various ministries over these years, being blessed. "And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work." 2 Cor. 9:8

We are blessed by God's gift of our wonderful family. Each of our children and their spouses are so special to us, and our grandchildren continue to grow in the Lord as they mature physically. It's a delight to see them as they move through their teen years, making decisions that are the fruit of what their parents are building into their lives day by day. We are so blessed!!!! We see the faithfulness of God's "abiding love".

While our married life has been generally uneventful, there have been a few times when God's mercy brought us through and in His "everlasting love" we were spared. A health issue when our younger son was an infant caused me to say, "If there is someone better to raise my children, Lord, so be it." Praise God, after five years of tracking there was no progression of the situation. Another time of God's amazing protection on us was in 1984, when our Suburban and trailer rolled and were totaled while driving in Florida on vacation. In the midst of the wreckage, as we were spared any broken bones and stitches, I could say, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us" (1 Thess. 5:18). God was not finished with us yet!!!!

These past sixteen years here at America's Keswick have continued to be proof of God's blessing and faithfulness in our lives, as He has allowed us to be a part of the ministry. We continue to see His "faithful love", His "steadfast love", His "abiding love", His "everlasting love" at work in our lives on a daily basis and are privileged and blessed.

To the "praise of His glory", I am so grateful for the evidence God's faithfulness continually in our lives these 50 years. We find it so hard to believe!!! It's been a great and wonderful journey!!! Thank You, Lord!

"Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." 1 Corinthians 8:6 NIV

DeEtta Marsh

DeEtta Marsh is presently serving as Women's Ministry Assistant P/T, and with her husband, Stan, as Coordinators for Families For Christ ministry to Colony of Mercy residents and wives, and Colony Graduate Couples. Serving the Lord on Staff at America's KESWICK since summer, 1995. Wife, mother, teacher, grandmother of 8.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:10-12
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water." James 3:10-12

No comments: