Not a Fight

Today I celebrate 4 years of marriage to my husband. I can't say that these have been 4 perfectly, wonderful years. Honestly, they have been the hardest years of my life. We have gone through a lot of dark places. We have faced the death of a parent and a grandparent. We have had 2 incredibly sleep-deprived, stressful years since our daughter was born. We have fought the dark and scary places that resulted from postpartum depression. We have struggled with the physical pain and emotional ups and downs of this second pregnancy. We have stressed about living arrangements, finances and parenting. 

I wish I could say that I believe the hard times are behind us but I can't. Real life is hard. Following Christ is hard. And seeking to put him as the center of your marriage is really hard. 

I'm reminded of a song by Warren Barfield, "Not a fight." In the song he compares marriage to a house that we enter into and commit to never leave. Trials will certainly come and the house will be hit with hurricane force winds. The house (marriage) is our safety from the storms of life. It is our peace and security. "And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door. No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for." 

I choose to lock the door behind me and throw away the key. I choose to be intentional in loving my husband and my family. I choose to trust that God's hand is on our marriage - guarding and protecting us. I choose to fight. 

"Not a fight"

 by Warren Barfield

Love is not a place

To come and go as we please

It's a house we enter in

Then commit to never leave

So lock the door behind you

Throw away the key

We'll work it out together

Let it bring us to our knees

Chorus:

Love is a shelter in a raging storm

Love is peace in the middle of a war

And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door

No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word

That they can fall into

But when they're falling out

Keeping that word is hard to do

Chorus:

Love is a shelter in a raging storm

Love is peace in the middle of a war

And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door

No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

Love will come to save us

If we'll only call

He will ask nothing from us

But demand we give our all

Chorus:

Love is a shelter in a raging storm

Love is peace in the middle of a war

And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door

No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

I will fight for you

Would you fight for me?

It's worth fighting for