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Tethered to Christ by Peg Major
 Last November, my husband and I celebrated twenty five years of married life together. Being married has been a mixed blessing considering that my beloved and I are, at this time, spiritually mismatched. I have found this to be a very difficult and oftentimes, intense walk of faith. I like you, have felt the deep, searing pain, unrelenting loneliness, and disturbing confusion that this journey brings.
I forget that Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me. I must admit I have also become more aware of my own selfishness and inability to understand this man that God has given to me to love honor and to cherish. Together, we have shared many disappointments, losses and crushing stresses within the last few years, yet we have also experienced many joys, successes and wonderfully blessed times as husband and wife. Still, God is faithful and I am learning in this journey that being yoked to Christ is the only way for me to rise above my fear and frustrations. Jesus teaches us in his word, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" -Matthew 11:29-30.
This verse gives me peace when I find myself in the midst of my struggle. We are called to be ministers, and servants in marriage and in our relationships as followers of Christ. I see places in my own heart where the Lord is busy at work. God desires to transform me.
When I spend sacred time in prayer and worship with Christ, I experience His joy and peace. Especially when I can't see it in the dark distance between my husband and myself. There are places deep within my husband's heart that are hard for me to understand, but I so want to be a beacon of light that might help him to find the way to the harbor of God's love. I have to trust that Christ is at work in my his life and believe that He understands him and can care for him far better than I ever could. I find so much comfort when I read the passage, "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path" - Proverbs 43:5.
I desire the Lord to make me the wife that he wants me to be, so that I can be a helpmate and not a hindrance in my husband's life and in our marriage I can only do this by being obedient to Christ. Some days seem so hard it almost feels as if I can't go on. During the dark days, it's only then that I realize that I have taken my eyes off the cross and placed them on myself and my own selfish needs and desires.
Those are the days that I am deep in the trenches of the battle between the flesh and the spirit. Still, despite falling down much, I am learning to slowly walk with Jesus day by day. I am learning to love as Jesus loves, to see my husband not through my own eyes, but through the eyes of Christ.
When I read and apply 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; I have a road-map for my journey, and it helps me to navigate through the hard passages I travel. Yet, this road is filled with discovery. There are treasures and blessings that I could have never known had I not been led to it through the many challenges in my marriage.
Just as Jesus wants me to follow him, I know that I need help to do this, I cannot do it alone. I must reach out to those around me that can bolster me up when my legs grow weak and my heart is weary. I need sisters in Christ to come along side me to lovingly hold my hands up in praise when I can't seem to find anything praiseworthy and lovely to think about. I need to ask for faith and know that the Lord has me on this path to teach me more and more about who he is.
I am willing to let him have his way in my heart, my life and in my marriage to my beloved husband. This is a journey less traveled by many, because it is the road that Christ has walked. I pray that as you read my story, you will join me on the road and we will walk together tethered to Christ.
· · · · ·  Married for twenty five years to a very hard working man. We have two college aged children; one married daughter, age 24 and one son, age 23. I have been a Christian for 16 years and have been walking a much deeper faith walk as of late. I enjoy gardening, walking, writing, drawing and painting. I run a small Christian based day-care from my home. I love to spend time with my hubby and two dogs-Teddy, a Lhasa Aphso, and Otis, a Shih Tzu. We live in a western suburb of Illinois. Jesus is my Lord! | 
Easter is just around the corner and so is the potential for conflict. As one of the most important celebrations on the Christian calendar, we naturally want our family to celebrate together. 
Father, I praise You for Jesus. He is the Bread of life. I ask that _____________ will see and understand that Jesus is the only hope for salvation. Cause _____________ to know that it is only by receiving Him that a person receives eternal life. I plead that _________________ would surrender to Jesus Christ, receiving Him as his/her personal Lord and Savior.
We had a wonderful time at our booksigning in March. The best part was meeting and making new friends. We are so blessed to by the S.U.M. community and love being a part of your lives. Please know you are always on our hearts and minds, and in our prayers.