“I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.” – Isaiah 43:19 (God’s Word Translation)

I am just a few days shy of my 45th birthday.  My wonderful bride and I have been married for over 23 years.  When we met Ariana Grande, Meghan Trainor, Charli XCX, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez had not been born.  How’s that for a long time ago?

We lived through the Bicentennial, the death of Elvis, the Challenger explosion, fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Soviet Union, the first Gulf War, Chernobyl, 9/11 and many other events.   It’s quite a history.

When we first married the first couple of years were difficult.  Don’t get the impression that what you read in these Happier Husband blog posts is the way it’s always been for us.  We had our emotional ups and downs.  There were times early on where we didn’t get along very well.  After we really centered our individual lives and our marriage on the Lord our relationship improved tremendously.  We have been incredibly happy for two decades!  But even during that time there have been events that were not easy.  Finances, jobs, children, family, friends and many other areas can bring joy and sometimes pain.  Yet we persevere.

23 years of marriage and I’m almost 45 years old.

“I am going to do something new…” 

God is leading us on two new paths that are interrelated.  Together we see Him changing our entire future.  Guess what?  At a time when most people would be apprehensively trying to determine if their retirement plans will actually sustain them at age 62 we are starting something BRAND NEW!  You know why?  Two reasons:

1) God gave us a firm call.

2) We decided to never settle.

Read this quote carefully.

“Most men die at 25… we just don’t bury them until they are 70.” – Benjamin Franklin

If we stop growing we start dying.  This applies to our marriages as well.

Never settle, don’t stop growing.  How do you keep growing?  Read books, go to marriage events, listen to podcasts about growing your marriage, pray together.

Have you tried this before and fell into the same rut?  Try again!

“Forget the former things.  Do not dwell on the past.” – Isaiah 43:18

Here is the big one to get things moving again:

Ask God how He wants to change your marriage.  Ask Him for a new mission, a new purpose.

Don’t let your marriage slide into the oblivion of bored apathy.  Let the Lord do something new between you today!

Love you all!

-Troy