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Celebrating thirty-seven years of marriage this week, the Stache and I sat together today to write and share this with you. I hope its transparency and remembrance of God is an encouragement. But more than that, I hope it stirs memories and recognition of God in your own lives.

Have you ever considered the concept of – ‘But God’ or ‘Except for God?’ Some folks don’t much like to think of it, but it is heavily recorded throughout Scripture and time. Daily, moment to moment interceding His will into my life and yours, God is ever-present and sovereign, whether we acknowledge Him or no.

Except for God

When I first saw this Ghanan symbol representing the concept ‘Except for God’, though previously unfamiliar to me, I knew it would soon become a favorite. It’s one that I hope to have in my home someday as a reminder to live in wonder of God.

Gods presence and interventions are often so clear. His kindness is astounding! Little else builds my faith than looking back and seeing His visible work and preparation in my life. I’d have to say, – no area is more evident than within my marriage.

Persons close to us might quickly point out, that our marriage had the most obvious need for Gods intervention. And they would be painfully correct. But can you even believe it?! This week Stache and I are happily celebrating our thirty-seventh wedding anniversary, together!!

Living life pictured and described across the internet presents an interesting dilemma. As a Titus 2 mentoring blogger, it is imperative that I find a balance of transparency, revealing accurate pictures of my life without dishonoring those actually in it.

With memories of our wedding day freshly filing through my mind, I can’t help but stop in heartfelt worship of a God who sometimes intervenes and continues His good work, even today.

Statistically speaking, in terms of human circumstances and human effort, Stache and I staying together in marriage was a lost cause from the beginning. We started a life together in our way, running headlong into clearly predicted disaster. Except for God…

In and sometimes out of pure wedded bliss, we managed to drag each other through the depths of ‘nothing good’ more times than I can bear to recount. Admittedly, dreams of living a life-long love together were at times completely lost. But God…

God is Merciful and Good

With all sincerity, I have no answer to repeated questions regarding why God miraculously intervenes in one marriage at any given time and not all. There’s no pride in it, nothing specific to us. Only God can answer this someday. The Stache and I are just ordinary folks. Except for God…

There are multiple hundreds of examples of Gods intervening work buried in Scripture. Even there, you’ll find limited rhyme or reason as to what God touches for His glory and what He leaves to itself.

I am absolutely convinced, regardless of why God rescued our marriage, a life of gratefulness is the most honoring and the best way to thank Him. The acknowledgment of current kindnesses between us, enjoying gifts of time together, and snapshot moments of love, – are all shared in honesty and motivated by grateful remebrance of God.

Living a Miracle

Marking thirty-seven years(!) into this marriage with Stache is yet another way to remember God intentionally. We live life in a literal miracle around here. Not that our day to day feels like one, mind you. Oh, no!! We are still this side of heaven after all! But for the fact that our continued marriage IS a miracle to God’s glory, – for that, I am eternally grateful!!

I can’t help but ask, do you have areas of your life that you’ve experienced the concept of ‘Except for God’? Have you experienced the unexplainable and known God’s intervention? I’d love to hear your stories and praise God along with you. Sharing ‘but God’ moments is a great way to build up faith and remember Him!