To Have and To Hold

I remember my wedding day perfectly.  So full of expectation and promise.

Our marriage got off to a rocky start.  I knew that my husband-to-be was the one, even though we had only dated 3 months before he proposed.  My parents hated him.  Therefore, they refused to support or help with our wedding.  I laugh when I see the wedding statistics on TV......we spent less than $500 total on our wedding.  I had a beautiful dress ($100 on clearance at the bridal boutique), my soon to be sister in law was my maid of honor and her dress cost $25 (also on clearance at the bridal boutique).  A flower girl dress that matched perfectly was found at a resale shop and 3 tuxedos were rented ($50 a piece).  $50 for a simple cake, a few dollars for serving silverware and toasting glasses. Norman's aunt did my flowers.  I had wrote every single wedding invitation and we didn't have a dinner or dance.  We were married on a beautiful 60 degree January day 3 months after Norman proposed. 

Once our wedding was over, I breathed a sigh of relief.  There.  It was over.  No more dealing with my angry parents, trying to iron out the details of a wedding at 18 alone.  No more hoping, wishing, planning and praying.  We were married and could start our lives together.

I wish it had been that easy.  My husband had ongoing medical problems that ended up with a visit to a heart specialist and heart cath in Springfield.  He lost his job due to missing work while hospitalized.  We lived with his mother (now that I am older and wiser I can say she was a saint for tolerating me!).  We argued, we fought and there were some days I wondered if we would ever make it.

The next few years were much of the same, except we added a beautiful baby boy to the mix.  We would go for months without any problems at all and then BAM, we would seem to have way more than our fair share of problems.  I am ashamed to say that our marriage was on the brink of destruction and most of it was probably due to my poor attitude.

I began studying biblical womanhood, and God's design for marriage.  I prayed, a lot.  God changed me.  I am by no means perfect, but it always warms my heart when I hear my wonderful husband say, "We don't every really fight."  We do disagree occassionally but are wise enough now to work it out.  Patience is a virtue in marriage :) 

Anyway, I say all this to introduce you to Lorrie Flem's marriage bundle, To Have and To Hold.

This bundle contains:

Audios

• 5R's Session 2 - Rekindle
• One Life to Live, One Man to Love

• E-Books
  • Loving Your Knight in Shining Armor Even When He Doesn't Shine
  • Roadmap to a Marvelous Marriage
  • Marriage Tidbits to Treasure
  • Quotes Not Quibbles
  • Marriage Report

• E-Booklet
  • 31 Daily Biblical Prayers for Wives to Pray for Their Husbands
  • Encouragement Report
  • Don't Settle 
  • SHIMLY
  • What God Says about Marriage
  • 75 Inexpensive Romantic Rut
  • It Happened One Afternoon

• Magazine Back Issues
  • 2001 Summer Issue TEACH Magazine "Loving Your Husband"
  • 2009 Spring Issue TEACH Magazine "Marriages Made Marvelous"

This is a $100 value and can be purchased from Eternal Encouragement starting at $39.95.


I wish that I had this 16 years ago!  I suppose this is the information that was passed from mother to daughter 100 years ago, but since that is very rarely the case now, I am so glad that Lorrie was willing to come alongside so many of us and show us the way marriage really should (and CAN) be!


And if you STILL haven't ordered your subscription to Eternal Encouragement Magazine, you will notice that there are 2 back issues of TEACH included in your bundle price.  Even being married so many years (LOL) I learned so many things about my attitude and they way I could be handling things that I hadn't thought of before. 


Remember the only person you can change in your marriage is YOU!  Sometimes that is all it takes.  Stop by http://www.eternalencouragement.com/ for more information.  If you want to hear more, head on over to Gabby Moms to see what other wives have to say as well.


***I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review from Gabby Moms and Eternal Encouragement Magazine.***