Marriage Insight: Inspirational Marriages - Grow and Have One

We have been thinking a LOT about inspirational marriages that we have seen over the course of our lives. Sadly, we have seen more bad and “just okay” marriages than inspirational ones, but they ARE out there. Just look around. You can find them, just as we have. You can also grow one, just as these couples have, and we are doing. 

We’re thinking of Victor and Bernice Callaway. Something Bernice wrote got us to thinking of this subject many years ago. Her son Phil asked her to “give 5 good reasons you’re (his parents) still together.” One of the “reasons” she wrote inspired us all the more to keep growing our marriage. She wrote: "When we were married, we hardly knew about divorce. I guess everyone at our wedding, including us, fully expected the knot to stay tied. We watched their marriages. We had seen their faithfulness. And we would stay faithful too. We realize you won’t have that advantage. Some of your closest friends may pack it in. But no matter how dark the road gets, you will find examples of faithfulness. And when you can’t find examples, you can still BE ONE."

That statement has inspired us. We looked around and we did find examples of inspirational marriages. We’re not talking about “perfect” marriages (there aren’t any of those because no 2 people are perfect). Instead, we’re talking about marriages of couples that have good marriages, despite going through some really tough times. Some go through worse times than others, but they grow their marriages to be the best they can be. One of these is Steve & Barbara Uhlmann. 

They are a married couple that has truly inspired us. We recently had the privilege of attending their 50th wedding anniversary. And what an inspiring time we had! They had several hundred of their close friends and family members celebrating with them. Their grown children, along with their spouses, several of their grandchildren, and friends stood up testifying of the positive things they have learned through Steve and Barbara’s relationship. They talked of their home as being one where “gentleness” was on display. It is a home of “grace, & love in action being lived out.” Many talked about how they are so “others-minded and continually served others” and how they have “loved each other well.” This has been a great example to all who know them.

Their “generosity” and “honesty” was emphasized, along with their “immense love” and “humility.” One of their daughters said, “I value your marriage. And after 50 years, I see how you love each other like newlyweds. I see the depth of your love and the ways you show each other affection by holding hands, and looking into each other’s eyes. You show the beauty of loving someone else.”

One daughter read the poem, “Sermons We See” (written by Edgar Guest). Here is a portion of that poem (with the rest given within this Insight on our web site at www.marriagemissions.com): "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear. Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear." The poem continues, "...When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind. When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind, just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me, to become as big & thoughtful as I know that friend to be. And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today, is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way." The Uhlman’s show what a great “guide” a spouse can be!

And that is the point we are trying to make here. Whether you have a spouse who will grow with you or not, God wants you to be a living example of His love and principles on display. As we’re told in 2 Corinthians 3: "You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone. It is clear that you are a letter from Christ..." And that is what we pray for you. We pray it is clear by that the way you live within your marriage, that you are "a letter from Christ."

May it be so ~ Cindy and Steve Wright