Seven Promises from Your Husband: #7

"I am committed to be your friend encouraging, supporting, and staying close for the rest of our lives together."

The dictionary defines friend as like this: Friend (friend) noun.
1. A person whom one knows, likes and trusts.
2. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; comrade.
3. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group.
4. An acquaintance.

Hopefully Webster won’t mind but I would like to add one more to the list,
ready for this?

5. A fuel source.

Say what? You see, to me friendship is the fuel for the fire of one’s love, the combustible agent that gives spark to ignite one’s passion for covenant relationship. The best friend status I enjoy with my wife has been with us through some difficult times with many victorious results. It is has kept us close, enabled us to want to continue on, and given grace to help one understand the other.

Six years ago we went through probably the darkest time our marriage ever has faced. In April and September of 1996 my wife miscarried and we lost two babies. It was like someone took a sledgehammer to our hearts…everyday…for months. The emotional storm that followed ripped away perspective for a while but one of the strengths that helped us through it all was our friendship. When my bride encountered a cold snap of disappointment, I would throw a log of encouragement on the fire and stoke up her faith. When I was racked with feelings of loss my wife would place on a log of comfort and embers of relief would flame up. Our friendship, strengthen by the Father’s hand, helped us to grieve and to heal. That is why I am committed to guard that friendship, to make sure that my wife understands and knows that she is my best friend. Friendship fuel keeps us going.

Along with the great love I feel towards my wife, I also like her, I like the person she is. When I convey this to her, along with my commitment of love, I am making a bonfire of trust piled high. This “bestfriendness”, this fuel source, will help us finish our race together as man and wife and ignite the seeds of friendship in our children’s lives. This is one fire you can stand close to for a long time to come.

Blessings,
Jay

“Friendship that flows from the heart cannot be frozen by adversity, as the water that flows from the spring cannot congeal in winter.”
James Fenimore Cooper

Viewed 685 times

© 2008 Jay Cookingham - All rights reserved.
Jay Cookingham recently published two articles for the God's Way series. You can visit his home page at http://Jaycookingham.com

This column is used with permission.