A View From the Mountains

A few years ago I found myself writing a marriage article from a lovely home up in the Great Smoky mountains.  The view was absolutely stunning!  The mountains were covered with their beautiful fall blanket of yellow, red and orange.  The air was cool and crisp.  The blue sky was dotted with floating, white, puffy clouds.  The wind was fresh and playing its autumn music through the trees.  I was feeling peaceful and content. 

But… the drive to the place of refuge was rough!  We were traveling at night on the dark mountain roads.  It was raining, so it was extra difficult to navigate on the narrow, leave-covered roadways.  We had to keep our eyes on the reflector strips in the middle of the road and drive cautiously.  We were not feeling peaceful or content on that treacherous drive. I was completely carsick and with each twisting turn I felt more and more sick.  It felt like torture to look at the curvy, snaking line on the GPS that said we had 40 more miles to go! At one point I was asking myself, “Is this worth it?”

Sometimes in rough seasons in our marriages we may ask ourselves, “Is this worth it?” It may be dark and rainy.  There are twists and turns that are dangerous. We have to navigate carefully. Our problems may make us feel hopeless.  But, I want to encourage you today to not give up the fight for your marriage.  Reach out to ask for help.  Look for resources to strengthen your marriage.  You are not alone!  Remember, that sometimes we have to go through the hard things to get to the delightful places in our marriages.  The view from the mountain top is definitely worth it!

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  Psalm 121:1-2