In one week from today, on May 27th, we will have been married for 5 years. 5 years! Half a decade! In some ways, the time has flown by. In other ways, it’s hard to remember L.B.M. (life before marriage). Whatever the case, these years have been wonderful, and we highly recommend marriage to those who are still single.
This morning in my devotions I read in Ephesians, and it reminded me of the vows I wrote and then read to Derek on our wedding day. I have found it to be helpful to reread the vows every so often, so that I can keep striving to be and do what I promised, with God’s help, on that day.
Derek, it is an honor and a joy to take you as my husband. I stand in awe of God’s kindness in bringing us together, and I thank Him for the blessing that you are to me. You have become my best friend and the love of my life. I love your compassionate yet uncompromising character. Indeed, “two are better than one” – God has used you to lift me up when I fall, encourage me when I am discouraged, correct me when I am wrong, and point me to Christ when I get distracted.
On this day, in the presence of God, you, and these people, I solemnly and joyfully enter into a marriage covenant with you alone. With God’s help, I promise to be a faithful wife to you and to respect, submit to, and love you in my speech, actions, and attitude. I will seek to walk in a manner worthy of Christ’s calling, with humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with you in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in our marriage and to fill our home with the aroma of Christ. As long as God gives us breath, I am committed to you, even through times of sickness and health, adversity and prosperity, and in good times and bad. I also promise to support you in prayer as you lead me and to submit to you in everything as I submit to Christ. May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates us. I love you so much, Derek, and I am delighted to become your wife on this day.
Derek and Kristin Dearth 