Hello from Greece! The Roats Celebrate Their 31st Anniversary
Today Leon and I are in Greece celebrating our anniversary. What began as a simple conversation between two strangers in Ecuador has resulted in thirty-one years of deep love and growth and ridiculousness and laughter. He and I love Greece, and we’ve come to this nation several times to celebrate each other and what God has done for us as a family.
On our first trip to Athens a few years ago, Leon and I got lost and ended up on the Areopagus, the rocky hill where the apostle Paul gave his famous speech about the “unknown god.”
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:22–23 ESV)
When Leon and I walked up, a church had just finished a worship service. We were struck by the presence of God we could feel on the hill. We encountered Him in a special way that day and felt like the Holy Spirit gave us a mission: to pray for marriages and to let people know how good, healthy marriages can bring the love of Jesus to a world that desperately needs Him.
Many look at marriage simply as a legal agreement between two people who love one another, but it’s so much more. A committed, covenantal, godly marriage, with Jesus at its center, has the power to change society and even go on to influence the world. This union between three people—you, your spouse, and Jesus—is bigger than just “a marriage,” according to the traditional understanding.
Paul was called to take the message of Jesus all over the world. Many married couples have the same calling—to proclaim the gospel and God’s love through their marriages. Marriage is a bigger deal than most people realize.
He Loves Through Us
Leon and I have visited the Areopagus three or four times, on several trips, and every time we’ve gone, the peace of God just gets ahold of our hearts. It’s a sweet place for us—especially now, because we’ve been praying for singles and married couples for years. Marriage is really the reflection of God in our hearts and lives as He loves through us.
On this trip, God’s peace once again overcame our souls as we walked the hill. Leon and I prayed together, and we thanked God for His goodness in our marriage. Thirty-one years of His blessing, His love, and His favor. Honestly, I can’t even count all the blessings we’ve experienced in our marriage. Yes, we’ve had hard times and difficult circumstances, but God has always been there to help us emerge on the other side stronger than before.
A Healthy Marriage Offers Hope for a Better Future
I believe this is a time for married couples and singles who feel called to marriage to be mindful of what marriage is about:
Relationship with God, both individually and as a couple;
Walking in His blessing;
Being one with God and each other; and
Embracing a foundational role in society.
Many of the problems we see in society could completely shift—if marriages were healthy. The point of marriage is to glorify God and to change the evil we see in the world. That change often starts with a healthy marriage, which in turn starts with healthy individuals.
Let’s heed His call to fight for health in our spiritual and emotional lives, to overcome the world, and to model what a good and healthy marriage is to others, so He will be revealed more and more through our relationships.
The Assurance of His Pleasure
There really are no words to describe how thankful I am that God is a part of my covenant with Leon. He knew what He was doing with us, and He put people in our lives who pray for us, bless us, and coach us, giving us communication tools, which is super important in a marriage.
It is a beautiful thing to know that God is pleased with Leon and me—and you can have the same assurance with your relationship as well.
Don’t be afraid to trust Him with your marriage. He will be with you every step of the way. One day you’ll be able to look back, just like Leon and I do, and know the sweetness of His work in our marriage—year after year after year.
Here’s to another thirty-one years, honey.
Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! Other articles from Salomé Roat and Becoming the One:
For more information on sex, marriage, and finding the person who is right for you, get a copy of Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.