This week Leon and I are celebrating our thirty-third wedding anniversary. We have been together longer than we ever lived apart. Every time God brings two people together in marriage, He speaks to them and shows them aspects of His beautiful truth, and I would say the greatest revelation God has given Leon and me as a couple is that husbands and wives who are centered in His love and presence will change the world to what He intends it to be.

That is a really important thing to remember right now, when it seems like we live in one of the darkest hours in the world’s history. What does God want the world to be like? When we sit with the Holy Spirit and ask that question, what does He tell our hearts?  

We don’t have to just accept the darkness. God has told us how to bring change. The answer is found in His love and His presence—and in couples who are completely surrendered to Him. That may not be the only answer to what’s happening in the world, but it is a strong answer!

Every time a husband and wife surrender completely to Jesus and choose to cooperate with His greatest plan—to help humans become more like Him—they set out on an amazing, wonderful adventure together. That adventure probably won’t look exactly the way they planned, because our loving heavenly Father is beyond all we could ask for or hope for, but they will shine His light in a world filled with darkness.

The first step in shining His bright light is deciding that His will is more important than ours. This can look like different things, but this needs to be the general attitude of our heart: “Jesus, I want You and Your desires for me. What do You think is important? I want my heart to look like Your heart.”

When two people with that heart come together in marriage, amazing things can happen—a world can change.

The Beauty of Unity

One of the beautiful things God is teaching Leon and me is the unity and oneness in Jesus that we can experience as a couple.

That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:21 NIV)

Shortly before He gave His life for us, Jesus prayed that we would be one with each other just as He and the Father are one. That incredible reality is possible for marriage. Whenever Leon and I stand together as one in Jesus, we fulfill His prayer from John 17. God’s desire is for couples to witness to the world and show them what He looks like.

“Do you see how much He loves us? He loves you too! You can have a relationship with Him just like we do.”

Every married couple has this wonderful calling to be a witness of the unity of Jesus. Letting the world know that the Father sent Jesus as our Savior and that they are loved with the same love He has for Jesus—that is one of the greatest blessings I can think of.

In the last few years, Leon and I have had to learn even more what the unity of Jesus truly means. Many couples can tell you that it’s not always easy to keep this unity. We all go through changes, vulnerable times, and growing pains, no matter how young or old we are. From the very moment we get married until the day “death does us part,” we keep on learning and becoming more like Jesus.  

There are times when unity seems more challenging, but through the unity of Jesus, you will find the breakthrough and victory you hope for.  

The Beauty of Choosing Jesus

Choosing Jesus above all else starts when you’re single. It continues as you get married, and it is fulfilled as you see transformation—in yourself, in your spouse, and in the people around you.

As we celebrate our anniversary, Leon and I are so thankful to our loving God for having chosen us to be His children, for filling us with His Spirit, and for the hope, joy, and struggles that make us stronger and bring us closer to Him. We are thankful for His grace, His mercy, and His favor that are constant in our lives. You don’t ever need to be afraid of running out of His blessings—Leon and I know this is true!

We pray that all of you will be abundantly blessed with marriages filled with the unity and oneness of His Spirit and the tender love of our Savior. We pray that every person called to be married would fully understand the purpose of marriage and be equipped to have a powerful, loving—and fun—union with their spouse.

May His goodness, mercy, and love follow you all the days of your life, and may you dwell in His presence always.

Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! For more about His amazing, unending love, check out Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.