“Oh, I can’t wait for you to get here,” I said over and over to Bob, my husband of 34 years. Since I resigned from my seven-year Minister of Christian Education church staff position a few months ago, I have been working an out-of-town temporary corporate position while Bob works from home. Bob and I got intentional in planning our weekends so that our time together could be better in quality even though less in quantity. Bob and I talk and text often during the weekdays, and look forward to videos of record snowfalls, our cocker spaniel’s new haircut, home projects, etc. We meet most weekends outside of Nashville, Tennessee, at our daughter and son-in-law’s home, and play with our six-year-old grandson while they go on Saturday night dates. We all go to church together on Sunday mornings, and then enjoy a family meal. Bob and I have our own date time on Sunday afternoons before we drive back to our respective cities. I don’t often get to see our adult son, Josh, but do enjoy talking and texting with him every day or so. Many years ago, I could not stand being apart from my husband for more than eight days, but for now, Bob and I are comfortable. God has made it very clear that He is taking care of us as a couple, no matter the distance between us right now, and we look to Him for His guidance and the peace that comes from that.

It wasn’t until about 15 years ago that I learned to put God first in my life, even though I had been a Christian for many years. I had gone to church, read the Word, prayed, and taught Sunday School, but I really missed the mark by putting my children before my husband, and my husband before my Lord. My life radically changed once I realized how spiritually dysfunctional I had been living, and actively took steps to change. I began to spend time with ladies that loved Jesus in a demonstrative way that I had not yet experienced. One morning was very special when we gathered and took turns calling out the names of Jesus, such as Beautiful One, my Bridegroom, the Lamb of God, my Redeemer, my Teacher, and many more. The Holy Spirit’s presence fell on that room like I had never experienced to that point, and the love that flowed between us was none other than our shared love for Jesus in and through the Holy Spirit.

I now talk to Jesus in an entirely different way than I did years ago. I tell Him how much He means to me, and how much I love Him. I thank Him for simple things that happen in my life, knowing that He cares for me. I thank Him for the complex things He’s done to show His love for me (and you) by dealing with worldly sin and spiritual oppression. I tell Him how much God’s forgiveness and mercy means to me. And, most importantly, I thank Him for giving His life for me (and you) on the cross and for assuring my eternal life in Heaven with His defeat over the grave. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like without Him, the Lover of my soul.

Author: Sandy McCutcheon