Still Standing, Still Building

I remember when my husband and I first got married 11 years ago. We moved into our home with just a few essentials. We had a bed, a fridge and a washer and dryer and a stove that sat unconnected in the middle of the kitchen.

There was no couch, no breakfast stools and no table. It wasn’t picture-perfect, but it was ours. We had each other. We had love and we had God.

Looking back now, I see that what started small didn’t stay that way. Over time, we made that house a home with one memory, one moment, one piece at a time.

Marriage has seasons like that. Some years are full and others feel like you’re working with the bare minimum. Even in the years where things didn’t go the way we planned, God was still building something beautiful.

Maybe this year tested your marriage.
Maybe it stretched you in ways you didn’t see coming.
Maybe you're finishing the year tired, unsure, or feeling behind.

But sis, you’re still here. You’re still standing and that matters more than you know.

Don’t despise where you are now. God has brought you far and this is still just the beginning.

Scripture Reflection

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~  Philippians 1:6 NIV

Heart Truths

Marriage is not measured by perfection, it’s measured by perseverance.

This year may not have looked the way you imagined.
There may have been miscommunication, unmet expectations, or moments where you wondered, “How did we get here?”

But every couple has chapters that feel harder to turn. What matters is that you're turning them together.

God doesn’t just celebrate the perfect marriages. He celebrates the faithful ones, the ones that keep showing up, the ones that pray through tension and the ones that say “we’re not giving up here.”

You may feel like this year wore your love thin, but God is still in the story. He’s still breathing life into what looks fragile and he specializes in strengthening what’s surrendered to Him.

Finishing well doesn’t mean finishing flawless. It means choosing to love again. Choosing to forgive. Choosing to say this is hard, but we’re still here. Sometimes still standing is the miracle.

Loving Well In Action

Let’s get real and practical. Here are three intentional ways to finish well in your marriage this year:

1.     Reflect on the Progress, Not Just the Problems
Look back at the things you overcame together. The prayers you whispered. The laughs you shared. Write them down. Thank God for growth even if it came through pressure.

2.     Choose One Way to Love Intentionally This Week
Leave a love note. Say thank you. Offer an apology. Hold hands. Make space for connection even if it’s 15 minutes after the kids are in bed.

3.     Speak a New Declaration Over Your Marriage
Don’t let last season define your next one. Speak life over your home: "We are still becoming. We are still building. We are not done."

Finish the Year With Intention

As the year draws to a close, so many things will compete for your attention. There will be gifts to wrap, events to attend, meals to prepare, and to-do lists that never seem to end, but do not let your marriage get lost in the shuffle.

Do not just finish strong in your work or your parenting. Finish strong in your love.

You still have time to slow down.
You still have time to reach for each other.
You still have time to end this year holding hands.

You still have time to finish well together.

Join the Challenge

Love Notes Challenge

PS. Tag @lovewell.xo and share your #LoveNoteMoments so we can keep encouraging one another to love well. 💗

Let's stay connected and love well together.
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