A Labor of Love

9/29/2013 09:07:00 AM sendtheroths 1 Comments

The old adage says, "birds of a feather, flock together!" Rarely do a husband and wife work in the same domain or sector and even more rare are a couple in full-time business together. Yes, there are family businesses but those are not as common anymore either. 

Amethyst and I met on the mission field. It was not love at first sight at all! It took a long time for me to fall in love with Amethyst. Not that she wasn't an awesome, amazing, adventurous woman wishing to go to the far reaching, neglected countries of the world... but I said to her, "know that when we get married I will fall in love with you more and more day by day." Although it was strange to her, it was hard for me to love someone before being married to them.

When we got married and launched the ministry in Congo what I said came true. Not a day goes by where I don't fall more in love with her. We're two love birds doing the same profession together, trying to learn how to love like Christ. In fact, anyone who's around us long enough knows that I call Amethyst "Love" and she calls me "Dove" so together we are "Love Dove."   

I am glad we are in the same nest together. I would have it no other way.

It can be lonely on the mission field both as individuals and as a married couple. Sometimes, we don't have much to talk about other than work because it is such a big part of our lives. It's not that uncommon for us to sit there together with nothing to say, not because there really isn't much to say but because we need a break from work.

Despite our silence, we are intentional about having time together. It takes a labor of love to hold everything together: our marriage, our ministry, everything! 

Amethyst showing love and encouragement to the "unlovables" former child soldiers on our property in Masisi

Out of the public view, it is a daily struggle to love each other and to love others selflessly like Christ. We have to be intentional and if we aren't, things can't and won't go well. If I miss being intentional with Amethyst to love her the way that she needs to be loved and cared for, it doesn't matter whether or not 100 people come to Christ or I save 100 kids from entering the rebel militia...

If I save the world but don't preserve my marriage, to be very honest: It's all worthless. My first ministry is to my wife and family. The greatest sacrifice of love is to deeply love the one closest to me.

Pray for supernatural love through the Holy Spirit to be present in our marriage and ministry. Otherwise, we are just another couple in the "family business," living in a foreign land, helplessly trying to reach the helpless, and in the end we'll have nothing to show for our "sacrifice."