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Did you know that hope floats? It really does.

Romans 15:4 says, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us and the Scriptures gives us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

The ESV says it this way, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Hope bubbles to the top when everything else is sinking. God says that His Word was given to us so that we may have hope.

Looking at His heart for our marriages, God’s heart is that our marriage would strive, and God cares about all those little things that we take for granted, including romance. God’s heart for your marriage includes quiet nights away from your kids, moonlit conversations about your hopes and dreams, and a partnership that encompasses every area of your life.

You know what, busy mom? There is no formula. I think that’s important to make that clear up front. I wish more Christian women were talking about how hard it is to stay married in this culture and to raise a family that will love and follow after the Lord Jesus.  I really wish I had a magic formula to give to you. Five steps for a troubled marriage really is just a myth, although it would sell books. But instead of offering you a formula, I want to encourage you to love your husband as God has designed you to love him. Be real about your marriage; the good, the bad, and the fragile.  It’s not bad to be fragile. Part of the blessing of being fragile is that it forces you to fall on your knees and talk to The One who knows exactly what you need.

I should know…I have been there. I’m the mom who watches the school buses drive away and wonder what those other moms do all day. My husband has watched me have total meltdowns, and he has helped remind myself that this homeschool journey that I am on is as much about me as it is about our children.

I want you to know that homeschooling IS hard, marriage is hard, parenting is hard.

Do I ever want to give up? I always tell my husband, only every other Tuesday.

There are two things that keep me going on the days that I want to give up.  The first thing is that I am learning is how absolutely loved I am by the Lord. The second thing is how my husband and I are learning about the eternal investment we are making in our children.

These two elements have been crucial to the success of our marriage, especially where homeschooling is concerned. On the days when I need encouragement, we assess our partnership and vision, then we continually yield our plans to the Lord. It’s part of being one flesh.

Thank God that His mercies really are new every morning. We can find encouragement together as we discover how loved we really are. And how even a busy mom can make time to nurture her marriage.

It’s not as hard as you think, but it’s more important than we may ever realize.