Built Over Time

This week, my husband and I spent a few days at our favorite little lake house to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary. It wasn’t something we’d planned months in advance, but thankfully it happened to be available, and we were able to slip away for some much-needed time together.

As we sat on the porch watching the boats drift by and the sun set over the water, I found myself reflecting on the life we’ve built together.

We started dating when we were both just 16 years old, so yes—we were high school sweethearts (1983). Looking back over nearly four decades of marriage, I can honestly say it hasn’t always been easy. Like every marriage, we’ve had wonderful seasons and seasons that tested us. If I’m completely honest, it’s taken a lot of work. But as I look back now, I’m so thankful we chose to stay.

We’ve shared so much life together that no one else could fully understand because they simply weren’t there. We’ve celebrated victories, weathered disappointments, raised a family, laughed until we cried, and cried until we laughed again. Even when we’re walking through difficult situations involving other family relationships today, we understand each other without having to explain every detail, because we’ve lived those moments side by side.

It made me think about how often our world encourages us to look for the next best thing. If something gets difficult, we’re tempted to believe there must be an easier path somewhere else. But some of life’s greatest treasures aren’t found by starting over, they’re discovered by staying faithful.

The same is true in our walk with God.

There are seasons when His plans don’t make sense, our ​prayers seem unanswered​, or we wonder if He’s still working. Yet Scripture reminds us over and over to remain steadfast, to persevere, and to trust Him even when we can’t see the whole picture.

Faithfulness rarely makes headlines. It’s usually found in the ordinary, everyday decisions to keep showing up, to keep loving, to keep forgiving, to keep trusting, and to keep believing that God is doing something beautiful beneath the surface.

Thirty-nine years later, I’m grateful not because everything was perfect, but because God has been faithful through every imperfect season.

Maybe that’s exactly what someone reading this needs to hear today. Don’t underestimate what God can build over time when we faithfully place one foot in front of the other and trust Him with the journey.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

July 26, 2026 Morning Brew