Tuesdays are when I swing open the doors to this little space and invite everyone to link up their “Behind the Scenes” stories. We choose a photo (taken today, yesterday, 20 years ago) and tell the story outside the frame. The bits of life and memory that get left out when we edit and filter before sharing online. So grab a photo, put on your storyteller hat, and join us! You can read a little more about it here.
It’s been over thirteen years since we first started dating. Over 7 years of marriage. More than a decade of being together, going through life as a team, ready to tackle whatever comes next. If I’m honest, this man? He’s the reason I can dream big God-sized dreams. My husband, my best friend, the one who makes me laugh when I just want to be mad and who has decided that his dream? It’s to do whatever he needs to so that I can have the freedom to chase what God has planned for me.
It’s overwhelming, that kind of love. To have someone who believes in you so completely. Especially when God reveals that you, the one who builds community, has so often neglected it in her own home. Putting others and jobs and email and social media first when the community here? It is deserving of as much – if not much more – of my attention.
This man? He has been there, behind the scenes, holding my hand, praying over me, and cheering me on. When I fail miserably. When God opens an incredible door. When our hearts break. He’s there. We sat on the sofa the other night after our little one was in bed and he prayed over me. It was like a commissioning. A moment, he said, I would look back on for years to come. This man, my husband? He has a gift of discernment, of wisdom, and has spoken truth straight into my heart as often as he’s made me laugh.
It’s community and communion and it’s in those moments when dirty floors and piles of laundry turn into holy ground I see clearly how blessed I am, and how it all starts here. This man? He’s my rock.
Will you join this week? I’d love to read your stories!
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Such a beautiful picture… and story! It’s delightful when someone speaks life into our dreams (thanks for doing that for me on more than one occasion).
I loved hearing you speak life right back at your husband with your words of thankfulness!!
Thanks friend for this community!
What an honoring post! I love this! I love that in your words about your Man… I can see my own as well! How blessed we truly are! Love you friend!
Beautiful…what an amazing gift you have in him. Loved reading this, friend! (((hugs)))
I love to hear love stories like yours. I know my hubby has always supported my dreams even when he didn’t understand them
Such a rich picture and story! You are a blessed woman indeed!
You have a one of a kind husband, Crystal! Lovely sentiment.
Love this! I tell ya, we need to be neighbors. Our men would be besties. =)
If we were neighbors, we’d never get anything done 😉 AND I WOULD LOVE IT.
Such a beautiful story. You have a treasure there (so do I, by the way). It’s easy to forget the most important community is often just down the hall. So glad that you are grounded in that. It’s a good foundation to allow you to soar from. That photo is pretty amazing, too!
My wonderful friend Janelle took that at a wedding we were at – I just love having photographers for friends!
Hi sweet friend, just popped over today to check out what is going on “Behind the Scenes”. I am so glad I did. Isn’t the best cheering section our husbands? What a shining and sweet post to honor your hubs. I know that I could not be as brave without my man. I always say that he has been a huge part of God making me brave(r) and that is probably an understatement. Love you and can’t wait to see how God works in your life more and more through your marriage.
There is simply no way I would ever have been able to do any of this without him – he believes in me more than I believe in myself 🙂
I echo those words friend. There have been so many days when he was cheering so loud and I needed it because the voices in my head that tell me that I can’t or that what I do is no good can be awfully loud. Thankful for men who love well and believe in their wives relentlessly.
Oh. my. what beautiful story of love and devotion. You are blessed my friend.
That I am, Mary 🙂