How Sarah and her husband got through a difficult season of marriage

I grew up in a Christian home, attended Sunday school, and was saved in second grade, but I didn’t pursue a relationship with Jesus until college. I would jam to worship music on the way to class, attend church, volunteer in KidSpring, tithe, occasionally read my Bible, and pray when I needed something only God could provide. I didn’t prioritize my time with God and eventually found myself going through the motions.⁣

⁣In the fall of 2019, I joined a small group at the Charleston Campus. Our first study was on the book of James. God knew and was preparing me for the next season of my marriage. At the end of 2019, we decided it would be best for our marriage if my husband left his job and pursued a different career path. What we didn’t know is that two months later, a pandemic would put a stop to the job search and that our bedroom would double as my office space. We were living on one income, trying to find a new career in a pandemic, spending every day together in a one-bedroom apartment, and not communicating on the level we should have been. This led us to a pretty tense season of marriage.⁣

I didn’t prioritize my time with God and eventually found myself going through the motions.⁣

⁣In July, we contacted our campus pastor for some counseling. Afterward, I remember asking the Holy Spirit to help us be patient, understanding, and to remove any bitterness we had and replace it with grace. It was then I realized I needed to surrender the desire to “fix” the situation and, instead, lean in and trust God’s timing.⁣

⁣August through October led to several third and 4th round job interviews that sounded promising but ultimately ended in disappointment. During this time, I read my Bible more consistently, spent time in prayer, and thanked God for continuing to be our Provider and for all the blessings we often took for granted. Having a grateful heart always leads to perspective change. ⁣

⁣In my prayer journal on January 1, 2020, my prayer was that “it would be a year full of change, trials, and eye-opening truths that point us to the Lord.” That’s exactly what my 2020 looked like. ⁣

⁣The most challenging year of my life turned into the deepest relationship I’d ever had with Jesus and brought us closer together as husband and wife.