Rehearsal Dinner Advice

Last night at the rehearsal dinner we were asked to give you advice or helpful words to get started on your married life.  You won’t remember much of what we said but my best advice is to become the person you want to be married to.  The rest are just some of my hurried thoughts:

It feels like the last time I get to give you advice but I know it really isn’t.  You and Connor have had a lifetime of advice.  So just get up each morning and desire to do better, be kinder, love deeper, laugh harder, yield hopefully, pray more fervently; it is the best route to life without regret.

Another thing I would tell you is that the first year of marriage is the most difficult and I think if those of us who are married could have we would have skipped it, but we couldn’t.  So hang in there. Even when you fall short, keep going and growing! There are blessings in the struggle. It will pass and you will be glad you got through it!

My wedding rings are a reminder of the promises made, which are a choice to be kept no matter how I feel at the moment. But also they remind me to live today joyfully and with the other person as a priority.  There are no guarantees that life tomorrow will be as wonderful as today and it is wonderful because of the person you are spending it with. And no matter how good or bad you have it, learn to wake up each day and end each day with a grateful heart; there is always something to be thankful for!

God calls us to be ministers of reconciliation.  That means learning to go first and say you are sorry, extending forgiveness and grace.

Pray with each other and for each other.  Learn each other’s love language and speak it often.  We were made for community so make some good friends and be intentional about spending life together.