Somebody's else's words

In marriage, the fun stuff can trap you, while the so-called obstacles and pitfalls-those are the real blessings. You have to appreciate the obstacles as opportunities to connect more deeply than you thought you could. I've been married more than 30 years, and my wife is the biggest blessing in my life.
Jeff Bridges, actor

You know how they do these little one page things on celebrities where they have them give their thoughts or opinions on different things. That's where I got the quote from Jeff Bridges. I really connected with what he said and I've read other things about him that bear out his words. I think he speaks of the benefits of the "hard" parts of our journey so well. He applies it to marriage and more than any other relationship that one is designed make us grow as human beings. Larry and I have seen the truth of this over and over and now once again as we have had to talk through some issues brought to light by my coming here.

It applies to all relationships though - at least the ones where there is a commitment in one's heart to another. There is pain in relationships. There is pain as people grow and change and then the people around them have to either leave them or make the choice to love them and cultivate a relationship with them. Sometimes it can be almost like cultivating relationship with someone entirely new.

I have this prayer in my heart right now for all the people I love - I pray that the obstacles in your lives become your stepping stones. I pray that God gives you vision that sees through momentary and fleeting times of happiness. I pray that God gives you vision to see through dark clouds and that he continues to reveal the secrets of heaven's economy to you so that you can live in joy when happiness fails you and so that you can appreciate the trials and sufferings of your life as the gifts that God intends them to be.