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I WAS IN PRISON DOCUMENTARY

I have decided to love you, and I am not changing my mind.

I remember the weeks leading up to my wedding and the excitement that I felt. I couldn't wait to say "I do" to the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. There was not a doubt in my mind that he was the one for me, the one that could give me my happily ever after.

We are now getting close to celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary and we have experienced lots of things together. Loss of loved ones, birth of our babies, sleepless nights, financial ups and downs and everything in between. Through all of it there have been times when the happily ever after didn't feel so happy. There have been times when I didn't feel the butterflies and gushy emotions, but when I decided to love my husband, it was forever, not based on a feeling.

There are all kinds of emotions attached to love, but love is not an emotion it is a decision. You can't "fall out of love." You can decide to stop loving someone, but love is not a mysterious, fickle little feeling that comes and goes.

As Christians we are called to love. If we can't love our own husband or wife unconditionally then how are we going to be effective at loving anyone else? On November 8, 2009 my husband and I made the commitment to love each other until death do us part. There was no disclaimer. I am not going to change my mind. If we are going to love like Jesus loved us then we can't attach our love to the actions of our spouse. It doesn't matter what he does or doesn't do to me, if Jesus loved and died for us while we were yet sinners, then I have the power to love my husband no matter what.

Imagine how different our world would be if our love for others was not based on conditions? There is great power in knowing that it is my choice to wake up every day and love my husband. We live in a world where people allow their emotions to control their decisions when it should be the exact opposite. Do you think Jesus allowed his emotions to control his decision to die on the cross for us? We know that his emotions tried to gain control over him because the bible tells us of the distress he suffered in the garden before he was killed.

"Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:38-39)

The bible makes it very clear that emotionally Jesus did not want to die. He was struggling, but he submitted himself to the Father so that His will could be done. If Jesus did it, we can do it too. We can overcome our emotions and make the decision to do what is right regardless of how we feel.

We need to start making the right decisions and demanding our emotions submit to those decisions, just as Jesus did. There is a great blessing attached to unconditional love. I can testify from seeing this work in my own life. My husband and I get closer all the time and we are able to overcome any obstacle because of the decision to love each other unconditionally.

I challenge you to try this! Whether it be your spouse, your boss, a difficult family member or a stranger, make the decision to walk in love and be blessed!


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