The Vow

Lying in bed late one night with Krickitt asleep beside me, I came face-to-face once again with the fact that only God could heal our marriage.  At that point Krickitt and I could hardly be in the same room together without fighting.  And I knew the problem didn’t all lie at Krickitt’s feet.  I needed help.  God was going to have to break me down in order to build me back up into the husband I needed to be for her, and I finally realized that someone else was going to have to help me do it. Staring at the ceiling, hearing and feeling Krickcitt’s steady breathing beside me, I rolled these and other thoughts around in my head.  God, what are you doing with my life?  What you doing with my vow?

I had stood before God and a church full of people and promised to provide for and protect Krisxan Pappas “through times of challenge and need.” I vowed to devote myself to her “every need and desire.” I declared I would be faithful.  I had said those words with such joy and conviction.  I had meant them then, and I would honor them now.  I just didn’t know how.

The Vow, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter

For Mother’s Day, my children gave me the movie The Vow along with the book that inspired the movie.  Let me start by saying, if you have seen the movie, the book is by far better.  Of course, Hollywood took a true-life story and turned it into a hopeless romantic type fairy tale but the book, oh wow, was incredible.  The story of this couple and their faith in God through an enormous storm is more than inspiring.  It is miraculous.  It is the picture of God’s redemption, grace and love.  It is the example of God’s heart and idea for marriage. 

God is a God of second chances.  This story is a great reminder of that.  Sometimes I look at the broken pieces of my life and believe that there could never be healing or hope.  Then I am reminded of great stories throughout the bible in which the most unlikely of candidates are used by God to accomplish great things.  People such as David the shepherd as well as David the King, The Samaritan woman (from the well), and Peter, who denied Jesus three times were all unlikely candidates whom God used for His redemptive purpose. God takes what we see as impossible and He turns those things into the possible for His glory.  Just look at the couple depicted in this movie.  Would they have ever thought when going through their tragic car accident that one day God would use their story to show the world His faithfulness?  It is amazing.  This young married couple experienced several years of hell on earth but in the end, God did an amazing work and is using that amazing work to make Himself known.  Wow.  Just WOW!  He is so awesome that way! 

It causes me to stop and put my own life into perspective.  I have a lot happening right now.  Many battles are still raging but God is doing a work and making Himself known. He is the God of second chances and though there are still battles, He is giving me a second chance at love as well as life.  He is taking two broken people and lavishing His love and grace upon them both to form something that neither ever expected nor experienced.  God is teaching us that He takes all things and works them out for His glory.  God is creating a message within our lives so that we may one day share with others His faithfulness.

Life is so unexpected sometimes. We think we know how a story will end but then God reveals Himself. He reveals an ending that we would have never anticipated. He reveals an ending that leaves us surprised by His faithfulness.  For a while, my story was a horrific mess but God in all of His love, grace and faithfulness picked up ALL the pieces of the tragic mess and turned it into a message of His love, His grace, His hope and His redemption. I used to worry about what others thought about me but now I know who I am in Christ and have experienced God in indescribable ways.  I have seen Him move in my life in ways that others will never know or understand. I have experienced His work in my heart and have heard His voice when He speaks.  I know Him in a way I never have and because of that, I am getting a second chance. I now have a powerful message to share and someone to walk along side with me as I share. It is someone who experienced his own mess and brokenness but also discovered God’s love and grace as well. Oh the amazing ways in which God moves.  So unexpected! I am so looking forward to walking through life with my best friend and love as we share that message of God’s grace and love together with those who need to hear just as we did.