A testimony,
Love One Another! 8/2007 → a testimony
My husband and I have not the slightest doubt that it is possible to live another way. We were convinced of this while we were getting to know each other, we were convinced of it during the period of our engagement, and we are convinced of it now that we are finally married.
Early in our relationship, we decided to join the Movement of Pure Hearts (MPH), and not for a moment in the more than three years of our courtship did we regret our decision. Not that it was always easy. Satan tempted us as only he knows how. The closer we got to our wedding, the more temptations we experienced. But we were determined to remain chaste, to prove to ourselves and others that one can live differently. The beautiful, long-awaited day of our wedding finally arrived. With pure hearts we stood before God, asking Him to bless our future life together. Since then, not a day has passed when we have not felt His blessing.
We both wanted this day to be truly special. We wanted everyone to be happy with us and share in our true and sincere joy. That is why we decided to have a wedding reception without alcohol. People reacted in various ways. No use denying it. There was opposition, indignation, and ridicule. But we stood our ground; and though many balked at the idea, it turned out that you can have fun without alcohol. More than that. You can have a great time and dance into the wee hours of the morning — even on New Year’s Eve, as this was when we got married.
Our wedding day went by quickly. And so, God, my husband, and I began our life together. Every day begins and ends with Him, for life can be cruel. There are setbacks and moments of doubt, and no married couple can face them effectively without solid reliance on God. Although we have been married for a little less than a year, we already know how hard life can get. But with God present in our lives, we have weathered every hardship, and the blessing we received at the altar continues to make itself felt every day. God helps us overcome every obstacle. He helps us to love each other and agree on things, despite our difference of views. Life spent together is wonderful, yes, but not when it is only you and I. It must be God, and you, and I. Yes, God first!
How did we benefit from trusting in God and remaining chaste for marriage? First and foremost, we were able to offer each other the most beautiful wedding gift imaginable. We gave each other the gift of ourselves — free from any “baggage” of the past. The effort of remaining chaste for marriage taught us the value of waiting for each other. Only now that we are married can we really appreciate how important this is. Now, when illness strikes, or in time of pregnancy, or when any other obstacle to sexual intimacy arises, we know how express our affection in other ways. Because we have no “history” of relationships behind us, we trust each other implicitly and feel that we belong to each other exclusively. My husband and I use only natural family planning methods. Contraception is unimaginable to us, even though the world promotes it as the answer to all the world’s problems. And so we continue to live another way and feel very good about it.
Learning to wait for each other is worth the effort. It makes things easier later in life, whenever patience is required. It is good to invite God into your marriage, for, as Scripture says, without God we can do nothing. Give natural family planning methods a chance! There is nothing better to unite husband and wife and bring them closer. I wish every woman had a husband like mine, who takes such an interest in me and in the way my body works. Take my word for it, there is no better proof of love. There is nothing like it to make you feel loved and needed. You really can live another way! Living another way deserves the effort!
Anka & Rafaf
The article was published with the permission from "Love One Another!"
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