Intentional Marriage: Blog Series
I believe your relationship with your spouse is the most important earthly relationship you will ever have.
This year I am choosing to be intentional with this message with the hope of encouraging couples to make their spouse a priority!
Each Wednesday I will feature an interview with a couple from across the nation.
If you would like information about how to be featured in the Intentional Marriage: Blog Series,
please email me jamiekphotography (at) gmail.com
This week’s featured couple is John and Kimie from California!
1) Please introduce yourself and your spouse! Who you are, what you do…
We are John and Kimie. We’re Jesus loving, hard working, crazy parenting goofballs. I (Kimie) am a full-time worship leader at our church in Chico California, as well as owning my own professional photography business, Kimie Grace Photography. John is a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service. We have two spunky little girls (4 & 1) who challenge us and make our lives full and rich.
2) What qualities/character traits did you look for in a spouse when dating? Why?
I (Kimie) had wasted time with some not-so-great fellas before I had met John. So when John walked into my life, the way he treated me was a stark contrast to how I had been treated previously. John was kind, gentle, passionate about things that he loves, and he never made me feel stupid or lesser than him. He was also one of the most forgiving people I had ever met. He also had a sense of humor that wasn’t dirty or at the expense of others. It was such a refreshing change to be with someone who treated me with the utmost respect and adoration, and supported me in every way. All of these qualities were definitely things that pushed me to better myself and my relationship with God. It didn’t hurt that he was totally a stud, either. Yeah… I had the major hots for him!
John: I was looking for someone with a deep love for the Lord, someone I could talk about anything with… a best friend. I don’t think that a marriage will last or grow deeper if you can’t share everything and if you don’t have a foundation on God and friendship.
3) How long have you been married?
We have been married for almost 6 years now.
4) Over the years, has your marriage faced a rough sea or season? If so, how did you get through that together?
We struggled with money some through the years. It’s one of the issues that can definitely break up happy marriages and strain family relationships. Thankfully we had decided early on in our marriage that 1- we never ever talk about divorce, and 2- we work things out, never “freeze” anyone out, never run away, and never go to sleep angry. So even when we were frustrated and angry, we made sure to talk out our feelings and sort things out. We also learned to make make better money choices and to accept help when it was offered (as incredibly humbling as that was).
5) The best thing my spouse has done for me is ___________________.
Kimie – The best thing my spouse has ever done for me is loved me through my craziness.
John – Given me me two baby girls.
6) My perfect date night would be ____________.
Kimie – Disneyland, eating turkey legs in the park, watching the fireworks at night. And if it were possible – to sleep in the suite in the castle. 🙂
John – Giant’s baseball game, eating garlic fries and hot dogs.
7) How do you keep a healthy work/life balance?
We both understand that work is what we need to do to survive. It just is what it is, and we have been blessed with the jobs that we have and need to be good stewards of what we’ve been given. We also both understand that parenting is both of our responsibility 100%, so when one of us has to work late, it isn’t a problem – it’s never a matter of who gets to “babysit” for the other. On that same hand though, when either of us are feeling run down or like our “love tank” is empty, we’re good about talking about it and setting aside time to date each other and nourish those areas.
8) What is one thing you wish someone would have told you before you got married?
Love is a choice that you have to make every single day. It’s a decision and a promise, not always a gooey feeling. Those days that you’re tired, or mad, or just aren’t “feeling it”, you choose love. Also – you don’t always have to ‘be right’.
9) In marriage, everyone talks about the “honeymoon” period. (Some say it ends 2 years into marriage.) How do you keep the “honeymoon” from ending?
See #8. 🙂 But seriously, making a conscious decision/choice to love someone and being honest with each other during struggle or frustration will make a world of difference in your marriage. A huge part of that is forgiveness. And never stop dating each other. The wedding day isn’t the beginning of the end – find ways to keep it fun and exciting! It’s incredibly freeing to put all that stuff into practice. And honestly, lots of times I think that we’re still in the honeymoon period.
10) Anything else you’d like to share about marriage, your walk with God…
If God is the center of your marriage, then it’s much easier to make the choices that nourish and enrich your relationship.
John and Kimie, thank you for sharing some incredible wisdom!
I love seeing couples choose to make their marriage a priority! Praying for you!!
– Jamie K!
