Maria's Missions Monthly - July

Hello all! To update you on what is going on in my life...

I just got married!!!!!!!

I married my best friend on June 6, 2018 in Idaho Springs, CO. During that time I moved out to Denver which is where my (now) husband was living going to school at Denver Seminary. 

The wedding was very small... 16 attendees to be exact! Throughout the entire wedding week, I could feel God's blessing on it all. It was an experience I'll never forget! Here's a sneak peak of our wedding day video. Olena Films did an AMAZING job at capturing the day! I can't wait to get the full video soon (hopefully)!

So far, marriage has been a roller coaster ride, and I have a feeling it might be that way for a while. My husband and I went from being in a long distance relationship to being married, with me moving into a space he had called his home for a year and a half. Let's just say, there was A LOT of change taking place all at once. 

A preacher once had a sermon on the fact that people often grieve change. If you are interested in psychology, then you've probably heard of the 5 stages of grief... denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. There was a lot of that going on in our first month. 

It took a lot of communication to get through to where we felt heard, understood, and accepted. Thankfully that came sooner rather than later, but was a pretty miserable experience to go through, and I have a feeling challenges like these aren't over. 

Marriage is a beautiful thing, but it takes work. I sometimes look at it as I would a mission trip. When we go on mission trips out of the city we live in, we get into a place I like to call "mission mode". We end up being willing to do things we would NEVER do at home or for anyone, and our patience and grace is often greater when in "mission mode" rather than in regular day-to-day life.

If we could channel that "mission mode" while we're at home when our patience is wearing thin, or when something needs to get done that we think is gross or uncomfortable, our lives could look incredibly different. Next time you're faced with anger or disgust, imagine yourself somewhere else, doing what you would do if you were on a mission trip somewhere else like Haiti or Africa. 

Right now, my ministry is mainly to my husband. My current mission is to love him well, support him daily, and to help him in all the ways that I possibly can. My goal is to pray for him daily, and to make sure my mind and body are healthy so that I can help him to the best of my ability. 

Please pray for my husband and I as we continue figuring out where God is leading us, and pray that we will patiently await his will. Pray that my husband will be attentive in listening, and that I will be able to support/help in the ways my husband needs. 

We greatly appreciate all of the love, support, and prayers you give. 

Much love,

Maria T Burkett