Pat,

I'm not one to jump to talking about the enemy and all the lies and
subsequently, pain he can put upon you. Not that I do not understand that
to occur, I just let that up to Phil *smile*. First of all. It takes two
people to sign on the dotted line for a home, therefore two minds in
agreement. So you didn't drag Vernon into purchasing the house. I do want
to  talk about the enemy in front of his ugly face. And that is don't
believe the lies he whispers ever so convincingly that it is  your fault
for the situations you face. We all yes, do have the right, and ability to
make mistakes,  and sometimes yes we are allowed to work through those
issues. However, a marriage is a union of two into one flesh. No matter
what the circumstances of the situation, it ought to be a time of joining
up with God and to  each other rather than allowing pukeface's lies to pull
apart a union of one flesh. I've been down the road of financial blame or
blaming, and it leads only to destructive behaviors and mentalities. And
destruction comes from who? Certainly not God. If a mistake has been made
let the merciful word of God bring you that wisdom in a hopeful and
positive manner and not a hopeless and blameful lie like slew face devil.
If a mistake was made,  God will see you through it nonetheless. Perhaps it
was God who wrote the song "I never promised you a rose garden" eh? Life
has it's challenges and cheers, rejoices and retributions, mistakes and
mercies and in them all we can find God and his graceful, loving, hopeful
self. Pat red his word, encourage that groom of yours to do the same with
you. I absolutely love the analogy of Peter out on the water. Remember?
Peter and the guys were out on the water, taking a cruise  on the old boat
and across the water comes walking this dude. Peter says... "Woa! Is that
you Lord? Lord, if that is you, bid me to come to you!" It was not a dude,
it was Jesus Christ, and he did bid Peter to come. Old Peter  flung his leg
over the side, popped the other one over as well, grabbed the stern of the
boat, lowered himself on the water, stood on the water, turned around and
started walking to Jesus. Imagine that... that is an awesome thought to
even ponder about it 2000 years later. So he's bebopping across the sea and
what happens next? He says, "Woa, dude!  Like it's a bits chilly out here
man,  I mean the wind, it's a bit breezy out here and , woa, look at those
waves, I mean like they didn't quite look that big from inside the boat
dude!". At this point he took his eyes off Jesus and started looking at the
surrounding circumstances.  and giving them more attention than anything
else. This. After he was just walking on the water despite all he was now
focusing on. He then began to sink, and then begged for Christ to save him
from sinking  into the sea. First I find it so cool to think Peter
was  walking on the surface of water. But then he did what we all can, and
have done at one time or another, and likely more than once, he started to
believe the circumstances and what they began to say to him, and then they
took him down until he turned to Christ for a lifting hand. How obvious is
that lesson to us in our time of need. When we take a stroll in life and
see a few waves, a wind blow up a bit, and we begin to think we're subject
to what they have to offer. It isn't so. Even if we find ourselves in the
midst of a storm, we know that God will see us through. Perhaps not as we'd
like for us to go through, but we will come out the other end just fine.
Perhaps we will get a bit wet from the wind blowing the tops of the waves
down upon us, but we'll come out better for it,  we just need to make sure
we do not come out bitter. I'd encourage you to really look at scripture
for hope and you can read Peter's little water stroll in Matthew 14:28
through 31.

God's one promise, is bigger than any and all of the devil's lies.

Brad