Making It through Sickness and Health as A Couple
By Lynette Kittle
“In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” - Ephesians 5:28
So many marriage vows these days leave out staying together “in sickness and in health.” In my estimation, it’s a huge mistake. Sometimes people are looking at all the romantic considerations in marriage and overlooking the practical day-to-day practical benefits of marriage, like taking care of each other.
I’m thankful we left it in our vows because we’ve needed it through the years. When my husband and I were first married and moving to Alaska with our 4-month-old firstborn, we were hit hard with an awful, stomach flu.
New to the area and before the days of Grubhub, DoorDash, and same-day grocery deliveries, we were stuck in temporary housing on the Air Force Base without a car or any means of transportation.
As well, our quarters were very bare bone basic. We didn’t even have a phone in the room but had to rely on using a payphone down the hallway, which is a very long way go when you’re not sure you can even sit up.
Without any pain relievers, stomach soothers, or diarrhea inhibitors, we were more than miserable and in very real need of some relief. There wasn’t even a television to distract our suffering.
We spent what felt like endless days and nights lying miserably on the bed, taking turns in the bathroom, while caring the best we could for our baby laying between us on the mattress.
Still in the cold, darkness of Alaska winter, my heroic husband was able to drag himself to the commissary to bring us back some soda crackers, 7-Up, and a few other bland foods, along with baby diapers and juice. To this day I still don’t know how he was able to do it.
Honestly, I wouldn’t have made it without him to help me. Like Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 explains, “Two are better than on, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."
Little did we know, as a couple, this was only the beginning of facing sickness and health together. As well, we added more children to our family through the years meaning more people to care for during seasons of sickness, often while being sick ourselves.
Although many times it felt like we couldn’t go on, gratefully like Psalm 41:3 states, “The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness."
Like God strengthened my husband to go out in the frigid conditions of Alaska to take care of us, He continues to strengthen us to care for each other when needed. Isaiah 40:29, explains how, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
Although some try to avoid the consideration “in sickness and in health” when marrying, having someone promise to go through it with you in life, is a pretty amazing gift.
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, Startmarriageright.com, growthtrac.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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