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The night is late and I lay awake only to hear my own breathing and the feeling of indescribable joy. True, God-centered thankfulness rushes through every part of my body. I know that the morning will mark the 3,650th sunrise that has passed since my bride of 10 years said "yes".

It's a realization that makes me feel alive, blessed, and so in love all at the same time. I marvel at the truth that my wife is like no other and she's mine, perfectly designed for me. I have her heart and she has mine. This isn't a dream, its God's gift to me. It's our life together.

Some thought we married young, moved too fast, but we just couldn't deny the way our love was ignited when we were together. We learned early in our relationship that we had hearts that beat together in a way that was truly unique. We protected that...cherished it.

Our love guided us, and taught us so much about one another. Long drives and talks late into the night. Journeys of faith across new lands and back again. Facing our strengths and weaknesses. Moments of joy and sorrow. Kisses and those special glances that only we understood. Our daughter. Our son. All these memories are stored in countless imaginary shoe boxes, tucked away safe on the shelves of our hearts.

But like so many other young couples we had much to learn about this unwieldy emotion and daily decision called love. Learning the "ropes" of a mature relationship can take its toll on any who have had the privilege of walking its path. We discovered that love lives in the little moments. It's a lot like breathing. It's in the sights and sounds of our coming and going. The things we say and do in everyday life all add up to a kind of love investment.

We failed. I failed. We both still fail to let love rule. But the Lord teaches us in moments like this. When we are weak He is strong, when we love wrong, He teaches us about true self-sacrificing love. It's in our defeat that we learn about that special love. A love that is perfectly designed for dealing with the differences that we face with others. It's His amazing grace.

Ten years and two kids later we are still growing in our understanding of how grace must surround every aspect of our family. We need God's grace just as much as when we first began. We are strong in our marriage, but we are even stronger in the presence of God's grace.

I'm amazingly thankful for the years we have had together and my wife's commitment of true love to me. It is humbling to say the least. But I am eager and excited to the core to experience the coming years with my beautiful bride. To see the revolutionary work of God's grace shape our love for each other and for our family. It will be different than what we now know. It will grow and bloom into something that only God has dreamed for us. A marriage bound in Christ is like no other.