38 Years of Marriage

A while back, I interviewed on Real Men Connect, a podcast that helps Christian men become better fathers, husbands, and ultimately, disciples of Christ. The host of the show, Dr. Joe Martin, brought up my family at one point, using a term I had never really heard before.

“You come from good stock,” he said. Good stock. What a fascinating concept. Sure, my parents provided a pretty stable home for us to grow up in and we lived a modest middle-class life, but does that really qualify them as good stock?

It wasn’t until I interviewed him on my podcast that I realized what he was talking about. He grew up in the hood of Miami, like a scene out of Grand Theft Auto. No fathers in sight, no degrees or education. Just a community of people struggling financially, mentally, and spiritually. Eventually, Dr. Joe Martin got out, although his story had several more twists and turns before he found stability in his life.

The point is that you have to give credit where credit is due. This picture above features my parents celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary! Being over 2 years into marriage now, I grow in my appreciation for these two every day.

Life can be a grind. Marriage requires hard work. And raising kids… well I can only imagine! (I’ll get there soon, but not yet). Yet I have been tremendously blessed to come from “good stock” that has modeled resilience, perseverance, and godliness.

You might be thinking, “Glad it worked out for you Sathiya, but that wasn’t my life. I came from the opposite.” Or maybe it was somewhere in the middle.

The honest truth - it doesn’t matter.

Our earthly family has its place, and God gave them to us for a reason. But they will not always be perfect. In fact, they might be straight up dysfunctional. That’s why God has adopted us into His perfect family. You and I are both part of the family of God, and that means regardless of your origin story, upbringing, and anything else you’ve encountered along the way, we both come from good stock.

The more you tap into this reality, the further your freedom. So much of long-term freedom revolves around identity, learning to love ourselves, and allowing ourselves to be perfectly parented by a perfect God. 

Don’t let your upbringing discount you. You are a member of God’s family first.

Cheering you on,
Sathiya