We would all agree that building a successful family takes love. But what about faith? Faith sometimes falls by the wayside. However, it is faith that will keep us going when the hard times come. 

The definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1. It says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

The definition of HOPE in this verse means earnest, intense expectation. My husband and I planned from the start that we would always put God first in our marriage and our family. We dreamed together and built that dream with the help of God. 

Some people believe that if they put God in the middle of their relationships or family, then their dreams will be lost. However, that is FAR from the truth. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what will be best for our children and for us. God wants to bring the dreams that YOU have to pass. Sometimes, it seems that He takes our lives on a detour of our goals, but just trust Him. Those detours will help develop you on the way. 

Faith believes and expects the best outcomes in every situation. 

When my husband and I got married almost 30 years ago, we had the song "Household of Faith" sung at our wedding. The words go as follows:

Here we are at the start of committing to each other

By His Word and from our hearts

We will be a family in a house that will be a home

And with faith, we'll build it strong

We'll build a household of faith

That together we can make

And when the strong winds blow it won't fall down

As one in Him, we'll grow and the whole world will know

We are a household of faith

Now to be a family we've got to love each other

At any cost unselfishly

And our home must be a place that fully abounds with grace

A reflection of His face

This song depicts exactly what we purposed to do and what we did to build a household of faith. So, I am going to share our 6 tips for building a "Household of Faith."

• We made a commitment to each other and to God. Our wedding was more than a ceremony. It was a commitment that showed we were in this for the long haul. We were entering into a covenant relationship with God and each other. This commitment was something we didn't take lightly. In fact, the "D" word (divorce) has never been allowed to be a part of our vocabulary.
• We kept the Word of God as the foundation of our lives. We always have gone to the Word of God for direction, help, healing, and everything in between. Without the map of the Bible, we would be lost. We have also made going to church a priority. Yes, now we are pastors, but going to church was never an option for us even before that. It is a part of the fabric of our lives, and I am so thankful for the church families that I have had over the years.
• Home is not a place; it's people, therefore, treasure family and friends. It is important to stay close to relatives and to value relationships more than things. I am looking forward to a family reunion in a couple of weeks. Although we are meeting at a campsite, I know that it will feel like home being around our dear loved ones. Life is too short to get wrapped up in things. I know families who have been ripped apart because of greed over a deceased family member's things – how very sad! Don't let strife into your family. Always respect each other even if you disagree.
• Love each other as God loves us. According to 1 Cor 13:4-8, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
• Abound in grace. The definition of grace is "unmerited favor." That means that you don't have to DO anything to receive the blessing of love and acceptance. Grace overlooks the shortcomings that we have. It allows you to love unconditionally. Grace also offers forgiveness, which is a key ingredient when building a household of faith. We all mess up and have ample opportunity to be offended. Don't let that happen. As the Scripture says, be quick to forgive.
• Be a reflection of Jesus. Make your home a place of peace and refuge. A place of discipline with grace. A place of teaching and leading your children by example. Children will learn the most from their parents and from the model that is displayed at home. Children watch how you interact together as a couple and how you interact with others. Their little eyes catch EVERYTHING! The more you can reflect Jesus in your life, the easier it will be for your kids to follow in your footsteps.

Building a household of faith happens a little at a time – one faithful day after the next. It is a process of putting God first and standing on His Word whenever the storms of life happen. When we decided to have "Household of Faith" sung at our wedding, it was more than picking a song as a filler. It was a pledge to ourselves and to God that we WILL build our life on Jesus. The results of that pledge speak for themselves. Has it always been easy? Absolutely not! Have we been perfect? Yeah right! But we have been faithful to God, and He has been faithful to us.