Stories of Courage: Meet Brett & Chrisey (Part 1)
I am excited about this series! Today is Part One of two about a couple I know you are going to love.
In just about every post on this blog, I try to open up God’s Word and teach/share with you what I am learning, often through my failures and mistakes! Today I go in a different direction as I share the story of a married couple who I respect and love. Meet my friends Brett & Chrisey Billman.
I met the Billmans before they were the Billmans. Brett Billman and Chrisey Hodges went through Watermark’s premarried class in 2008, at the ripe old ages of 22 and 21. Both graduates of Baylor University (sic ‘em), they got married in May, 2010, and now have two beautiful children. Brett serves on staff at Watermark Community Church as the Director of Finance and Chrisey stays at home with their two little ones.
Brett and Chrisey went to school together starting in third grade. Brett had a crush on her in middle school and she finally said yes to dating him in their sophomore year of high school (see their picture - babies!!). While they did experience some ups and downs along the way, they stayed together through high school and college and got married after Baylor.
Below is a little Q&A with Brett & Chrisey. In Part Two you will get to see how these two walked through a terrible crisis with inspiring faith and trust in the Lord.
What do you love about being married to one another?
1. We love being married to each other because we can have fun together! We can both totally let down and be ourselves without fear of judgment or ridicule. Not only are we husband and wife, but we are also best friends. To keep the fun in the relationship, it takes a lot of intentional work.
I (Brett) am not going to pretend that I’m the great, romantic guy who dates his wife well, but i think we do a good job of making the small stuff fun. Instead of watching TV, we play board or card games. Chrisey loves trying new food, so I’m constantly on the lookout for different restaurants. We find common interests and exploit them like crazy. Even cooking dinner together can be an adventure. Find the small things.
2. We love knowing that we are both in this thing for the long-haul. No matter how difficult things get, in sickness and in health, we are committed to each other. We both agreed a long time ago that divorce was not an option. Because of that commitment, we can trust each other. We love the idea of getting to grow old together.
Side note from Scott: Marriage is a covenant, not a contract. A contractual marriage says I can get out whenever the going gets tough. A covenant marriage says I am with you no matter what. It is unconditional and is built on trust, rather than distrust. The unconditional, unbreakable aspect of a Christian, covenantal marriage is one of the safest and greatest aspects of marriage as God intends.
To Brett: How do you feel about Chrisey today?
I still remember the first time she held my hand. That girl still gives me goosebumps. #boom
What do you do in your marriage that you would recommend to all other couples?
Don’t live in isolation. Be fully known by other couples who can speak into your lives as a couple, instead of just as individuals (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Remember that the only person you can change is yourself. Instead of constantly looking at what your spouse is doing wrong, look at ways you can improve (Matthew 7:3-5).
Have fun! Don’t underestimate how much fun a night out or weekend away can be! Do something silly and creative instead of just dinner and a movie. Check out Scott’s blog post for some new date night ideas (124 Killer Date Night Ideas).
What role has community played in your relationship?
At first we were both resistant to authentic community. It freaked us out. The Lord used some faithful friends to point out the sin in our desire to stay isolated. By being fully known with these people, we are able to see how this group of friends is an extension of the church and can be the hands and feet of Christ (see Part Two). They truly encourage us (Hebrews 3:13), admonish us (Proverbs 27:6) and love us well as we all walk through life together. Without them, it would have been nearly impossible to face the storm that was just ahead…. [Come back for Part Two]
Your Turn:
If I were to ask you "What do you do in your marriage that you would recommend to all other couples?", what would you say?