Thomas & Clarene Mitchell
This month LWR is very pleased to introduce you to Thomas and Clarene Mitchell. I have to say they are one of the sweetest couples I’ve had the pleasure of talking to. I’m so excited to share how they believe God is honored by their marriage when they work daily to make their marriage work!
How long have you been married?
We’ve been married four years! We will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary this year on July 25th.
How did you meet?
We met at a community meeting; Thomas was working for a community newspaper at the time and I approached him to inquire about writing opportunities. We met over twenty-years ago and had s strictly professional relationship. Through the encouragement of others we began dating in the fall of 2008 and we married less than a year later.
How long have you been married?
We’ve been married four years! We will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary this year on July 25th.
How did you meet?
We met at a community meeting; Thomas was working for a community newspaper at the time and I approached him to inquire about writing opportunities. We met over twenty-years ago and had s strictly professional relationship. Through the encouragement of others we began dating in the fall of 2008 and we married less than a year later.
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What things did you see in your spouse that made you want to marry him/ her?
T: Aside from being beautiful and having a dazzling smile, Clarene was someone who I know would love me for me and love me unconditionally, as I love her unconditionally. She’s smart, organized, caring and nurturing. She helps me to keep myself together and has my back, as I have hers. C: I was motivated to marry my husband because in him I saw a man who would truly love, honor and protect me. After many failed relationships, I was finally with someone that I felt safe and at peace with. What were your goals for your marriage when you were engaged? T: Become one as a couple (though as a man, I know I have sometimes fallen short in this regard). I recognize this and work daily to be worthy of her love and devotion. My goal is to be the man she wants and needs me to be to make our marriage work. As I said, I strive to meet that goal daily. It is an ongoing "labor of love." |
The Mitchell Family
Thomas and Clarene Mitchell
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"We constantly remind each other that we are married for life, nothing will separate us but death."
Have you faced any challenges as a couple (dating and/or newly married)? If so, how have you navigated those difficult waters and maintained a healthy relationship?
T: For me, as the husband, the challenge I face everyday is to stay focused and work daily to remind myself and put into action that we are a team; that this marriage is a partnership brought together by love. The challenge is to be there for her when she needs me. To let her know that she can depend on me to do what I, as the husband, need to do.
C: For me, as the wife, the challenge I face daily is learning to be patient and long suffering with my husband. I am an extrovert and he is an introvert. He doesn't move as quickly as I would want him to, so I am continually working on seeing him for who he is while learning not to expect him to do things as I would.
T: For me, as the husband, the challenge I face everyday is to stay focused and work daily to remind myself and put into action that we are a team; that this marriage is a partnership brought together by love. The challenge is to be there for her when she needs me. To let her know that she can depend on me to do what I, as the husband, need to do.
C: For me, as the wife, the challenge I face daily is learning to be patient and long suffering with my husband. I am an extrovert and he is an introvert. He doesn't move as quickly as I would want him to, so I am continually working on seeing him for who he is while learning not to expect him to do things as I would.
Early in our marriage we were faced with the challenge of caring for my grandson due to my daughter being sent on a military (Navy) deployment. When we married, I had been a single mother of three and my husband had no children. Thus our caring for my grandson for a year was a challenge for the newness of our marriage and from the perspective that my husband never had the daily experience and responsibility of caring for a child. My love, respect and appreciation for my husband increased because he took on the role of grandpa instantly and he and our grandson have a very special bond.
Describe how your marriage has changed over the years.
Our marriage is still rather new, but…I think we have grown more comfortable with each other and more accepting of what makes the other tick, so to speak. We’re beginning to instinctively know how the other will react and what they will do or won’t do.
In what ways do you think God is honored by your marriage?
We believe God is honored by our marriage by the fact we work daily to make our marriage work, despite the attacks on the institution: divorce and the troubling decline in Black marriage. It is why my wife and I started the Christian Couples Ministry through our church, Brentwood Church of Christ. Through this ministry, we have an annual Black Marriage Day event, year-long fellowship sessions and recreational activity. Our marriage in turn is strengthened as we work together to foster healthy Christian marriages.
Describe how your marriage has changed over the years.
Our marriage is still rather new, but…I think we have grown more comfortable with each other and more accepting of what makes the other tick, so to speak. We’re beginning to instinctively know how the other will react and what they will do or won’t do.
In what ways do you think God is honored by your marriage?
We believe God is honored by our marriage by the fact we work daily to make our marriage work, despite the attacks on the institution: divorce and the troubling decline in Black marriage. It is why my wife and I started the Christian Couples Ministry through our church, Brentwood Church of Christ. Through this ministry, we have an annual Black Marriage Day event, year-long fellowship sessions and recreational activity. Our marriage in turn is strengthened as we work together to foster healthy Christian marriages.
Any closing comments on marriage for our readers?
We constantly remind each other that we are married for life, nothing will separate us but death. Having this shared understanding and commitment helps us to work through the storms that come about, whether the storms are within or come from outside of our marital bond. We say “I Love You!” to each other every day and show that love to each other everyday. As noted earlier, this is a labor of love that must be constantly worked on.
A strong healthy marriage truly takes the Love. Work. Repeat. revolving cycle. It indeed takes work, but the benefits are incomparable.
--KH
We constantly remind each other that we are married for life, nothing will separate us but death. Having this shared understanding and commitment helps us to work through the storms that come about, whether the storms are within or come from outside of our marital bond. We say “I Love You!” to each other every day and show that love to each other everyday. As noted earlier, this is a labor of love that must be constantly worked on.
A strong healthy marriage truly takes the Love. Work. Repeat. revolving cycle. It indeed takes work, but the benefits are incomparable.
--KH
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