Today’s Sweet Tea Sunday couple is not only close to our hearts–they’re also close to our office! Right down the road from us in Raleigh, Nancy and Will Ray are some of the sweetest people we have the privilege of knowing and working with. Nancy is the gal behind Nancy Ray Photography (she shot Song of the South in V6, Something Old, Something New in V5, and both V6 and V5 surcees!), and Will is a finance coach, youth minister, and second shooter for NRP. Knowing about their passion for marriage and their commitment to always learning, we were so excited to hear advice from the Rays. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Walters and Walters
To quote Timothy Keller in The Meaning of Marriage: “Marriage is glorious but hard. It’s a burning joy and strength, and yet it is also blood, sweat, and tears, humbling defeats and exhausting victories… and yet there’s no relationship between human beings that is greater or more important than marriage.” Even in just five short years, this quote rings so true. So let us begin by saying this: marriage is worth fighting for!
A few things that have kept our marriage strong and vibrant? Setting goals and choosing experiences that we can accomplish and enjoy together. We love to sit down over a home-cooked meal and dream of our next big thing–whether it is reaching a financial goal, sponsoring a child in need overseas, or planning travels in the near future. We love thinking big-picture and planning ways we can impact others. We both have individual interests, and it’s just as important to be mutually supportive of those. But we are also intentional about experiencing things we enjoy together!
In addition, we always strive to constantly improve and never settle in our relationship. We read all kinds of books together, and discuss them–including marriage books. We always want to know each other more deeply, understand what makes the other person tick, and improve our relationship continually. By accomplishing goals together, choosing experiences together, and learning of life and one another together, you can only strengthen your marriage relationship.
Eric Kelley
Keep up with Nancy:
Website: Nancy Ray Photography
Blog: Nancy Ray Photography
Facebook: Nancy Ray Photography
Twitter: @nancyray
Instagram: @nancyray
Keep up with Will:
Blog: William Ray
Twitter: @willrray
Instagram: @willrray
What a beautiful couple- great advice! I’m newly engaged and it’s always lovely to hear from couples who are living as individuals and working together as a team to grow as a pair as well. Love this! God bless the Rays. :-)
so sweet
Thanks for featuring this; Honored to share! Appreciate all that you guys do!