Since my husband doesn't strike me as a fearful kind of man, I was surprised at how he responded to me asking him about his fears. After reading this chapter I realized I didn't have a clue about what my husband feared. I thought he constantly had his mind occupied with more practical things than fear. When I asked him what his fears were, his biggest one seemed to be for our children. He is afraid that because he walked away from the Lord in his youth that our children will also. He fears our children bearing the kinds of scars he does from his own sin. What an insight that was to me about my husband. He also said he feared loosing me. Yesterday I went to the doctor and Amos stayed home with Elijah because Elijah was napping. Amos told me that when I left he just kept thinking, 'what if something happens to her and I'm not there'. He said he wanted to be able to drive me and make sure I got there safely. ( I tried not to take this as an insult to my driving) Seriously though, I realized not only how much my husband loves me and his family, but that he does struggle with fear. Not only am I blessed to pray for my husband, but also to know him a little deeper.
Lord I pray that we would trust You in our everyday life, knowing that you are in control and you promise purpose, even through trials, for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. When my husband begins to fear for his family, Lord I pray that you would help him to remember Your sovereignty. Help Amos to remember that the You loves us (his family) even more than he does. Help Amos to remember that You have a will for our family. Help us to be wise parents who raise our children to fear only the Lord. Any other fears that my husband may have Lord, I pray that he would surrender them to you. Thank you for the godly man that he is. Thank you that he loves you and desires to serve you and have a family who serves you. Please always remind him that You are our strength and our refuge. Let him always find his peace and rest in the glory of your salvation. Help him to remember that if You are for us Lord, than no one can really be against us. Remind him of the battle you won on Calvary. Help that to calm his fears. When fear overtakes him, remind him that we serve a risen God. I pray these things for all our husbands. Help us to be women who know our husbands well and desire to put their needs before our own.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Chapter 7 His Mind
"...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." 1 Corinthians 10:5
The battle, however big or small, so often begins in our minds. It is when we entertain one misguided thought that we get so easily ensnared. Our thought life is important, especially since we are called to set our minds on things above.
I like how Stormie said she didn't have to accept her husband’s thoughts as "just the way he was". We get so caught up in that sometimes and forget that God desires us to be continually growing and maturing. I pray that we wouldn't settle for who we think we are or who we think our husbands are, but that we would seek to be like Christ in all our thoughts and choices.
Lord, please guard my husband's thoughts. Help him to know when the thoughts are not of you. Help him to recognize quickly which thoughts are dangerous for him to entertain. I pray that my husband will never be carnally minded, but will always think on things that are true and noble. Help him to serve you Lord with his entire mind.
The battle, however big or small, so often begins in our minds. It is when we entertain one misguided thought that we get so easily ensnared. Our thought life is important, especially since we are called to set our minds on things above.
I like how Stormie said she didn't have to accept her husband’s thoughts as "just the way he was". We get so caught up in that sometimes and forget that God desires us to be continually growing and maturing. I pray that we wouldn't settle for who we think we are or who we think our husbands are, but that we would seek to be like Christ in all our thoughts and choices.
Lord, please guard my husband's thoughts. Help him to know when the thoughts are not of you. Help him to recognize quickly which thoughts are dangerous for him to entertain. I pray that my husband will never be carnally minded, but will always think on things that are true and noble. Help him to serve you Lord with his entire mind.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Chapter 6 His Temptations
My dear husband's greatest temptation these days is anger. I contest that it's from playing violent video games and watching violent movies, but he thinks not. I pray for his temper quite often. When we are driving or when he sees some injustice his first impulse in his mind is to punch some guy in the face. Crazy huh, when you think of my husband. He's never actually been violent with anyone, but you should here the way he thinks sometimes. All our temptations start in our mind and from there we have to learn to control those thoughts. So for this week I will pray frequently for my husband and his anger.
When we first met, and even at the beginning of our marriage, he seemed to struggle more with lust. He is very aware of his nature and is very careful to not even let his eyes wander. I am so grateful for that. But I also have observed the way women notice him and his total oblivion. This keeps me on my knees about his faithfulness. Unfaithfulness, is our biggest marital fear, isn't it? Would you stay? Would you leave? Who could you confide in? What could you have done better as a wife? For me, it is a fear because I know that I have made my commitment to the Lord for better or worse and Amos's behavior was never a factor in my commitment. That puts me in a very scary place. I know that our assurance is in the Lord and if Amos took his eyes off our God for a time, it would be easy to stray. So as a result I have always prayed for God to guard our marriage.
Lord calm my husband's spirit. Let his first reactions to negative things be righteous. Change his thinking so that anger isn't a temptation for him anymore. Help him to be angry and not sin. (Eph 4:26) Father also guard his mind against any lustful thoughts. Help him to guard his eyes also. Thank you for his desire to remain faithful and pure in his marriage. Please help us both to always stay focused on you and to always endure the temptations that come up in our lives. Please Lord help us to be great wives, who desire to love and please our husbands. But more importantly Lord, let our husbands find their fulfillment in you so that they are not searching for appreciation, love, affection or respect from anyone outside of their marriage. Please help us to be aware of the things that are tempting our husbands at different times in their lives so that we may be in prayer for them. Please give them godly male friends who they can confide in, who will come beside them in prayer and support. Thank you again Father, for dying on the cross, so that we can come before you with these requests. Thank you for your sacrifice and help us to be grateful everyday for our salvation and transformation in you. Please guard our husbands especially this week in the area of temptation. Please make them aware of any sin in their lives and convict them to pluck it out. (Matt 9:47) Please help them to desire to be more like you Jesus everyday.
When we first met, and even at the beginning of our marriage, he seemed to struggle more with lust. He is very aware of his nature and is very careful to not even let his eyes wander. I am so grateful for that. But I also have observed the way women notice him and his total oblivion. This keeps me on my knees about his faithfulness. Unfaithfulness, is our biggest marital fear, isn't it? Would you stay? Would you leave? Who could you confide in? What could you have done better as a wife? For me, it is a fear because I know that I have made my commitment to the Lord for better or worse and Amos's behavior was never a factor in my commitment. That puts me in a very scary place. I know that our assurance is in the Lord and if Amos took his eyes off our God for a time, it would be easy to stray. So as a result I have always prayed for God to guard our marriage.
Lord calm my husband's spirit. Let his first reactions to negative things be righteous. Change his thinking so that anger isn't a temptation for him anymore. Help him to be angry and not sin. (Eph 4:26) Father also guard his mind against any lustful thoughts. Help him to guard his eyes also. Thank you for his desire to remain faithful and pure in his marriage. Please help us both to always stay focused on you and to always endure the temptations that come up in our lives. Please Lord help us to be great wives, who desire to love and please our husbands. But more importantly Lord, let our husbands find their fulfillment in you so that they are not searching for appreciation, love, affection or respect from anyone outside of their marriage. Please help us to be aware of the things that are tempting our husbands at different times in their lives so that we may be in prayer for them. Please give them godly male friends who they can confide in, who will come beside them in prayer and support. Thank you again Father, for dying on the cross, so that we can come before you with these requests. Thank you for your sacrifice and help us to be grateful everyday for our salvation and transformation in you. Please guard our husbands especially this week in the area of temptation. Please make them aware of any sin in their lives and convict them to pluck it out. (Matt 9:47) Please help them to desire to be more like you Jesus everyday.
Monday, February 2, 2009
His Affection
Reading this week, this quote from a TV show kept popping into my head. " I confuse sex with love". The context was humorous, but there is some truth in that for me in regards to affection. I feel like sex is the greatest form of affection my husband can show me.
Amos is actually really good about holding my hand and hugs and smooches and all that stuff, but my big prayer this week has been that are children would be blessed by the affection they see us showing each other. I pray that my children would be "huggers"and that they would always feel secure in the relationship their parents have because of our affection for one another.
Before we got married when we were trying so hard not to have sex, I would hug Amos and he would push my hips away from his body. He finally explained to me that this form of affection was going to lead more to stumbling him in the way of our last chapter (sexuality). I think of that in fondness now remembering how affection can and sometimes even should sometimes lead to sexual intimacy.
Affection is a big deal for me because I used to really struggle with what I now like to refer to as "daddy love me issues". I craved affection and now as a married women it is nice to be shown affection in an appropriate God given way that a husband should show his wife affection. I am blessed that God gave me a husband who shows his affection physically.
Lord please let my husband and I never withhold affection from one another. Help us to set an example of love and affection for our children. Let us always remember how important affection is to our relationship. Thank you for the affectionate husband I have. Help me to remember when I struggle with other areas regarding my husband that he really does bless me in this area. Help me to know when my husband needs affection and to be selfless enough to give it even when I don't feel like it. Help all of our husbands to know that we not only desire affection but sometimes we need affection. Give them the wisdom and knowledge to recognize these things and show affection accordingly. Thank you Lord for our husbands. Let our prayers for them be out of love and prayed with a right heart.
Amos is actually really good about holding my hand and hugs and smooches and all that stuff, but my big prayer this week has been that are children would be blessed by the affection they see us showing each other. I pray that my children would be "huggers"and that they would always feel secure in the relationship their parents have because of our affection for one another.
Before we got married when we were trying so hard not to have sex, I would hug Amos and he would push my hips away from his body. He finally explained to me that this form of affection was going to lead more to stumbling him in the way of our last chapter (sexuality). I think of that in fondness now remembering how affection can and sometimes even should sometimes lead to sexual intimacy.
Affection is a big deal for me because I used to really struggle with what I now like to refer to as "daddy love me issues". I craved affection and now as a married women it is nice to be shown affection in an appropriate God given way that a husband should show his wife affection. I am blessed that God gave me a husband who shows his affection physically.
Lord please let my husband and I never withhold affection from one another. Help us to set an example of love and affection for our children. Let us always remember how important affection is to our relationship. Thank you for the affectionate husband I have. Help me to remember when I struggle with other areas regarding my husband that he really does bless me in this area. Help me to know when my husband needs affection and to be selfless enough to give it even when I don't feel like it. Help all of our husbands to know that we not only desire affection but sometimes we need affection. Give them the wisdom and knowledge to recognize these things and show affection accordingly. Thank you Lord for our husbands. Let our prayers for them be out of love and prayed with a right heart.
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