This morning I had a short distance to drive and turned on CCFm, just in time for Focus on the Family. I haven’t listened to it for ages and was reminded at how much I have missed out. On the programme were Leroy and Kimberly Wagner, who set out on married life praying that their lives would be better for God together than when they were single. Leroy was the Pastor of their church, but five years into their marriage with a newborn in arms, he told Kimberly he didn’t think he loved her any more. What a heartbreaking thing to hear. It took many years longer of sticking it out – gritting their teeth and bearing it before the Lord intervened and things began to change. You can follow this link and listen to the podcast.
Kim largely blamed herself for her unhappy marriage. She has written a book called Fierce Women. You can read the first chapter here. She recognised and listed a whole bunch of ways that she was demeaning her husband and in her book she has created an anagram out of the horrible word “emasculation.” This is what it looks like:
It was quite an eye opener, going through each one and examining myself asking myself if at any time I treat Mike in the same way.
I think it is easy to be tempted into a number of them and each partner has to make a concerted effort to work at avoiding them.
One other thing that comes up on the programme is how easy it is to know the Word of God – to know the Bible verses and to be able to quote them verbatim – but it’s a whole different thing to LIVE the Word of God.
In a very similar vain, at my ladies meeting today, we heard Andy Stanley talk about what to wear as a Christian….someone who follows Christ should put on the following attire:
Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Imagine if we wore that all day, not only when in church on a Sunday, but when we are in our homes, hanging out with our families, cooking in the kitchen, watching TV, playing with our kids, just doing life with our spouses. Living, breathing, talking, working compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Add to that forgiveness in the next verse and vs 14 says, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
If all of us are working towards clothing ourselves in these things, imagine how happy our homes will be.
Good lessons from today. Life long lessons, for now, for tomorrow, next year, next decade, 100 years from now. Timeless lessons that will result in happier homes.
And today #227 of my 1000 thanks is for a ‘fish’ date with Mike. We went to the Ocean Basket.
These are the days!
Keep the smile going.
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂