I had the most wonderful Wednesday morning that I've had in a while. This morning at SAMmy's I felt God putting some pieces of certain happenings in my life together in the lesson today, as well as offer one scripture after another! (For those of you wondering what SAMmy's is, it stands for Strength Among Mother's Ministry.) We meet every Wednesday morning at Harvestime Church in Eau Claire.
Marriages have been on my heart this past year, starting with my own. In October of 2009, things in our own marriage were starting to fall apart. We were more distant than we had ever been, we were stressed to the max with two new babies and two four year olds. We were not talking more than we were talking, and when we were talking we were fighting. I was struggling with post partum emotions and balancing it all. While Ashley was doing what most men do best, avoiding a crazy wife and taking everything out in anger. Which we learned later is called "The crazy cycle" The love, what love? Respect, what's that? We were going through the motions of life raising four children all of which happen to be twins, and has it's unique struggles. We found JOY in some areas of life, but couldn't get it together in the marriage department.
I did what I felt needed to be done. I PRAYED, and not just prayed, I cried out to God! I was desperate for a solution to our problem. I knew that we needed to get back to church...God went to work and called upon His people. He hears our prayers and especially our cries. I had received a message via facebook from a friend inviting us to his church. We went. I was thrilled, I knew that this was the church for us, more importantly I knew this was God's work, because I had prayed for this. Ashley wasn't as sold as I was. We continued to go. I fought to get my family up every Sunday morning, but the important thing was, we were in church. I knew that if I was faithful to God, He wouldn't let things fall apart. February came around and my neighbor came over, she invited us to a weekend conference at their church, "Love and Respect". This was the start of "the change" in our marriage. Now, nearly a year later...I can't even believe that just a year ago our marriage was on the brink of disaster, like so many marriages! God has shown me or called me rather, to be a testimony. To share in the struggle, but also to encourage hope for change. The past year has been a lot of trial and error, but the biggest difference has come from throwing out the score card! Let God be the one to keep score. Instead of praying for God to change him, I have prayed for God to change ME! God's infinite grace has come over me by His Holy Spirit. Becoming a praying wife and mother has changed the dynamic of not only our marriage but our family. I heard a saying once that really changed my perspective on a wife's role. "The man is the head of the home while a woman is the heart of the home." I love that. God is calling ME. Why me? I ask Him often, at times I am out of my comfort zone and then I surrender all to Him.
Following God's Will...
This past summer a few of our friends have had some marital issues. My first reaction was to sit back and I thought to myself, "don't get in the middle of it." So, I did what was comfortable, I prayed about it. That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks..."People don't change the world by just sitting back" Wow! I thought "OK God, I'll do it." He is using our trials to help others so close to us in need. As we help by ministering to them, we learn from them and they help us more than they know. It is amazing how God works. Discussing other marriages and their problems, has opened our eyes to things in our own, drawing us much closer together. We are in the process of hosting a "Love and Respect" conference in our home in the coming months. Yes, less than one year ago, I sat through that conference, fighting back tears...broken and ashamed of our problems and our marriage. Now, God is calling us, the out of control wife and the husband that I could hardly drag to church to host a bible study. Who would have ever thought? GOD does exist and HE is GOOD! Never underestimate His power!
So, today at SAMmy's we touched on David and Abigail, in 1 Samuel 25: 1-42. It really spoke to me in a way that was moving, it made me think of how things once were. More importantly it reminded me of the wife I want to be, the wife I've become, and the wife I will be in days to come. Like Abigail, strong, supportive, wise, a wife of noble character.
Here are those amazing scriptures...
- "the heart of her husband has full trust in her and he will have no lack of gain" Proverbs 31:11
- "Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it." Psalm 34:14
- "(Love) does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth." 1 Corinthians 13:6
- "A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great." Proverbs 18:16
Now for the task...
Each week, do two things that let your husband know how much you appreciate him. Also, work on controlling your anger. James 1: 19-20 says, "Know this, my brothers; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
A little extra blurb...
"Being mad is OK. Being mean is not. " ~Cathy Jenson
Today, I am thankful for SAMmy's. What a blessing it has been in my life. Thank you God, for Cathy and her words. Thank You for everyone who helps, to make it all possible. May you bless them and keep them in Your Will! I pray for Your Holy Sacrament of Marriage. Bless every marriage, everywhere! Remind us of what it means, remind us that it is in Your name that we said "I do". Help us to be faithful, not only in our marriages, but to You. I pray for every wife, let her be the wife that you designed her to be, that of noble character. Thank You for Your Word, Your Promise and Your Wisdom. All the Glory be to You! Amen!
Happy Wednesday everyone, God Bless your day :)
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