Love.

The longer I'm married, the more I'm realizing just how little I know about love.

...and I don't mean this to imply that I married the wrong man, got married too young, or am too overwhelmed with what's going on in my life; I disagree with all of those. What I'm simply saying is that to me, marriage is like a fascinating specimen. I'm constantly learning so much about myself, Mark, our incredible God and even just basic day-to-day human relationships on such a more detailed level that I couldn't have possibly achieved as the person I was previously as a single young woman (at least, the woman I was). It's just...different.

Obviously, love is more complex to me than ever before for a lot of reasons. But it's jaw-dropping how intricately designed it is, how many different avenues one could take to explore it (both positive and negatively) and how at the end of the day, it will always seem to lack something if the Lord isn't the forefront example of it's essence in one's life.

I could go on for days about love, and definitely want to write more about it later....but for right now, I'm just analyzing. Just processing and rough-drafting in my mind. And honestly, it's exciting how "little" I know about it because that only means I have so much more love to learn about and so much more love yet to give.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

"Are you a wife that's easy to love?"

NOTE: THIS IS A COPIED BLOG ENTRY for the sole purpose of those who aren't too savvy with redirecting to other links (as I have learned is that case with some of my viewers having trouble and that's okay! I'll do whatever I can to help you along!) I didnt write this particular blog entry, but was incredibly moved and encouraged by it through the writings of Jolene Engle. It's a great read and you can find the original author/blog here. Enjoy!

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There was a simple reason why I married my man.  I did so because I loved him and I felt his love towards me.  I don’t think I’m alone in this because I believe this is the same reason why most brides married their husbands.  We didn’t say ‘yes’ to our man because we wanted to go through life feeling discouraged or rejected by them.  We said ‘yes’ because they made us feel treasured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As wives, we need to feel cherished by our husbands but sometimes in our marital relationship the love extended by our husbands towards us can sometimes lessen or fade away.  This can happen for a number of reasons:

1)  The newness of the marital relationship has worn off and our husbands don’t know how to show us love when those warm, fuzzy feelings have diminished.
2)  They are consumed by other pursuits therefore their focus is elsewhere. They are either busy or they don’t think there’s a need to give their wife the love she needs.  In a husband’s mind, he thinks everything is fine in the marriage.
3)  The man doesn’t care to love his wife, all he cares about is himself.
4)  As wives, we can make it difficult for our men to love us because our actions and attitudes are, well… unlovable.

Being that we are known sinners, our husbands have a tall order to fill according to the Scriptures:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.  Ephesians 5:25

I personally believe this is an insurmountable task, especially for some husbands who dwell with a contentious wife.  As a woman, I honestly think we got the easier command to just submit and respect our men!

So I ask you this question.

Do you make it easy for your husband to love you?

Of course we’re not perfect and we’re going to fall short, but over all in your marriage would you say that your countenance towards your man makes him scream,

“I can’t help but love this woman?”

Since love is an action, here are some ways you can help foster that love connection in your marriage…

Give your husband respect, (whether he deserves it or not). 

Follow his leadership and submit to him.

Offer to help him.

Make eye contact when he’s speaking to you.

Be trustworthy and honorable.

Ask him how he feels respected by you and then bless him by doing it.

Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33

Watch your words.

Make sure they are uplifting and encouraging.  One of the reasons why our men probably married us was because they thought we were kind and sweet.   I know my man didn’t stand at the end of the wedding aisle waiting for me to say ‘I do’ to him so I could spew venom on him for the rest of his life!

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 16:24
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.  Proverbs 31:26

Have a cheerful heart.

Work on your attitude so your husband will want to come home to you.  No one enjoys being around a person who is constantly complaining and grumbling.

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.  Proverbs 15:13 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.  Psalm 35:9

Let things go.

Don’t hold a grudge.  When we do that, we communicate to our husbands that we think they’ve screwed up and we no longer respect them.  This type of action and attitude hurts men deeply so don’t be surprised if your man pulls away from you.  The bitterness in your heart will rob you of the love you desire.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  Ephesians 4:31

Continue to become more like Jesus Christ.  

As we grow in Godly character, this will naturally spill over into our marital relationship.  Of course, becoming more like Jesus doesn’t just happen overnight.  It takes time, dying to self, and complete devotion to following Him.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.  John 3:30

Now keep this in mind…  As wives, if we have a desire to please the Lord, the natural by-product of this is that we will constantly be seeking to respect and subm

"Most Richly Blessed"

Heard this prayer shared during a sermon today on the radio concerning the will of God for His peoples' lives, focusing on the fact that sometimes our most fervent prayers are answered with a "no," such as the case with David desiring to build a huge structure for the Lord. God told him no as it was to be done by his son, Solomon, no matter how passionate David was of his dream to honor the Lord in that way.
Anyways, here's the prayer. Loved it.



Most Richly Blessed
by an Unknown Civil War Veteran

Displayed in the Lobby of the Shreveport, LA Veterans Hospital
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might become wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given Life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers and true needs were fulfilled.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.