Here's a suggested break down of the reading for the week...in 6 days, take a day off. :)
-Intro: The Power
-His Wife: The Three Word Prayer & Who, Me? ... Change?
-" " : The Ultimate Love Language & I Don't Even Like Him--How Can I pray for him?
-" " : Shut Up & Pray & Believer or Not
-" " : Creating a Home & Letting Go of Expectations
-" " :With all Due Respect & Prayer, Power Tools
Here are some things to think about when you're reading/have read.
**First of all, while I'd love for all of us to be honest and open, by no means do we expect you to express things about you and your marriage that would make you or your husband uncomfortable. Hopefully you are close enough to your partner in the study to talk it out with them if need be. :)
<> Read Luke 10:19. You don't have authority over your husband, but whom DO you have authority over? Is there an area in your/our marriages that the enemy has gained or is trying to gain a stronghold?
<>Read Joel 2:25. What things deplete life out of marriage? What does God promise to do when things have been eaten away from our lives? Do you have a shareable story where something has eated away at a part of your married life and God has restored it?
<>On page 27 Stormie refers to our husbands treating us with unkindness, lack of respect, indifference, irresponsibility, etc, as SINNING against us. And also lists self-pity and lovelessness and revenge as sins just as bad as any others. I had not ever thought of these as actual SINS, just attitudes that aren't quite so "Christian-looking." Much less as something for which to ask & give forgiveness! How often have we sabotaged our own prayers by these things?
<>Psalm 62:5 says "for God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him." How many of the expectations we lay on our poor husbands should really be laid upon the Lord?
<>Read Ephesians 5:33 (hey, at least as a refresher :) Is there any area in which you've lost respect for your husband? I often don't even think of ommission as being sin as well as commission, but isn't it so easy to just leave the whole "I respect you" out of the equation? Sure, I appreciate you going to work and keeping the roof up, or I love you, thank you for my flowers, but how do we define RESPECT for them? Anybody have any real tangible ways to show respect for our husbands daily??
hope you don't mind a stanger following along. i just happened to stumble upon this ( perhaps I was guided) and i just felt that i needed to persue this. I've read other books before. but the idea of following along with a partner excited me. that i could discuss and such with someone else who was reading the book. so i have my best friend reading along too. we are going to follow along, as we are long distance apart anyway. thanks for this. God Bless.
ReplyDeleteDee. :)
The forward to this book really made me realize just how important this study can be for my marriage. As some of you who know me well have heard my little sister is contemplating divorce, but trying to reconcile at this time. We are all heart broken over the whole thing. My parents were also divorced when I was young. I know that trusting in God and praying for his protection over my marriage and my husband is vital. I thank God for the caring ladies that he has brought into my life through Wedgwood, I know that I will have some wonderful prayer partners along the way.
ReplyDeleteAs I am beginning this study, I have already felt attacks on my marriage in the past few days. I find myself having to be especially conscious to not snap at Jeff or be critical of him in things that would not normally bother me. It just confirms in me that God is wanting to do something to strengthen my marriage and encourage my husband, and Satan doesn't want that to happen. I am glad to be focusing on this specifically.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that especially since the coming of children in our marriage, we are constantly feeling like our "new" lives are attempting to drain the life out of our marriage, and I keep laying awake at night, (or sleep thinking as I nurse in the rocking chair!) what can I DO to revive it, it's up to me, right? This week's chapter has convicted me about that attitude, and while we are each to give our 120%, like Bro. Al mentioned, it is prayer and the Holy Spirit that have the power to change and refresh us. I was also convicted about the expectancy part...."yeah, you go to work while I play at home with the kids, and by the way, you need to do your chores, and still treat me like the queen bee, etc, etc etc...." :) Thank the Lord for grace! :)
ReplyDelete