I am so glad that I actually can join in with Christine’s “30-day Honor our Husbands Challenge”. I am glad that God made it clear that I needed this refresher course! Over two years ago He carved out a path for me to become a better wife. To be honest with you, I was slacking in some areas. Especially the prayer area I mentioned last week…
So, how did my first week go? Hm – well in some areas I have improved (prayer mainly). I did find my prayer cards on Monday morning and started to pray the cards again. One thing we as woman have to remember is that God needs to change us first in order to have a healthier marriage. It only took me almost 22 years to realize that 😳 . This said, I want to share a prayer from the prayer cards that has become my favorite prayer for God to change me and my attitude:
Lord, I confess the times I’ve been unloving, critical, angry, resentful, disrespectful, or unforgiving toward my husband. Help me to put aside any hurt, anger or disappointment I feel and forgive him the way You do–totally and completely, no looking back. Make me a tool of reconciliation, peace, and healing in this marriage. Make me my husband’s helpmate, companion, champion, friend, and support. Help me to create a peaceful, restful, safe place for him to come home to. Teach me how to take care of myself and stay attractive to him. Grow me into a creative and confident woman who is rich in mind, soul, and spirit. Make me the kind of woman he can be proud to say is his wife….In Jesus precious name ~ Amen”
I pray this prayer at least once a week from Stormie’s prayer cards “The Power of a Praying Wife“. These prayers keep me focused…
The other area I wanted to improve in is not giving advice when my Sweetheart shares with me…Okay, I kept quiet this week, only ask additional questions, but no advice came over my lips…Well, the last point was not so good. I still struggle a little with our intimate time, being tired after a long day at the office. I did arrive home in a better mood though–praising Him all the way home helps!
What I want to add to my list this week is communication…Not from my Sweetheart’s side, but mine. As I might have mentioned before, I am very quiet. If something bugs me, I like to retreat in my little shell and don’t come back out; even if my Sweetheart ask me what is wrong or what I am thinking. I always say “Nothing”…not good, because I do think about all kinds of stuff.
I want to share an example with you from Saturday night. I was really tired from the heat. My Sweetheart wanted to watch a movie and I wanted to join him. Well, half way through the movie, I fell asleep. Instead of telling my husband that I was tired and wanted to go to bed, I just fell asleep. He told me later that I should have told him that I was not up for watching a movie. He is right–I need to share with him my thoughts and feelings…So my goals for this upcoming week:
- Continue to use the prayer cards for specific prayers…
- Continue to just listen without giving advice…
- Improve on our time together…
- Improve my communication with my Sweetheart…
Christine, thank you again for this wonderful challenge. Thank you my dear readers for stopping by today to help me stay accountable.
Blessings on your Monday and as always…
Beautiful goals my friend, praying for your marriage.
Beautiful. I am so happy to see wives working to do things right. I am not a wife at this point, although I hope to be someday, and I am encouraged that it is possible to improve in the role of wife. If I ever get married, I will need all the help I can get!
What a great prayer – I need to do this! Good for you!
Praying that you would grow leaps in your communication goals this week. I know how easy it is to retreat but speaking up with encourage the healthy marriage you desire! Blessings to you dear friend~
Hi Iris! Your prayer this week spoke volumes to my heart ~ thank you so much for blessing me this evening. I know God is smiliing on you and blessing your efforts in your marriage. I am inspired by you with every visit. You have a beautiful heart and it shines through your blog. Have a wonderful day…
Thank you for sharing what is on your heart. I LOVE the prayers Stormie shares, and thank you for your honesty. May God bless and enrich your marriage in seeking to please and honor Him.
Jenn
I love Power of a Praying Wife. I desperately needed that book when I found it several years ago – thanks for the reminder that I still need to be praying those prayers. That’s something I honestly don’t keep up with as much as I should. I think I’m guilty of doing what I call “gloss-over” prayers – hitting the high points, but not really getting to the actual issues. I’ll join you in your prayer this week.
Praying that the Lord continues to bless your marriage – thank you for being such an encouragement to me!
You sound like me — I tend to retreat inside myself instead of talking when something is wrong. I read that book years ago and need to do so again — at least once a year! That prayer is just what I need right now.
I am learning so much from you wives during the challenge. It’s giving me as a single lady a more balanced view of marriage.
This post was honest and very vulnerable. Thanks for your beautiful example of prayer. I can tell you’re on your way to a “marriage made in heaven.” (Funny, I posted on marriage today too…) HUGS!
Iris,
I had forgotten how powerful these prayers are. This one is especially inspiring and encouraging. Love you.
That is such a great book… I will have to get it out again when I get back to Russia!
May God bless your marriage and all of your efforts this coming week!
Dear Iris,
Wonderful post and reminders . I love that book and need to really get it back out again for the prayers. Your blog always blesses me every visit. I was so sick this weekend and had to teach art toady and loved coming her and reading and praying.
Hugs and Love,
Angel ():)
You have some wonderful goals! I appreciate how open everyone is being with this challenge. It really helps me when I see many other women who have the same struggles as I do.
I love the prayer. I am going to print it out on an index card and place it on my ring of current verses, thoughts and prayers that I am focusing on! Thank you for the idea to add as a goal not to offer advice and just listen! I do that way toooooo much and can see it on my husbands face when I do! I remember when I FINALLY got the message that I needed to change first before any other changes were going to take place!
I struggle with the communication, too. Why is it so hard to be upfront & honest with the ones who we love the most? For me, I don’t want to hurt his feelings. But, I end up hurting him more when I try to avoid the hurt altogether.
Glad things are going well for you.
That’s a beautiful prayer Iris (I need to get that book). I think your goals are good ones. I’m just the opposite of you – I talk to my hubby far too much. He tends to be more like you – so I’m always running over him. I need to let him get a word in edge-wise once in a while 🙂 I am going to try to work on that one this week!
Thanks for the encouraging email sweet friend.
Iris, this challenge is such a wonderful idea. You have been a blessing to both God and your husband. Your loving kindness inspires us.
Great post. May God bless all of our marriages!
Blessings,
Angela
I wish I had seen the “30 Day Challange” in time to participate. I face the same struggle with the “retreating into a shell”. Can’t seem to help it. Oh, I eventually get it out…but it’s after I have dealt with it for several days in my mind/heart.
Another thing I want to comment on were the prayer cards. I have that book by Stormie and it helped me tremendously while going through a rough patch in our 25 years 🙂
While I was praying those prayers a thought occured to me (I may have even read it)…to encourage my beloved, I put post-it notes of scripture verses all over the house. In places he would look and read them. (bathroom mirror, truck visor, bedside table, front of his bible, etc.) Because this was a trial of marriage I felt that he needed confirmation that I was forgiving him, loving him and still praying for him daily. The post-it reminders helped him (he said) know that I had forgiven, was praying and would always love him. I used passages from Song of Solomon, Jeremiah 33:3, Isaiah 38:18-19 just to name a few.
This not only helped him, but it helped me so much to remain steadfast in my forgiveness and not dredge up the faults.
Thanks for sharing your heart! I love coming here!
Great goals! I can relate to so many of them… =) Good luck this week.
I think I told you how much I love that prayer card idea. That’s such an important goal to have met. I’m glad this challenge has blessed you!
I absolutely LOVE this challenge! I have read most of PoaPW and it’s great. I recently read Created to be His Help Meet – HIGHLY recommend it! When I am “following” that book (which is straight from the bible, so really, when I am following what God commanded me to be as a wife) my marriage thrives. My hubby and I were having a rough time, and I started reading that book. I wasn’t even 1/2 way through it and our marriage took a 180 degree turn around just because I was being the wife I was SUPPOSED to be! It was amazing! Anyway, I’m sorry for the novel, I just wanted to say thank you for encouraging wives to cherish and honor our husbands. Goodness knows they don’t always “deserve” it (but who does?!) but when we do, love blooms 🙂 Thank you!
I do hope you submit to Chrsit. I am not judging but Christ is the answer