Colossians 3:18
Wow. I just used the S word. Submit.
It's scary to turn over the authority to my husband. We spent the first nine years of marriage living our own lives. There wasn't a lot of communication, discussion, or feedback. As he struggled with depression, I made most of the decisions.
Things made a dramatic turn for the better just over three years ago. Although I'm not sure what the exact trigger was, I know I can give God the credit for taking us to that point and the progress we have both made since.
I want a great marriage.
I want it for our children. I want it for my husband. I want it for myself.
Most of all, I know God wants it.
Here are some things I tried in the first nine years of marriage.
- Make a list of all the things we need to do to make our marriage stronger. Provide my husband with a laminated copy.
- Drag my unwilling husband to a marriage retreat. Have a miserable time and then be grumpy about it.
- Talk to anyone who will listen about how awful things are. Ask for their advice.
- Read every single marriage book out there and "suggest" that my husband read them as well.
- Talk until I am blue in the face in the hopes that he will finally understand what I am saying.
Needless to say, these things did not improve our situation. In fact, I'm positive they made things worse.
In order to journey towards a great marriage, I have to allow God to change me.
I pray for my husband as a man of God, as a husband and as a father.
I pray that I will be the wife that God wants me to be. The wife my husband most needs.
I try to soften my spirit when it comes to our relationship.
I try to speak lovingly and respectfully about him at all times.
I try to speak respectfully to him and apologize when I realize I haven't.
I look for ways to serve him.
I attempt to be submissive.
I do not allow our children to speak ill of their father.
I watch my own words around my children when I am upset about something.
I seek forgiveness for my mistakes.
I ask for my husband's advice on things that I would normally not even think twice about.
I let my husband make some pretty big decisions.
I demand perfection from myself and it's hard to give myself grace as I stumble and fall. As I challenge myself to be the woman, wife and mother that God wants me to be, I am learning to let go of this crazy notion that I can do it perfect.
I just need to let go, enjoy the journey and leave the rest to God.
I pray that I will be the wife that God wants me to be. The wife my husband most needs.
I try to soften my spirit when it comes to our relationship.
I try to speak lovingly and respectfully about him at all times.
I try to speak respectfully to him and apologize when I realize I haven't.
I look for ways to serve him.
I attempt to be submissive.
I do not allow our children to speak ill of their father.
I watch my own words around my children when I am upset about something.
I seek forgiveness for my mistakes.
I ask for my husband's advice on things that I would normally not even think twice about.
I let my husband make some pretty big decisions.
I demand perfection from myself and it's hard to give myself grace as I stumble and fall. As I challenge myself to be the woman, wife and mother that God wants me to be, I am learning to let go of this crazy notion that I can do it perfect.
I just need to let go, enjoy the journey and leave the rest to God.