the Lord, books & marriage

(Google images)

I've just finished reading the book, Fireproof.  I still haven't seen the movie so reading the book was lovely, all new.  Can I encourage you to read this beautiful love story.  I think we might all be able to relate to this story, some more than others, certain aspects more than others, but I humbly think at least some part of it.

First, let me say how many books we have in our home-I love books-how can you not?!  They're overflowing from every nook and cranny, piled up here and there and of course there are so many more I could give a good home to (my poor hubby!)  Now, as much as I love these word-filled, some scripture-filled, some delicately picture-filled narratives, how many have I read you might ask?  "Well,"  I would answer, "I've started most of them."  Oh, my intentions are always for good but generally, by the time I sit to read (not too often!), yep you guessed it, this mama is out like a light!  I am always amazed at the sweet blogs where they do book reviews (I love to read them-the blogs that is...see, I can still read!)

Okay, my point-I read this book in 3 days in the evening, a total of 3-4 hours quite possibly!  A miracle I might say ;)  It was a light read, having the reader hoping for more, relating to the characters, intrigued by the firefighting, waiting for the next response.  But what brought tears to my eyes-the love of the Lord, the testimony of God's hand in the characters lives, His grace and the miraculous changes He truly can make in a human heart when the heart is just the tiniest bit open.
This truly was a love story.

There was much I took from this love story, but one of the main things I did was truly commit my marriage to the Lord.  When hubby and I got married, I wasn't saved.  I knew I loved this man and wanted to marry him (did I ever tell you I was an hour late-perpetually late I am!) and we would have a nice party and we were going to have a life where it was 50/50 and have children and a big house and nice cars someday.  Yep, these were my thoughts for the most part, because this is what the world told me marriage was.

It wasn't until our oldest was an infant that I asked Jesus to be my Savior and I thought just a bit outside of myself.  Slowly, I began to attend church (sometimes just to have childcare for little ones)...but the seeds were being sown.  A year later when pregnant with our second (7 months to be exact) the Lord struck a chord in my spirit and I wanted to be baptized, right then and there.  I went, tears streaming down my face with a huge smile, white robe, big belly and professed His goodness and my need for Him in front of our church.  It was Father's Day, isn't that precious?

From that time on, I began attending a beautiful church alive with His Word!  Hubby was saved but hadn't been attending.  Then one Sunday I asked and he came.  And was the Lord ready for that-oh, is He good!  The sermon spoke exactly to my hubby and his concerns with the churches we had attended.  He continued to come after that...no surprise to Him :)

But getting back to the marriage part, one huge change in our marriage was attending a MOPS meeting where our pastor and wife spoke to us ladies on marriage.  This was the first time I'd heard my husband was to be before my children.  What?  But he is a grown man who can do things for himself, here I have these helpless little ones who can't, what do you mean I should put his needs first?  And shouldn't he be doing things for me since I take care of the kids all day?  Oh, I could go on and on.  But, I didn't take offense to what I was hearing, the Lord  had prepared my heart to hear and to understand and changes started happening.

This has been a long process for us (well, probably not in the grand scheme of things) but my heart has been resistant to authority.  This is why I tell people, we are married by the grace of God :)  And I say how PATIENT our heavenly Father is!  He doesn't ask us to come to Him perfect or all put together-Praise the Lord!  Just a willing heart, at least a hint...how willing maybe, will determine how long the process will be (just something to think about ;) )

So, I read the book and I prayed.  I committed my marriage to the Lord and my role as a wife and a mother.  I committed this heart to my Father and the precious man He blessed me with, through the good and the bad, 'til death do us part, to love and to cherish, to honor and obey, to work as best I can, and to love the Lord with all my heart (because none of this will work or stick with out Him and the renewing of my mind.)

my Scottish honey :)

He is good always...

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.~1Corinthians 7:3


For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ~Ephesians 5:23


However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. ~Ephesians 5:33


Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~Roman 12:2


praying for your homes and hearts...