Hello Ladies! I hope you have received your books and are starting to read them. Take your time. It's only 10 pages but there is lots to study and think about. I hope you take advantage of the space provided to write your thoughts in the book. After you have finished chapter 1 let us know how you liked it and if anything really stuck out to you. You have an entire week to post comments before we start chapter 2.
May God bless your journey!
-Linda
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
I guess I’ll be the first to post a comment. I know if I don’t do it now, I will probably get busy and forget. Since I’m not exactly sure what to do, please forgive me if this seems rambling. What struck me the most was on pg. 17 where it says, “You must learn to turn to God to have your needs met.” I am the first to admit that as much as I fancy myself a “strong military wife” I am about as “dependent” as a military “dependant” can be. In my marriage, John handles the finances and the maintenance of EVERYTHING. And frankly, that works for me. But the biggest problem is that John deploys from time to time and, oh yeah, we live in a foreign country! So I think the world of my husband and I rely on him a lot. This chapter clarified to me that even though I tend to think my husband just hangs the moon, I need to be careful not to put him on a pedestal. Yes, he is fantastic, reliable and loving. He models Christ like love to my children and me, but he is human. He has faults and I must be careful not to turn worshipful of him. Seems like every time I forget that, God humbles me by throwing something my way that forces me to rely only on God. I just wish I could learn the lesson without the painful situation (deployment, painful relocation etc. etc.) But alas, I rely the most on God during those times of pain. I think Cory Ten Boom said it best, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still” (And she wrote that from a concentration camp). Of course, I would NEVER want to repeat those moments, but in the end they are the times I have grown the most in the Lord and relied on Him the most. I know there’s a lot more in this chapter, but for me this one struck a chord with me the most. Okay, so there it is my friends, my honest comment. Sorry if it was too long. I hope you all will be honest too. It’s not easy, but I am trusting that it will be worth it! Laurie
There are two parts that I wanted to point out. One is on page 19, asking if you have suffered disappointment involving your spouse or your relationship. I remember being a newly-wed, and being bitter because I sacrificed my "dreams" to move across the country with my husband in his Air Force career. This can be a big temptation to new military spouses or even old ones. What I realized is that I was being so prideful! I was feeling sorry for myself and not supporting my husband. In the years since, God has grown me a lot. I admire my husband so much now and love him to death! I want to support him and follow him wherever God leads us.
Secondly, I like what it says on pg. 18, "No matter how trivial or significant a position you think your spouse has in his particular branch of service, you can encourage him to give all glory to the Lord even when he finds himself in a difficult circumstance. Your response to his situation will either help or hinder him in his relationship with God. Our responses mean a lot to our husbands. When he comes home to tell us that he is going to deploy, our response can either help him in his relationship with God or hinder him. When he comes home and tell us that we are PCS'ing to Minot, ND we can either respond with a thankful heart, or be bitter and angry. The passage in I Thess 5, reminds us to "rejoice always" and "in everything give thanks." I want to rejoice always and be thankful, but it is very hard to do! Our husbands need our support and love, no matter what the circumstances that we are going through.
Besides those things, this chapter was an interesting eye-opener to looking at the Bible from a military perspective, and looking at David from a military perspective. I enjoyed the opportunity to be reminded of why I love my husband as well!
Thanks, Alison
After reading chapter 1 the passage that stuck in my mind and heart was on page 18, which stated, " if you are completely trusting in God, what will your attitude be when troubles come," this passage really spoke to me. I know in the past there were many times in my life when I said to myself, why me, what next, and why now? Well as I have gotten older and wiser my faith has led me to ask why not me, okay whatever happens next I can handle it, and when it happens I will deal with it. The difference between my past and now is that I knew my faith was strong but I had my doubts. I questioned everything that happend in my life and instead of looking at events as they happened in a positive light I looked at them in a negative light. Today, a few hours ago I received some life shattering news and when I spoke to my sister about it she was surprised that I wasn't angry, upset or crying. I didn't cry because I completely trust in God, and believe that God can carry us through anything. It is because of this attitude that I know I can get through anything with the right attitude. With my husband I tell him the same thing...their is something to be learned from every event in our life. I also tell him (because he is deployed)that when times get tough to stop, breathe, and say a small prayer because God is always listening. Changing his attitude has changed his life and it has enabled him to handle things during this deployment that in any other situation he may not be able to handle. So I say "attitude" is everything.
Hi Everyone,
While reading the Chapter 1, it reminds me how I met my husband for the first time. It reminds me spiritually that we should feel the same way all the time with God. David is a Man of God. He became successful coz He allows God to take control in every situations. Same with us. If we just allow God to take control and be the Captain of our Ship. I know it is hard as a Military Spouse to deal circumstances like deployments. My husband is been deployed for third time and going to four in just 2 years here in England. A strong family support and church support makes all deployments smooth. Without the help of our Almighty I don't think that I can be able to survive.
The verse that really stick to me is Phillipians 2:14-15 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.
Before we go on to the next chapter I will get a few thoughts in....while I have a very good and loving husband, he is not perfect! In fact, he bugs the snot out of me some times! On page 17 we were to read 2 Cor 12:9-10 about Paul's ability to praise God even in trials. I liked the sentence, "as you commit your marriage and your husband to God, He (God) can give you the grace to rise above the trials caused by your husband's sinful weakness." I realize that the power of the Holy Spirit can give me the ability to love and respect my husband even when I am weak, frustrated and unable to love him. God in me is able to do far greater than me alone! Although I may be using gifts the Creator has given to me, acting without the power of God is just selfish ambition!
Then on page 21, question 12, I was thrown by the authors idea that I Cor 13 should inspire us to "keep love fresh and youthful." I Cor 13 is the love of maturity, not a youthful fresh love, but a act of the will, a decided, committed love that one chooses to hold on to and practice during the good times and also the bad times. Not just a "young and in love" feeling.
BTW...I've been married 27 years! Same man, and we still love each other very much...most days! :)
Sorry this is so late, but I guess better late than never! The part that really hit home to me was on page 17 when it said "You must learn to turn to God to have your needs met. This will free you to love your husband unconditionally..." I think because of circumstances in my life I have tried to rely on my husband to fill the voids in my life instead of turning it to God. People are all going to have their shortcomings, and I think it's easy to to point them out in the person that we're closest to, but instead I need to love all of him including his faults and let God take control to meet my needs. Harder said than done sometimes though. Why is it that it seems so hard to let God take control of everything?!!?! It seems like such an easy concept when you say it!!!
I love all the comments and feedback! I have had many of the same thoughts. Something else that I enjoyed was re-writing Genesis 2:23-25 to have our names in it. Seeing it in writing that we really are ONE! God made us a team and we are strongest when we are united together and with God.
Also, to comment on what Ann said about youthful love... I saw it a little different.
When my husband and I were going through pre-marital counseling (with my grandparents who love Jesus and each other!) they advised us to never stop dating. Always make an effort to persue each other just like before you were married. Our love has gotten much deeper over the years but I still LOVE the flirting, the little love notes, the flowers etc...(my great-grandparents were this way until he passed at the age of 92!)It's too easy to get busy with the kids and work and then we forget to carve out time for us as a couple. We then become roommates and nothing more. When my husband "persues" me it fills up my emotional/physical tank and then I feel more then happy to fill up his physical/emotional tank. I also shower him with respect and show my appreciation. It's a beautiful thing until one of us stops. Then it becomes a battle and we need God's grace to work through it.
SO...what I took from the author was to keep flirting with each other, be vocal about your appreciation and respect, seduce your husband (in a good way), light that fire...or keep it burning...and don't forget the romance!
What a great journey we are on growing closer to God and our Husbands! Bless you all!
-Linda
Just to clarify...I am all for flirting, hand holding, youthful love, renewing our first joys of falling in love and keeping great passion in marriage. I simply thought I Cor 13 was not the best scripture to be referenced. Perhaps the Song of Solomon.
That is a good point Ann. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of a love we should all have for each other. Could be for our parents, our children or our husbands. Song of Solomon certainly speaks of more romantic and intimate love. Great input!
Post a Comment