This week Ian and I will celebrate ten months of covenant love as husband and wife. To say that marriage is "the grace of life," as Peter puts it, is an understatement, and I truly desire to cherish and guard the gift of love and companionship the Lord has given me in my darling Ian.
Back in August, I went through what I would call a spiritual "valley." I felt distant from the Lord, and most days I felt a deep sense of discouragement, compounded by being very emotional. Looking back I see the root cause of this as twofold: First, I was comfortable. Comfortable with life, my routine, and most detrimental of all, my perceived "spiritual health." I had allowed to-do lists and various family events to be a priority over my time in God's word. I quickly began to look inward instead of upward for the strength I needed each day. Safe to say the Lord was very gracious and swift to remind me that this is not His will for my life and to draw me close to Him through admonishment and love. Second, I was pregnant. I didn't know it at the time, but my body was going through some major changes as I began to carry our son inside my womb. Physical weakness + spiritual weakness led me to pray one evening for the Lord to forgive my self righteous actions ( a prayer I am sure I will continue to pray time and time again until I see Christ face to face), to bring be into deep fellowship with Him and show me how to walk dependently upon Him.
The next day I was browsing over some Bible studies for women at work and Loving Your Husband: Building an Intimate Marriage in a Fallen World by Cynthia Heald (buy it here!) caught my eye. I quickly skimmed through it, and decided to buy it. I started going through it that night and it is now a title I will recommend to all my lady friends who are married or engaged. Really, I wish I had a hundred on hand to give to anyone I know who is married, and everyone I meet who is newly engaged. It includes 12 topical Bible study lessons to deepen a women's love for her husband and gives great insight into being a wife after God's word and heart.
The thing I loved most about this study was the deep search through God's word that I embarked upon each time I opened its' pages. The book opens with a study of dependence upon the Lord, and ends on the topic of enduring in our Christian walk and faith - which directly influence our role as a Christian wife. In between those foundational topics lay studies on: speech, respect, love, and wisdom - to name a few. Throughout, the study follows the outline of: an in depth topical study from Scripture, heart probing questions to help you evaluate the truth being learned and apply it in your own life, questions to ask your husband, and finally some wise words from the author's life experience to encourage you in the truth that has come before. I mourned the end of the study and desperately wanted it to keep going. The Lord used this in my life to give me a deeper love and understanding of His word, strengthen my love and affection for my husband, and as a great encouragement toward godliness. I encourage you to pick up this book, sister, and have your soul refreshed by the word of the living God.
"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the
simple; the precepts of the Lord are
right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of
the Lord is pure, enlightening
the eyes; the fear of the Lord is
clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired
are they than gold, even much fine gold;sweeter also than honey and drippings of the
honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."
P S A L M 19: 7-11
XO. B
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