Marriage Monday ~ When you husband needs encouragement

"...let us encourage one another..."

 Hebrews 10:25

Life has been a bit hard lately for the town I live in. 

This past weekend the 2nd Police Officer was shot & killed since Christmas. We live in a small town halfway between 2 larger cities. We have our share of bad things but nothing like this ever happens.

My kids have asked questions & I don't know what to tell them. I try to answer their questions the best way I know how but we are still left wondering & asking God 'Why'. 

Why?

If you have kids you hear that one word question many times throughout the day. Jeff & I answer the kids questions as best we can but we have found over the years when we get stumped they will accept the answer "Because that's the way God made it." Believe it or not they really do accept that answer. They know that God is a BIG AMAZING God and that sometimes we just don't have the answers to everything.

Now I'm having to trust that God in His BIG & AMAZING way will make good out of something so difficult to understand. 

photo courtesy Ruth Rackley Photography

I know a couple of ladies whose husbands are on the police force. They are hurting, angry, scared & they don't understand why. They are discouraged and need to feel the loving arms of God wrapped around them. 

These wives are struggling to know how to help their husbands. 

Like my friends you may be struggling with how to encourage your husband.

• Your husband may have recently been laid off from work.
• He may be under a lot of stress at work or with other responsibilities.
• He may be having difficulty with a friendship or family member.

Whatever the reason, as wives we need to be loving and supportive of our husbands. How do we encourage them when they are going through difficult times?

• The most important thing we can do for them is pray. We need to pray that they will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around them. And then we need to pray that God will help us know what we can do to encourage them.
• Be available - stop what we are doing & give them the attention they need. It may be to talk or it may be to just sit & watch tv with them. However they need our presence we need to give it to them.
• Does your husband have a favorite meal? Plan a special dinner for him at home with just the 2 of you or with the whole family. If he knows he has the support of his wife & kids he will be able to stand up to almost anything.
• Make a list of things that he does or things about him that you are thankful for and share them with him. 
• Give him Grace. When he is discouraged, scared & worried he may be short tempered & easily frustrated. Give him the grace of understanding his coping skills may not be as good as they normally are. Allow him some latitude & show him loving kindness.

God intends marriage to be a place of refuge and a source of strength. How can you help your marriage be a place of refuge, strength & encouragement for your husband?

In His Calm,

Mary