Inspired by the Obedience of my Husband

My husband … he is a man who passionately says Yes to God and stays committed no matter what.

Over the years I have prayed for Jeff to be a strong spiritual leader for our family. I’ve shared it here on The Calm of His Presence. Those prayers have been answered many times.

Jeff is not afraid to take a stand when God calls him even if it’s an unpopular stand in the world. He knows God has a plan for His life and He is committed to following God’s Word.

Most recently He took a stand on an issue with our son and the travel baseball team he plays for. In the world (especially the travel ball world) it is a very unpopular choice not to put baseball before everything including church.

One of Jeff’s priorities is to raise our kids in a family who follows hard after God and shares His Love and Grace to the world around us in our everyday lives.

By making the choice we did to put God first over playing on Sunday’s, we have felt a bit looked down on by other parent’s on the team. To be honest I found myself trying to figure out a way to do both. I even tried to talk Jeff into trying to help me make it work.

Thankfully Jeff stood firm and explained his decision to our son in away Garrett could understand the need to put God and our family first.

This past week we saw a glimpse of the fruits of our obedience. Another father on the team took the time to thank my husband for his example of how to set priorities that turn our family to Christ.

Through our witness he has begun to reevaluate his priorities. He has realized he has been putting other things before God and through that he and his family have fallen away from God. He has made a renewed commitment to being the spiritual leader for his family.

Through my husband’s obedience I have learned that in a world where God’s priorities are looked down on there are people who watch our actions. We may not know they are watching but when we take the bold step of being radically obedient to God and say yes to Him we speak volumes about our walk with Him.

Our witness and obedience to God may be just what someone needs to be drawn back to Him.

Thank you Lord for a husband who obediently follows your direction for our family. Thank you that He is not concerned with the opinion of the world but that he is concerned with saying yes to you. Lord, give me the strength to continue to obediently follow you in the call you have placed on my life. In Your Name I Pray, Amen.

I am linked to do with the P31 OBS Say Yes to God study where other women are sharing their journey of saying Yes to God.

In His Calm,

Mary

When Saying Yes to God Causes you to #SayWhat?

When Saying Yes to God Causes you to #SayWhat?

It was loud & clear. I knew God was calling me to follow Him in a plan He had for me. Although I didn’t hear His voice audibly He confirmed through scripture, messages, conversation, & situations He wanted to use me.

So I said Yes to God and was ready to jump in full steam ahead. I was excited and telling everyone I could that He had called me to serve Him.

And then just as sure as I knew He was calling me to serve Him the door slammed shut.

And I said “Say What God? You’ve called me to follow you & serve you and now you are telling me to wait? Are you kidding me? How do I contain the excitement that I have? How do I not serve you?”

To be honest I was rather put out with God. I was frustrated and questioned myself - “Did I really hear God right? Was I wrong? Maybe He really didn’t want to use me.”

Through prayer and studying scripture I realized I did hear God right He did want to use me, only it wasn’t the way I expected to be used at that time.

There is a time for everything,

And a season for every activity under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

He had a specific purpose for me, I just needed to slow down & let Him show me what it was.

I was reminded that God has a plan and He knows what I need in the perfect time to prepare for the next adventure He has for me.

It may not be in the timing that I expect but His Ways are perfect and higher than mine.

So I let go of my frustrations and questions and committed to serve Him quietly right where He wanted me.

The beauty of where He wanted me to quietly serve is that it was coming along side my husband, supporting and praying for him, being his ear & confidant.

Serving God quietly alongside my husband gave us the opportunity to strengthen our marriage & gain an intimacy we would not have otherwise.

So my sisters, when God calls you to serve Him and you try to run full steam ahead and end up having a #SayWhat moment, remember “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven”.

God has a plan and He knows the best way to prepare you for that plan. He knows the perfect place for you to serve, you just need to slow down and allow Him, in His Perfect Timing, to put you in that place.

Dear Lord, Thank you that you have a perfect plan for my life. Thank you that your timing is perfect. Help me to slow down and follow your timing so that I may follow your will for my life. In Your Name I Pray, Amen.

I am linked today with the P31 OBS #YesToGod Blog Hop.

In His Calm,

Mary

God's plans

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord,

“As the heavens are higher than the earth.

So are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8,9

I know I’ve been a bit sporadic in my blogging lately.

Going into the summer I had grand plans of writing every morning here on the blog, fun activities for the kids, lots of reading, lots of cooking & lots of resting. I had goals personally & with my ministry. As much as I wanted to be successful with my goals my prayer was that my life this summer would line up with God’s plans.

As I’ve spent time in His Word each morning I’ve found His plans for my time were not always what I envisioned.

One thing I have found consistent is spending time with my kids & husband. Where I thought I needed to spend time focused on my blog, God said your ministry this summer is with your family.

And boy has that ministry been fun – days spent by the pool, running around on the beach, snuggled on the couch reading with my daughter, throwing the baseball with my son, planning & praying over a new ministry opportunity with my husband. This summer my family & I have built memories & bonds that were built & planned by God.

Memories and bonds built and planned by God exceed our human expectations.

This coming school year will look totally different for my family as we change schools. And while the changes are exciting they hold a bit of nervousness & anxiety. My prayer is that this summer of family time will prepare us for the changes that are to come.

So if I continue to be a bit sporadic with my postings please bear with me. I promise once school starts up I will be here more often.

Please know that although I may not be posting as often, there is still a lot going on behind the scenes of The Calm of His Presence. God is leading me in some wonderful new directions. I can’t wait to tell you more about it in the coming months.

So my sweet bloggy friends, I pray that God is building memories & bonds for you and your family that exceed your expectations.

In His Calm,

Mary

15 Lessons Learned Through This Journey Called Marriage

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On April 25^th 1998 I married the love of my life. During those 15 years we’ve traveled many miles on a journey neither of us could have mapped out for ourselves. There have been joyous mountaintops & dark, deep caverns & everywhere in between but through them all we have grown stronger & deeper in love.

We have leaned on God in the hard times and praised Him in the good times. Through our marriage God has taught me more about myself than I could have imagined. I am forever thankful God placed Jeff in my life.

When I started writing The Calm of His Presence I posted Marriage Monday each week. Over the last year I have moved away from the Marriage Monday post but in honor of our 15^th anniversary I wanted to share with you some of what I have learned during our marriage.

15 Lessons Learned Through This Journey Called Marriage

·      God answers the prayers of a little girl beyond what her heart can ever imagine.

·      Prince Charming does exist.

·      The honeymoon stage will pass & when it does hold on tight to God & each other.

·      When times are hard & tensions are high remember we are not each other’s enemy. We love each other & want what’s best for each other & our marriage.

·      There will be times because of illness or surgery where one person has to give completely while the other takes, remember it’s just a season.

·      Before giving criticism find an encouraging word to share.

·      My husband is my 1^st confidant. If I need to confide in someone other than my husband it must be a female.

·      Remember to say thank you often.

·      Don’t be afraid to admit when I am wrong.

·      Submitting to my husband doesn’t mean that I am weak.

·      Be my husband’s biggest prayer warrior.

·      Enjoy date night at least once a month.

·      Don’t be afraid to ask someone to watch the kids overnight so that we can have a “stolen moment”.

·      Keep communication lines open when it comes to finances.

·      Give Grace…Grace…Grace…!

What have you learned in your marriage? Leave me a comment and share them with us.

My friend Rachel Wojnarowski wrote a wonderful post on 7 ways to praise your husband for 7 days. I thought her tips went perfectly with today's post so I wanted to share it with you. I'd love for you to take a few minutes to stop by her blog & read what she has to say. While your there take some time to look around & give her some comment love & tell her I sent you.

In His Calm,

Mary

Thankful Thursday ~ the gift of prayer

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you…” 1 Samuel 13:23a

Flowers, cards, gifts, love notes, chocolates, date night all tell us it’s Valentine’s Day. How do you and your husband celebrate Valentine’s Day, or, do you celebrate Valentines’ Day?

At the very beginning of our relationship my husband & I agreed we wouldn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. It’s not that we don’t celebrate our love for each other b/c we do many times throughout the year. It’s just that when we were poor college kids we didn’t have the money to get caught up in the expense of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Now, 19 years later we are still very aware of the expense that many people put into Valentine’s Day but we choose a different way to celebrate our love for each other.

One of the ways I celebrate my love for my husband is to pray for him. A few years ago as I read through the book The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian I wrote a series on Praying for our Husbands.

Praying for our Husbands - As Spiritual Leader

Praying for our Husbands - His Responsibilities

Praying for our Husbands - Intimacy & Affection

 

When I pray for my husband I give him one of the best gifts I can ever give him. Each day he faces challenges. When I pray for him I help give him the strength he needs to face those challenges.

Do you pray for your husband daily? Would you take some time tonight over dinner or after the kids have gone to bed and ask him how you can pray for him? You will be amazed how much your prayers will mean to him.

As I concluded my series on praying for our husbands my husband Jeff shared what it meant to have me praying for him. You can read his perspective here.

Are you unable to ask your husband how you can pray for him? Stormie Omartian’s book The Power of a Praying Wife is a great resource.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

·      Thank God for the ways your husband blesses you.

·      Ask God to give him the strength to make the right decisions.

·      Ask God to guard his heart & mind from the temptations he faces everyday.

·      Ask God to strengthen him to follow the path God has laid before him.

·      If he is an unbeliever pray that he will open his heart to God’s Saving Grace.

As you pray for your husband pray also that you will be the Godly wife God has called you to be. Seek His will & direction for your marriage.

Is there a way I can pray for you? I would be honored to pray for you and your marriage. Leave me a message telling me how I can pray for you.

Continuing the Joy Dare #1060 - #1065:

·      Another year celebrating the life of my husband

·      A life that is lived 100% to honor & glorify God

·      A Man after God’s Own Heart

·      A faithful husband

·      A father who loves his children & desires to raise them according to God’s Will

·      A loyal Friend

Taking the Joy Dare of counting 1000 gifts with Ann at A Holy Experience 

In His Calm,

Mary