I’m gonna have to come up with a shorter title 
I know you think this has taken over my blog. Well, I did have (still do) other stuff to share here that’s not related. I just didn’t find the time to write it yet.
The Power and His Wife were hard-hitting chapters. I forgot that until I got into reading them again. That’s why I modified the assignment. I bet you were thinking “hey wait! I agreed to pray for him. What’s all this stuff about me that I’m supposed to deal with?”
When I read through this before, these chapters hit me pretty hard. This time, not as much. I think because my relationship with Duck is going pretty doggone good right now, I wasn’t worried about some of this stuff. But I know some of you struggled with it. I know some of you had to fight through reading the chapter — putting the book down after reading a small bit and coming back to it. I promise you, it does get easier.
If there’s any particular section that struck a chord in you, I want to encourage you to re-read it throughout the coming weeks. Give it to God. Admit to Him that you are struggling with it and you don’t know how to get around it. Admitting it to Him is the first step. Without that, He can’t begin to show you how you can break free from that struggle.
I’m not sure how to open up discussion about this week. Because it was about us — and not the fun about us stuff we like to talk about. It was the ugly sinful oh yeah I really don’t want to pray for him kind of stuff. I would love it if you would share your struggles in the comments but I totally understand if you don’t feel comfortable doing that.
What I can tell you is that you are not alone. In everything you are feeling, someone else out there feels the same, has been there, done that. One of the devil’s lies that we believe is that we are the weird ones and only ones who have those feelings. Don’t fall for the lie. If you don’t have anyone else to share with and don’t want to blurt it out in the comments here, please feel free to send me an email at lisab (at) simplyhis (dot) org. I promise it will just be between you and me. I don’t have many answers, but I can pray specifically for you and your issue. It’d be my honor.
Ok, on with the check-in …
As I was going through, I highlighted certain statements that struck me.
[The devil] gives us whatever we will fall for, whether it be low self-esteem, pride, the need to be right, miscommunication, or the bowing to our own selfish desires.? — pg 18 {self-esteem and miscommunication get me all the time.}
If you believe enough lies, your heart will eventually be hardened against God’s truth. — pg 18
He [God] can heal the wounds and put love back in your heart. — pg 20
Praying for your husband will be an act of unselfish, unconditional love and sacrifice on your part. — pg 21
Don’t be overwhelmed by the many ways there are to pray for your husband. — pg 22 {overwhelmed should be tattooed on my forehead.}
Sometimes wives sabotage their own prayers because they don’t pray them from a right heart. — pg 25 {ouch! that hurt!}
… my favorite three-word prayer: “Change him, Lord.” — pg 25 {be honest! I think we’ve all prayed that before!}
Talking to God about your husband is an act of love. — pg 29
There is a time to speak and a time not to speak, and happy is a man whose wife can discern between the two. — pg 32 {This one is hard. Shut up and pray. New motto.}
Ask the Lord to show you how to make your home a safe haven that builds up your family — a place where creativity flows and communication is ongoing. — pg 37 {wow. This is a big struggle for me. We have so.much.junk.}
Let go of as many expectations as possible. — pg 41
These are just a few that hit me. So what struck you? Please share in the comments if you feel led to — also, Amy Lynn asked on Twitter if your husband knows you are going through this book. I’d love to know too. Duck reads my blog, so I’m assuming he knows though he’s not said anything to me.
Monday we’ll start with Chapter 2 – His Work. I hope you have a blessed weekend!
1. I finally told my husband yesterday that I was reading this book and he thought the title was, “PrEying wife” which really excited him. I told him to calm down and told him it was ‘pray’ with an ‘a’. He was ok with it but really preferred if I “preyed” him…*he’s a smart-alec like that*
2. The part that resonated with me was her conversation with God…the back and forth thing. I totally get that. I have to admit that it’s hard for me to want to change myself. I quickly become selfish and say, “Why do I always have to start the change?!” But then again that question alone tells me I’ve got some soul work that needs to be taken care of. Period. Acting like a 2yo is so pretty isn’t it?
I am ready for change. Are there things my hubbie does that I want to be different? Sure… but if change him what would be left of us but me? No… he needs to be him and I need to be me to carry on a partnership.
More than ever and every time I pick up this book@ I am drawn to change and I have learned to accept it faster. Thank you God for working in me to get over myself.
I remember this being a hard chapter the first time through the book as well. Not as much this time, but it still points out my flaws. That I expect too much of my husband, I expect him to be too many things for me. We have a great relationship but as a SAHM, I forget how hard it can be to be out in the world. Yes, dealing with a cranky, independent toddler is difficult too. But I love what Stormie said about making the home a haven. It definitely needs to be a haven for all of us, and I want to take that part of my “job” seriously.