Marriage

Keeping our eyes on Jesus.

Married people are twice as likely as singles to say they are “very happy,” but the scary part is that 60% of married couples aren’t very happy. And there’s little difference in the divorce rate of Christian and non-Christian couples. As married women, we have learned (sometimes painfully) that commitment is everything. Marriage requires us to make a decision to love and respect our husbands, but in the daily grind of life, our wants and desires can often become the dominant force that determines how we live and communicate with our husbands.

Almost all marriage problems stem from unmet expectations. A wife expects her husband to do a certain thing or be a certain way. When he doesn’t live up to her expectations, she becomes anxious and unhappy. He doesn’t measure up, even if he’s just being himself. And vice versa, he has expectations of how she should act, and what she should or shouldn’t do, and when she doesn’t measure up, he becomes unhappy and frustrated.

“What marriage has done for me is hold up a mirror to my sin. It forces me to face myself honestly and consider my character flaws, selfishness, and anti-Christian attitudes, encouraging me to be sanctified and cleansed and to grow in godliness.” –Gary Thomas, Sacred Marriage

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Tools & Challenges for Growth

1. Scripture Memory:

   1. One of the best ways to grow spiritually is simply by memorizing scripture and praying it back to God. Bury His Word in your heart:

   2. Use the wallpaper below to put on your phone (press + hold your finger on the pic).

   3. Print it to use as a bookmark.

   4. Write it down in your journal or on index cards.

   5. Pray it out loud each day throughout the month.

   6. Challenge yourself to recite it without peeking.