On Our Hearts: Vow Renewal

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part." If you've been married a while those words may seem like all but a distant memory now, but there was a day where you probably nervously recited them back to the love of your life. A covenant vow that was pledged in front of your family and friends. An intimate promise that was extended to your husband only. However, it wasn’t just for that one day. Those words don’t have an expiration date and neither does your marriage. God wants us to be a loving, honoring, and respectful wife. And we do that not by words we say at a ceremony but how we treat our spouse every day. How are you continuing to love and to cherish your spouse?
 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the man whom I call my husband. Show me how you want me to love him. Let my heart be open to him. May my words be tender and honoring toward him. Help me to become the wife that you want me to be. Show me how to cherish my husband and the moments that we have together and with our family. Let me become a sacred place for him to share his innermost secrets with me. Let our communication be based on love, trust, and respect for each other. Give me the desire to pursue my husband. May our marriage grow more dynamic and intimate as the years go by. Thank you for our marriage, Lord. Thank you for your perfect example of love so that we can show that same love to our spouse.

Amen

 ^"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

On Our Hearts: Knight in Shining Armor

He leaves his socks by the bed or forgets to put the cap back on the toothpaste - that's right ladies, I'm talking about your husband. That one you stood beside and vowed to love and to cherish. Time has passed and you may look at him now and think he's just an ordinary guy, but he's still your knight in shining armor. Yes, I realize we don't live in medieval times and your husband probably doesn't resemble a noble knight no more than your home resembles a majestic castle. But he desires the adoration and respect just as those brave knights of ancient days had.


Is your knight's armor a little rusty and in need of some polishing? Well then get out the cloth and start scrubbing. Just like the silver your grandmother handed down to you, it's not going to get sparkly and shiny just by sitting in a drawer. Your husband is the same way. You may not have intentionally left him to sit idly by while you take care of the kids, the house, your job or whatever else you've committed yourself to. Take the time right now to take care of him. He's just waiting for you to carefully reveal the hidden layer that attracted you to him. However, instead of using polish apply words of praise. Instead of a soft cloth try buffing him with hugs and kisses. Make his armor shine so bright that he's reflecting you!

Father God,

Thank you so much for the man that you have given me to be my husband. You have divinely put us together to glorify you, Lord. Help me to overlook his blemishes and imperfections. Instead show me my flaws Lord and give me your wisdom and guidance that I may overcome my own faults. Lord show me how I can demonstrate true love to my husband. Give me the desire and ability to make him shine. Even when he I feel he is least deserving, may I still give him the honor he deserves. Let me fulfill his righteous desires and be the wife he longs for.

Amen

"A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body. Wives should always put their husbands first, as the church puts Christ first. Ephesians 5:22 - 24

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10, 11

On Our Hearts: Three Simple Words

Just do it. What do think when you hear those words? Perhaps a popular shoe company comes to mind. Maybe you see images of sculpted athletes in their quest to achieve success. Hard to believe that just three simple words (and a large advertising budget) would have the ability to motivate and inspire. However, I think there is another set of three words that has an even greater ability to touch lives. God is love. Some poets, song writers, and artists have spent their entire lives trying to portray what love is and there's the answer right there in the bible. It's so simple, and yet so lost on so many people. Fortunately God doesn't need a mega-million advertising campaign complete with sports stars, two-page magazine spreads, or a 30 second TV spot during half-time - He's got you!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your love. 1 John 4 tells us that we must love one another, but in order to do that we must accept your love. We are so thankful Lord that you are able to love us despite all the despicable things we have done. You love us unconditionally, and now it's our turn. It's our turn to share that love with the world, to reach out to those who don't know you. It's our responsibility to show our family, our neighbors, and everyone we come in contact with who you are, God. Let us wait no more, we're done with excuses. Lift us up over the obstacles that stand in our way, remove the fear that holds us back and show us those who need your love the most. Lord, we are moms with a special assignment and we will go. We will go out in our community, our nation and then to the world to tell others three simple words: God is love.

Amen

"Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven. Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other." 1 John 4:10,11

On Our Hearts: God's Love For Us

Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for loving us. You are constantly with us, loving us, guiding us and protecting us. You encourage us when we were down and rejoice with us when we are filled with joy. We are in awe of Your greatness, Lord. You know everything about us - the good and the bad - and yet You never leave us. Even the hairs on our head have been carefully placed by You. And when we were in our mother's womb You knew exactly the plan You had for us. Thank You for being with us when we turn our hearts from You, as You wait patiently for us to return to Your goodness. We cannot even begin to comprehend that kind of love, Lord. You know the words we are going to say before we have even formed them in our mouths. Our future has been carefully planned by You. You are magnificent, Lord. Thank You for never forsaking us, Lord.

"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake I am still with You." Psalm 139:17-18

On Our Hearts: His Love

Heavenly Father,


Lord, we know that there are women out there who don’t know Your love. Some of us have been so devastated by our childhood that we cannot comprehend how anyone could love us. Some of us work so hard to be loved by others yet feel condemned when we fail to meet their (or even our own) expectations. There are some of us who have so much sin in our past that we have labeled ourselves unlovable. In today’s world where the word “love” is used to describe how we feel about shoes, cars, and cake – how could we possibly understand the unconditional love You have for us?

Lord, thank you so much for loving us. We know that Your love is not dependent upon our works. And even though we may not deserve Your unconditional love, You continue to give it. Despite all of our sins, our failures, and the times we turned our backs to You, You have faithfully loved us. Since we are human, it is sometimes just so hard to fully comprehend how much love You have. We ask that we experience Your love by holding our hands during a difficult time, by feeling Your comfort when our hearts are breaking, or by feeling you walk beside us as we navigate through life.

Amen

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:16, 19