-
Spouse-Based or God-Based?
Read more: Spouse-Based or God-Based?What is the difference between a spouse-based marriage and a God-based marriage? This is the question my Sunday school leader asked our group this past weekend. We’re currently doing Gary Thomas’ video series, Sacred Marriage, which goes with his book by the same title. It’s a great course, and I have loved hearing different perspectives…
-
Out-Love Your Spouse – Your Ideas
Read more: Out-Love Your Spouse – Your IdeasHi My Friends, Well, I think this post is going to be a little off track and unorganized. For some reason I have another cold and the headache is persistent today, so I will be brief. This Friday I'm going to share with you what happens in an ordinary marriage when you put the principals…
-
Weekend Devo – God’s Timing
Read more: Weekend Devo – God’s TimingBe still before the LORD and wait patiently for him. – Psalm 37:7 The biggest challenge we often have is patience, wouldn't you say? I see this all the time in others and in myself. We want things to change now, to get better, get easier, go smoother. But what if we knew those very…
-
Out-Love Your Spouse – It’s time for the Next Challenge
Read more: Out-Love Your Spouse – It’s time for the Next ChallengeI have to tell you that this first part of this challenge, God really put me to task. I discovered it is monumentally difficult, at least for me, to change speech patterns that are decades old. What is hilarious to me is that concurrent to working through this challenge, I am also facilitating a Bible…
-
Thankful Thursday – Honor God
Read more: Thankful Thursday – Honor GodThankful Thursday is back here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage for the month of October. Woo Hoo! —– Yesterday I was privileged to sit down and share lunch with Pam Farrel. Many of you may know Pam and her husband, Bill. They have been writing and speaking about Godly marriages for years and years. One of…
-
The Silent Talker
Read more: The Silent TalkerSo far, we’ve been talking about our words-how we use them and even when. I have to share with you that early on in my marriage, I didn’t always use my words wisely when I did speak up, but my biggest issue was not speaking up at all. Instead I held things in, choosing my…
-
Out-Love Your Spouse –
A Challenge, A Change, A CandleRead more: Out-Love Your Spouse –A Challenge: Last Monday was our first challenge and we met Shelly Weaver who has been living with purpose to out-love her husband. She shared her desire to serve the Kingdom, feed the homeless and work in ministry but God, through her pastor, put her feet to the fire so to speak. She needed to FIRST…
A Challenge, A Change, A Candle -
Weekend Devo – Are you listening, dear?
Read more: Weekend Devo – Are you listening, dear?This 1881 engraving appeared in Charles Dickens "Bleak House" and is actually depicting a marriage proposal. What cracks me up is the woman is oblivious to what he's doing. Even the bird on the poor guy's shoulder is more aware of what's going on than she is. Do you do that? Sometimes I do. I'm…
-
Out-Love your Spouse – Sowing and Reaping
Read more: Out-Love your Spouse – Sowing and ReapingWell how was the first week? I have to tell you that I have been on this journey for a few months already and I find it extraordinarily difficult. So don’t become discouraged. There are lessons to be learned and God surely had to teach me a few things this week. Sometimes He must show…
-
Thankful Thursday – It’s all about Perspective
Read more: Thankful Thursday – It’s all about PerspectiveThankful Thursday is back here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage for the month of October. Woo Hoo! We have a busy month around here and for all of you joining us today, welcome to our marriage challenge. Out-Love Your Husband/Wife If you missed the video posted Monday, I promise it’s worth your time. Just read the…
-
Loving God Helps Me Love My Husband
Read more: Loving God Helps Me Love My HusbandI will tell you, in all honesty, that I cannot love my husband in my own strength. It’s not possible. I tried to for a many years and would do fine for a while, but inevitably I would run out of steam. Resentment would seep back in and these feelings and thoughts that had to…
-
The Proposal
Read more: The ProposalLast week I attended a writer’s conference in St. Louis. On one of the evenings a bunch of us went on a cruise down the Mississippi. We had a spectacular view of the skyline and Arch as dusk fell. And an even more spectacular view as we returned to our hotel. We trekked up the…
-
Kids in the Mix – Marriage Monday
Read more: Kids in the Mix – Marriage MondayIt’s Marriage Monday and I am able to hop in and share this week. As most of us “Add Kids to the Mix,” Marriage Monday is expanding to cover the topic, Kids. I recently finished writing a talk for MOPS, about raising kids: Raising Kid’s to Integrity and Faith. It was a wonderful process to…
-
Weekend Devo- A Facebook Seduction
Read more: Weekend Devo- A Facebook SeductionWe've talked here before about extramarital affairs starting on Facebook. One of our readers, John Padilla, ran into such a person try to initiate a relationship with him despite his status as married. John has so graciously agreed to share how he handled this experience and protected his marriage. Here's his account of what happened…
-
Parent’s Do You Help or Hinder Your Kids?
Read more: Parent’s Do You Help or Hinder Your Kids?Some of you know that my 16-year-old daughter became a licensed driver in June. In California, the teen driver’s license is a provisional license. There are several conditions a driver must meet to drive legally. One provision particularly is creating some challenges in the Donovan home. But it also developing a young woman of character.…
-
The Sanctified Unbeliever
Read more: The Sanctified UnbelieverFor the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. – 1Corinthians 7:14 This Scripture came up in my Bible study this week. A dear friend at my table said something…
-
Weekend Devo – Going to Bed Angry?
Read more: Weekend Devo – Going to Bed Angry?“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. – Ephesians 4:26-27 A friend told me about this particular verse being the topic of discussion on a Christian radio station. It peaked my interest for sure, because this…
-
A Married Single. Help a Girl Out
Read more: A Married Single. Help a Girl OutI'm part of a small group. It's composed of mostly couples and last night was our first meeting since the summer break. As this was our first meeting, the gathering was large. Several new people joined this fall. As the group kicked off, the introductions began. "This is my wife… This is my husband."… “We’ve…
-
Reaction Mode
Read more: Reaction ModeAre you in reaction mode in your marriage? Reaction mode is this highly destructive and very draining place where you and your spouse are walking in your marriage more like adversaries than partners. Every comment is scrutinized under suspicion and communication has completely broken down. Years ago I was in this place in my marriage…
-
Weekend Devo – Stepping Out in Faith
Read more: Weekend Devo – Stepping Out in FaithThis last week has been "interesting." I can't think of any other way to describe it. I've grappled with a my daughter's messy yet vacant room, my emotions over letting her go, and the unknown of what life will be like as empty nesters. God is calling me to step out in faith in new…
-
Bittersweet Blessings and Letting Go of Idols
Read more: Bittersweet Blessings and Letting Go of IdolsYesterday I said goodbye to my husband and daughter. They are at this very moment driving cross-country to reach my baby girl's new home. It's the start of a new chapter in her life. This is the bittersweet part-letting her go. But in that mix of sadness and missing her is this amazing joy. God…
-
Thankful Thursday – Eerie Beauty
Read more: Thankful Thursday – Eerie BeautyThankful Thursday is hosted this September with Iris. Yesterday I stepped outside for my morning walk; the fog had rolled in overnight. As I was walking I watch the grace sky melt away and the brilliant blue appear overhead. As the sun spayed its light around me it illuminated the many spider webs that are present…
-
Chronicles of the Donovan Clan –
NEVER The SameRead more: Chronicles of the Donovan Clan –I will Never Be The Same. I hope after these word I share with you that YOU will never be the same. Last week two women arrived at my home. They are from a town about an hour away where I recently went to speak to their group. They call themselves the Warrior Wives and…
NEVER The Same -
Weekend Devo – A Picture Says It All
Read more: Weekend Devo – A Picture Says It AllI went to visit a friend recently and as I left, I noticed this cluster of sattelite dishes on one of the buildings. I know each dish is for a residence but doesn't this say a lot about where are interests and focus lay in today's world? It really struck me as pertinent. So, let's…