Conflict and Challenges
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When Your Spouse Ridicules Your Faith
I could actually feel physical pain, in my gut and heart. In the heat of an argument, my spouse would ridicule my faith and I would become emotionally broken. I am sure you have experience this through words such as these; Jesus is a myth. The Bible is full of inconsistencies. Jesus was only a…
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What Happened to Sunday? The Kids Want to Know.
As a follow up to my last post…. What priorities are your children picking up from the way you are spending your Sundays? Do sports seem more important than relationship? Does the yard appear to be more worthy of attention than they are? Is the day filled with chores? Arguing? All fun and no worship?…
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A lesson from the Potter and an email
Yesterday I told you we will spend some time talking about our successes and failures. Today I have a story to tell you. You see, although I have arrived at a wonderful place in my mismatched marriage, I don’t always get it right. I make mistakes. Even mistakes I have written about. Specifically, I want…
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Your Deliverance Is At Hand!
I am compelled to interrupt our current series to discuss something the Holy Spirit is impressing on me today, actually all weekend. I know that I often project a very positive attitude about my marriage. I share with you the hope I have found in Christ to face the special challenges and issues spiritually mismatched…
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My Englishman by Guest Writer; Kimberly Jones
I am pleased to introduce a new guest writer here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage, Kimberly Jones. Kim is forty years old, happily married for eight years. Kim and her husband have two adopted boys, ages 11 and 7. She works part-time for Christ Lutheran Church in Hagerstown, MD. Her interests are her family, writing, reading,…
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Submission – Real Life
How does submission play out in real life? Whew, it is an every day in every way attitude. Again, our bending of the knee to Christ, is daily, so too our love and respect is given daily to our mate. However, some decisions to bend your will to your spouse are more difficult than others.…
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Submitting To Submission
1 Peter 3: Wives in the same way, accept the authority of your husbands. (NRSV) What is submission? Submission is voluntarily cooperating with someone, first out of love and respect for God, and second, out of love and respect for that person. Submitting to nonbelievers is a difficult but vital part of leading them to…
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Stubborn Streak
A stubborn streak! Yes, that is what my Dad would say to me. I would look straight into his face and grin, proudly. My stubbornness I wore proudly when I believed in something. I would become passionate and it would take a world of convincing to change my mind. By the way, I am still…
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Raising Kids Christian – Part V
Sunday morning arrives and so does the stress. To attend church or not to attend church is the question. Spiritually mismatched couples find church attendance a giant point of contention as I discussed in the series, Going It Alone. This series explores the flash points of disagreement which arise with our spouse over church and…
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Raising Kids Christian – Part III
It’s up early, make lunches, organize the backpacks, dressing then driving kids to school. We are busy parents of busy children. We often miss many teachable moments in our rushed day. I see teachable moments as a divine appointment with God when our child is open to practical, Biblical teaching. I have found a very…
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Raising Kids Christian – Part II
After is was quiet and the children were in bed, Linda retrieved her Bible, took it into the kitchen, and left it on view for a week before taping it back together. Children who grow up in homes where they witness this kind of response to Christianity need all the prayer covering they can get.…
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Raising Kids Christian
I am stepping with great fear and trepidation into our next topic, Raising Kids Christian. I have been before the Lord asking for His divine guidance and word as we seek to uncover truth and wisdom for our children. I will ask the Lord to guide us through this study and to pour His Holy…
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Going It Alone – Their Perspective
What is their perspective? Can our unbelieving spouses harbor feelings that are identical to ours? In fact, they usually do. An impromptu interview with my husband was revealing. I asked him if he would be willing to share his perspective with me regarding the emotions a nonbeliever experiences when faith becomes a disagreement in marriage.…
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Going It Alone – It starts the night before
My apologies, this post is tardy. Life interrupted my blogging. Go figure! It is another beautiful Sunday today and yes, I attended church this morning, alone. However, my eleven-year-old daughter joined me this morning. She volunteered, without my prompting, to work in the Kindergarten classroom while I attended church. I plan to write a series…
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Going It Alone – How did I get here?
So how do we find ourselves sitting in a pew alone? The stories are vast. Men and women become unequally yoked in four ways. Let’s take a look. 1) God will win over a spouse after marriage. This is probably the most common, especially with wives. 2) Sometimes, there is deception intentional or not intentional…
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Longings, disappointment….Emotions!!!
Our emotions can overwhelm rational thought and leave us vulnerable to enemy attack. How do we work through the hurt? Begin with expectations. What can you expect? Nancy Kennedy provides some wise words of advice in her book, When He doesn’t Believe. “You can expect opposition, whether subtle or blatant, passive or purposeful. If you…
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FIGHT
I find it amazing how quickly God points out my selfishness. Following a fight with my spouse, I was in the car after running an errand. I was feeling angry and completely justified in my point-of-view. I decided that a little music might be the calming influence I needed so I turned on the radio…