Dineen Miller
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The Silent Talker
So 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…
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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…
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Loving God Helps Me Love My Husband
I 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…
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The Proposal
Last 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…
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The Sanctified Unbeliever
For 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…
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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…
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Reaction Mode
Are 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…
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Bittersweet Blessings and Letting Go of Idols
Yesterday 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…
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Still an Atheist?
Something interesting happened last week. My youngest daughter and my husband were watching a TV show featuring Penn Jillette. My daughter explained how Jillette spoke of his atheism as not knowing if God existed-not a surety that He didn’t. She asked her dad if that’s whet he believed. He said yes. He just didn’t know.…
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Weekend Devo – Purple Turkeys
My daughter and I have this code word when one of us upset or discouraged. The other will say “purple turkeys.” It never fails to make us laugh and break the down moment. (And special thanks to her 6th grade, Ms. Ward, teacher for this wonderful tool.) Now I really believe God has the best…
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Answered Prayers Can Be Painful
I’m grieving. But in a good way. I know that sounds a bit crazy so I’ll explain. Two prayers that I’ve been praying for my family seem to be coming to fruition, but it’s not at all what I was expecting. I will share with you the one about my daughter because so many of…
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Weekend Devo – Love Me
I took this picture in a store the other day. The message is so indicative of state of mind, heart and soul that is prevalent today. My daughter and I talked about it and found two angles to look at it. One, the obvious is the very selfish and self-centered message relayed here. The wearer…
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What I Do See
Sometimes we get so caught up in looking for how God is working in our unbelieving spouses that we miss seeing the places that they are struggling. I’m becoming more and more aware of this in my husband’s life. He’s a pretty even keeled guy with a very strong moral base. I’ve found that most…
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Weekend Devo – REACH OUT!
Earlier this month I shared how God had answers our prayers for one of our kitties, who had gone missing. (Read “The Smallest of Prayers” here) I’m sad to say that Suzy passed away yesterday. It was clear yesterday morning when we woke up that the old girl wouldn’t live more than a day. At…
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Enlisting Our Kids
Let’s talk about older kids. I’ve been sharing with you about the battle I sense coming with my husband. A new aspect has developed that I’d like to talk about here because I think it’s an area we haven’t really touched upon. And some of you out there reading this may have some inspiring…
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Weekend Devo – Praying Scripture
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. ~ Philippians 2:13, NLT Sometimes God calls upon us to do some pretty difficult stuff, especially in our mismatched marriages. More importantly, we face a daily battle within ourselves to do what pleases God and what pleases…
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The Battle That’s Coming
“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and…
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Weekend Devo – The Smallest of Prayers
My family and I took nearly a month to drive from San Jose, California to Sarasota, Florida to spend time with our families and then drive home again. A bit crazy, I know, but we love road trips. We have games we play, like finding all the license tags, (did you know they make a…
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Thankful Thursday – Dineen is in the House!
Welcome to Thankful Thursday. Hosted here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage each Thursday in July. August- Laurie and September- Iris. Hi Friends! Lynn's on vacation and asked me to do Thankful Thursday this week. Woohoo! I get to play. 🙂 So this week, let's talk about a turning point in your life that you are so…
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Moments of Truth
Sometimes I forget how far apart my husband and I are on the issue of faith. We are pretty much on the same page for most things except this one area. Every so often a subject will come up (usually political) and I'm reminded that we sit on very opposite sides. Those are the moments…
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Weekend Devo – God Makes Us Competent
And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to…