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Archives for July 2017

Encouragement for Wives in a Struggling Marriage

Any marriage-related post on this site came after the bottom fell out in my marriage as I didn’t write about marriage before then. It’s been a long, tough journey to get from that first day to this point.

This is not a story I ever wanted. In fact, I wouldn’t wish this story on anyone. The hurt, the fear, the anxiety has been almost unbearable at times. But I was determined to survive this journey, in whatever manner God would choose to lead me.

Hope for the Hurting Wife is a 30-day devotional that focuses on finding hope in your struggling marriage. From 2 authors who have lived the journey.

Many of you have expressed the same thing. You never imagined you’d be in a struggling marriage. Everything had been going so well, yet here you are. Your situation leaves you longing for hope, full of questions, and broken-hearted.

When my own journey through marital struggles started, I begged God to give me just one person who I could encourage on this journey. I knew that if I could share what I went through, it would give purpose to what I was dealing with.

God has gone above and beyond answering my prayer, giving me more than just one person to encourage. He has put people in my life who have encouraged me and helped me navigate this journey, and He has sent people who need encouragement as well. He has taken a story of pain and is using it to show His power of redemption.

One of the people who has been instrumental in encouraging me is Jen. She and I crossed paths in a blogging group. We grew as blogging buddies, as prayer warriors and friends. In late 2016, God placed an idea in our hearts to share some of our marriage struggles with others.

Hope for the Hurting Wife is a 30-day devotional that looks at the journey through a struggling marriage. It is a compilation of writings that Jen and I want to share with you. We have taken turns writing for each other’s blogs, mostly on the topic of marriage. We’ve both struggled in our marriages and we’re joining forces to offer a resource that we think is going to be beneficial to you. As wives who have experienced the hurt, we share from our own experiences of when marriage is hard. Jen and I are both committed to fighting for our marriages.

We take a look at topics such as communication, loving him in the tough times, the power of prayer, dealing with your emotions, support for times when you want to give up, recognizing progress, and seeing hope.

You’ll find encouragement and support for the real-life problems that arise when marriage becomes difficult. You’ll find hope for the journey of standing for your marriage, an understanding of the times when you pass through the deep waters of discouragement and fear, and you’ll learn that we aren’t perfect in our own fight for our marriages. We’re two women who share the hurt, but also the hope from drawing close to Jesus in this time. We want you to know that no matter what happens, God has a plan for your life.

It’s our desire that this book is a blessing to others who are in similar situations.

Be sure to sign up as a subscriber to be one of the first ones notified when Hope for the Hurting Wife is available! You can sign up using the box at the bottom of this post.

Stop by the Facebook page to see a video that I put together for the book!

We can’t wait to share this book with you!

 

Are you looking for support in a struggling marriage?

Support for women who are standing for their marriage, trusting God to restore and redeem.

Click this link to fill out the short form for the Facebook group.

Sharing with Kelly Balarie at #RaRaLinkup, with Holley Gerth at #CoffeeForYourHeart, with Alisa Nicaud at Salt & Light, with Crystal Storms at #HeartEncouragement, with Suzie Eller at #livefreeThursday, at Writer Wednesday

18 Scriptures to Cling to When Standing For Your Marriage

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the disclosure here.

Hope for the Hurting Wife

Many of you are here because you are struggling in your marriage. You are seeking out people who understand the path you’re walking.

Today I have the privilege to share my friend, Beth’s, post with you. Beth has walked this path of standing for your marriage. She knows the journey we are on, and she is full of encouragement for those who make this stand.

She is the original leader of the Facebook group that we offer as a resource to you. God has restored her marriage and she has a heart to help others.

When you visit her blog, be sure to sign up for the marriage restoration letters she offers. You’ll find those in the sign up area on her page.

I’m excited to share this post with you, and I hope you’ll hop over to her blog after you read today’s post and download the printable that she’s sharing with you.

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For the wife who is suffering from the lies of the adversary, who bombards you with impossibilities and fears, untruths, anxious thoughts, and what ifs- here’s a little spiritual ammunition to battle the lies, and to bring back peace in your heart.

Are you in a struggling marriage? Read these 18 Scriptures to cling to when standing for your marriage. Download the free printable.


1- The damage is already done it’s too late for my marriage.

*Isaiah 43:19 - I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

2- I don’t think God can reach my husband.

*2:Peter 3:9 - The Lord is patient not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. -ladies that means your husband too.

3- I don’t think I can do this.

*Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

4- My husband is too far gone, he’ll never change his mind.

*Mathew 19:26 - But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

5- It’s all out of control.

*Proverbs 19:21 - Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

6- But I’m just so afraid that (insert something you fear) will happen.

*Isaiah 41:10 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

7- What if he never loves me again?

*Romans 5:8 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

*Your human spouse has his own issues to grapple with, that does not mean you are unlovable. Jesus died a horrid death for you for no other reason than his unfailing love for you. -That’s Love.

8- But I just don’t have the same feelings for my spouse anymore.

*Proverbs 28:26 - He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.

*Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things.

9- I’m so anxious; I can’t do this.

*Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

10- If God is so loving how could he allow this to happen to me?

*Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

11- Doesn’t God want me to be happy?

*John 16:33 - Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

*James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

12- But this is taking way too long! I don’t know how long I can wait.

*Galatians 6:9 - And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

*Psalm 27:14 - Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

13- But this whole thing wasn’t even my fault!

*Matthew 7:5 - First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

14- But there is this other guy in my life that is making me feel so much better.

*1 Peter 5:8 - Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

*The enemy sometimes even comes as your dreams in disguise, hoping to destroy your stand for your marriage!

15- My husband is so depressed and he’s pulled away from me. He refuses to get help and doesn’t seem to care about me anymore.

*Ephesians 3:20-21 - Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us-to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

16- I don’t have what it takes to stand.

*Hebrews 13:21 - He will equip us with everything to do his will

17- Questioning God- Why me Lord?!

*Isaiah 55:8 - “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord . “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

18-What if my marriage does end and it’s never restored?

*Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

*1 Corinthians 2:9 - However, as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.

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Beth has created way for you to have these images with you each day. You can download them and then print or save them to refer to as needed.

Click the link below to download these Scriptures:

18 Scriptures to Cling to When Standing for Your Marriage

 

Are you in a struggling marriage? Download these 18 Scriptures to cling to when standing for your marriage.

 

What Scriptures comfort you
as you are standing for your marriage?

 

Be sure to visit Beth’s blog for more encouragement and for the marriage restoration letters that she sends!

Are you looking to connect with others who understand? You don’t have to face this season alone!

Support for women who are standing for their marriage, trusting God to restore and redeem.

Click here to fill out the form for the Facebook group.

 

Beth KellyBeth Kelly is a blogger and writer with a passion to serve those who are standing for their marriage. You can find her at her blog, on Facebook and on Pinterest.

 

 

 

 


Linking up with Alisa Nicaud at Salt & Light, Suzie Eller at #livefreeThursday, with Richella Parham at Imparting Grace, with Susan B. Mead at #DanceWithJesus, with Arabah Joy at Grace & Truth, with Deb Wolf at Faith ‘N Friends, with Lyli Dunbar at Faith on Fire, with Lori Schumaker at #MomentsofHope, with Crystal Storms at #HeartEncouragement

The 4-Word Prayer That Changed Me

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the disclosure here.

Hope for the Hurting Wife

Have you ever been in a situation where there was no way out? Any choice you made would bring pain in your life or in someone else’s life. It was a no-win situation, but that’s where I found myself, and it was terrifying.

The choices before me were to end my marriage, or to dig in and fight for it. While I’m a fighter by nature, I didn’t know if I could manage this fight. I tried to pray, I tried to ask for wisdom, but I could barely find the words.

You see, my marriage was up against some tough issues. Some of those issues were inter-personal, some were spiritual and some were legal. Everything that was happening was completely outside the limits of anything that I would consider a “tough marriage”. We faced life-altering decisions and I had no idea how to ask God to save our lives, our marriage, our family.

Please believe me when I say that I never wanted this story. The only way I could find my way forward was through spending time with the Lord. However, when I tried to pray, I had no idea where to start. I couldn’t form words that conveyed the depths of my feelings.

That’s when God put four words on my heart. These words became the simplest, but hardest, prayer for my marriage.

There was not a lot of fluff, there were no extra words. I’m not even sure what I was praying for when I prayed those words.

This became the 4-word prayer that changed me.

I’m sharing the rest of this post at Fulfilling Your Vows. Come on over to find the prayer, and to hear how the prayer changed me.

My marriage was facing a crisis and there was no way out. No matter what I chose, there would be pain. This is the 4-word prayer that changed me.

 

 

If you are facing a crisis in your marriage, here is some support and encouragement for you.

Support for women who are standing for their marriage, trusting God to restore and redeem.

Click here to fill out the form for the Facebook group.

 


Sharing with Suzie Eller at #LiveFreeThursday, Alisa Nicaud at Salt & Light, Richella at Imparting Grace, Arabah Joy at Grace & Truth, Lori Schumaker at #MomentsOfHope, Kelly Balarie at #RaRaLinkup, Jennifer Dukes Lee at #TellHisStory, Holley Gerth at #CoffeeForYourHeart, Jaime Wiebel at #SittingAmongFriends, with Crystal Twaddell at #FreshMarketFriday