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Today, I want to share a few quotes and verses from our chapter readings this week (5 and 6) that sum up what we are focusing on together.
- Living a life full of joy and void of pain may seem impossible to you today, humanly speaking, as you find yourself pondering all the difficult situations in your life, the hardships you’ve endured, the pain you experienced, the struggles you face – but true joy and peace are within your reach if you are reaching out to the right place for help.
- Peace is not a matter of life or circumstances, it’s a matter of the heart.
- Hannah’s faith was the answer to her stress. Â And, through that faith she found peace, even though her life remained far from peaceful.
- We are each called to live a life in a state of dependency on Him, believing that His peace is available in any situation.
- God is never late, seldom early, but always right on time. His timing is not our own.
- True faith is not passive, but active, and genuinely active faith requires focusing on the health of our entire being – being spiritually and physically healthy.
- The difference between this waiting period and the wait that I had already been enduring was that I was no longer hoping that He would see me, wishing that He would work, or wondering He would care. Instead, I knew that He would be at work in my marriage, and that somehow some way, someday He would be glorified through our sufferings.
- The disease of stress cannot be ignored because in the worst case scenario, doing so could have fatal consequences.
- Our behaviors, actions and service to God should be an outward extension or our inward beliefs.
- God understands we needs his help as we wade through life. He understands our desire for independence and our struggle with pride, yet if we abide and accept his help he will equip us to deal with the challenges of life.
- Whether we want to admit it or not, we need God. We simply cannot do it alone.
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LET’S CHAT!! DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK … & A GIVEAWAY
WIN A COPY OF THE UPDATEDÂ POWER OF A PRAYING WIFEÂ WHICH I TALKED ABOUT IN MONDAY’S VIDEO! Â Â TO ENTER TO WIN, LEAVE A COMMENT ANSWERING ONE OF THE BELOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
If you’ve experienced a restoration in your marriage at some point as as a result of plugging into God’s Word and prayer on a frequent basis, what things can you share with our group to offer hope and reassurance for others still seeking that restoration and hope?
If you’ve been struggling in your marriage, what can you do today to begin trusting God, feeling HIs peace and having more hope and joy?
Do you have anything highlighted or underlined in your book? If so, feel free share it in the comments too!
( leave your comments in the comment section ONLY, no email replies please)
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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.
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I need to start praying for my husband and our marriage and stop thinking thoughts negatively about every little thing that he says and does. That is driving us more and more apart rather than bringing us closer together.
I have been divorced for 7 years. I will admit that my lack of prayer for my ex was a factor in my marriage failing. I did not pray as I should of FOR him….I prayed ABOUT him and all HIS shortcomings, not seeing the “plank” in my own eye. I am dating now and do not want to make the same mistakes with my boyfriend. We have talked of marriage and I want to be a praying wife FOR him. I am almost 60, so this “old dog” needs help to get past old habits and ways.
Happy Blessed Wednesday! I loved the quotes!!!
I have been praying the father of my two sons but today, I am committing to REALLY pray consistently. Also, I am going to get over the fear of sharing the situation with the women in my Bible Study Groups so that he will be prayed for my others as well. Today, I am LAYING IT DOWN AT THE CROSS!!!! I am laying it down and leaving it there and trusting God with the entire situation. With that said there is a quote from the beginning of Chapter 5 that really hit me right in the middle of the forehead 🙂 It is, “God could change our circumstances at any time, if he chose to do so, but he is always more interested in changing US THROUGH our circumstances than changing our circumstances themselves.” WHOA!!!! And that was just the beginning of this weeks reading! 🙂 I pray everyone has a blessed Wednesday and would appreciate the continued prayers for Tay. Hugs!!! <3
Prayers for your situation.
Today’s message was very soothing to my soul. September 2015 has been an usually difficult time for me. Lots of unexpected “mud” slung at me from different directions. Staying connected to messages like this and the Word of God as made the stress manageable.
When I was at the greatest time of hate for my husband, I worked my way through nursing school with the intention of divorcing my husband. In 1989 after graduating from nursing school, I left for four months God never cleared the way for me to divorce him. I have to admit the grass was not greener on the other side. I began to realize that God did not love me best and he loved my husband. I realized I could not be the Holy Spirit in his life so we reconciled. But what changed my marriage around was prayer and forgiveness that I learned in 1995. I forgave him for every wrong that I could think of in a prayer session at my church when I went through the Steps to Freedom. Today we are best friends. 45 years and counting. Prayer changed my heart and forgiveness allowed me to see him as a child of God not a man that I hated. God restored my love for my husband. Blessings Diana
Thank you for sharing so vulnerably Diana – praying for your marriage and for your story to inspire women that there is hope in the midst of heartache. Your words meant a lot to me today.
I mentioned this in our FB group, that most of my prayers are for changes in me. The prayers, I pray over my husband are about his safety and health and to know there is a God. I feel our marriage would fall more into place, if he was a believer. Diana, thank you for your story. I am 63 and November 1st will be our 35th. I have been desperately praying that our marriage changes, as I my heart no longer want a marriage without God at the head of our household.
Dear Debra S. God is good. Put Him first in your life, honor your husband. We never know how God is working in his life. Blessings Diana
I am going to be more intentional about praying for my husband and seeing him as God sees him.
Amen.
If you’ve experienced a restoration in your marriage at some point as as a result of plugging into God’s Word and prayer on a frequent basis, I want to share some things with you as a group to offer hope and reassurance for others still seeking that restoration and hope? I experienced a total restoration in my marriage. Some 41 years ago I was married to a very abusive man. We separated so many time that it was unreal. He beat my son so many times that my son was terrified of him and I was too. I had the most kind, compassion brother-in-law that made life worth living. He was just a friend that God gave me. Without him I wouldn’t have had the courage to leave my husband. It was nothing sexual or anything. We never had a date or anything. Being around him I felt safety that I had never had before. After the final separation and divorce we got married. It wasn’t a marriage of love. It was more of like being married to your brother. This went on for 20 years. If my husband hadn’t be so kind and caring and waiting patiently I would have never stuck with it. Going to God with my hurts and pains He reformed me and my marriage and these last 20 years have been wonderful. We never knew what we were putting our kids through either. Their dad was telling and spreading lies that the kids heard from their friends parents and would make fun of our kids. I PRAISE GOD that He never let me quit. I never got the baby we wanted. So you can see that there is no too tough decision that you have to make that God won’t walk with you and hold your hand. Start early praying and often. Prayers are the glue that keeps the family together. Studies like these just reinforce family values. Thank you for letting me share this. I hope you will understand how hard life was going from one frying pan, my dad’s abusiveness to my 1st husbands continued abuse. Bless all of you.
Praising God with you.
My childhood was wonderful. I grew up with loving, precious parents who knew how to love Jesus and love others. My husband was not as fortunate to grow up in a loving home. Over the years, he developed an addiction to pain pills. Years of heartache and abuse made me angry and bitter. The breaking point for me came in the middle of a night, crying on the bathroom floor, begging God to change my husband. I felt God telling me to pray to change my own heart. To love my husband through this horrific heartache. Not to accept his behavior, but to help him get help. When I changed my thoughts from plotting to praying, I saw how God transformed our marriage. I wish I could tell you that it was an overnight change, but it has taken years. A counselor, confiding in our small group and clinging to God’s promises, each and every day, we have seen how God took our brokenness and is redeeming it for His glory. Through the years, we have been able to sit across from other couples and hear their stories and say, “Nothing surprises us, and nothing surprises God.” Rather than running from Him, run TO him, even in your darkest most painful times. No matter what you face now, know that when we cling to one another and come together in prayer, God will take our messes and turn it into a message!
I love what you said, plotting to praying, and a message. God loves us so much.
Plotting to praying has been the premise of my next book! : ) – Blessings.
Thank you all for sharing your comments. Im praying for you, and know your stories are encouraging women, as they have encouraged me.
My husband has been caring for me since I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 3-1/2 years ago. I am praying that God guides me to continue to thank my husband for every single thing he does for me and to deeply feel peace and joy while remembering that I am not a burden.
June, what a wonderful life mate. Praying that God sends you healing today. Diana
Favorite verse: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Great verse