The 21 Day Godly Wife Challenge: Are you in?
The “S” word. We’ve all heard it and most likely cringed at the mere thought of it. I once received a book on the “S” word--it took me years to forgive the person who gifted it to me. After all, we are independent women who have fought hard for equality--why on earth would we go backward? Well, what if I told you the “S” word could make your marriage dreamy and your sex life steamy? I, the skeptic, have seen first-hand how it can change your marriage!
I didn’t start out on this journey thinking about becoming a submissive wife. I was coming from the angle of honor and respect. My husband was having a terrible time at work, and I was working six days a week, so we were ships passing in the night trying to stay afloat. I hardly had time to put dinner on the table, let alone respect him! But, I took the challenge. I realized that my husband’s confidence was plummeting due to his conditions at work and I was determined to fix it. Did you know that most men’s self-esteem is directly related to their job? It’s no wonder why our life at home is negatively impacted when our husbands are having issues at work. I started with words of encouragement--there is a big difference between saying something nice and saying nothing at all. We assume our spouse knows we appreciate him, but that is not always the case. Do you want your husband to tell you how much he appreciates all you do for the house and the family? It goes both ways!
Next, I attended a women’s conference with Tara Furman. That evening she shared how living as a submissive wife changed her marriage that was headed for disaster. After taking a few notes, I headed home equipped with new ideas. What started out as a challenge became enjoyable for me, and seeing my husband smile and excited about life again made it all worthwhile. The more attentive I was to him, the more he paid attention to me. We began texting and leaving love notes around the house. I started sneaking little gifts into his luggage before a business trip, each time putting a little spark back into our marriage. As my respect for him began to soar, so did his confidence.
There is so much more to this than love notes and words of encouragement, but it is a great place to start. When you submit to your husband, you submit to the decisions he makes for your family. This will not always be easy, but as long as your husband is grounded in the word of God, you can rest easy knowing God has your back. One of the most important things for you to do is pray! Pray that your husband is listening to God, and pray for God to open your eyes to ways you can be a better spouse. I am sure this has left you with more questions than answers, so I will be sharing links to fantastic resources on this subject.
This brings me to THE CHALLENGE…since most of us are offended by the word “submissive,” we will call it the “Godly Wife Challenge”! For the next 21 days, June 1 – June 21st, I want you to live as a godly wife. Where do you start? That’s a good question, so let’s ask the expert! There has been a lot of talk on this subject lately, and smack dab in the middle of it is none other than Tara Furman. In fact, you may recognize her from the TLC special “Submissive Wives Guide to Marriage." She has done numerous talks and posts on this subject, so you will definitely want to get plugged in to her on Facebook and on her website. She has a plethora of knowledge and life experience, as well as a private online community where you can share your thoughts and get advice from other women on the same journey. Please feel free to send us questions and comments through the Open Mic at mylifealtered and on Facebook and Twitter.
Twenty-one days of honoring your husband, putting his needs before yours, respecting the man you chose to do life with. Would you like to have a new husband by Father’s day? Give it a shot! Try to out-love your husband, I dare you!
What are your thoughts on being a godly wife? Will you take the challenge? We want to hear from you!