Men

I have always been a student of people around me...I love getting to really know people. What makes them tick? What bugs them? Who do they want to be? Who are they right now? How does change affect them...conflict?

Anyways, this has always been who I am...at least part of who I am. Being married now for eight and a half years, much of my course work has come in the form of one incredible man, Michael.

The thing about men:

The thing about men is they have a tough job. They are usually the first ones out the door. They work all day dealing with countless problems, conflicts and work relationships that we know nothing about. Their brains are no doubt tired from all of that and they walk in to a family who fully expects them to be engaged in whatever is going on at home. How are kids doing in school? Does wife feel loved? Any possible problems with cars or houses usually falls to their lot as well...along with garbage and probable other minor chores around the house. Are they intentional to talk to their kids about Jesus? Are they themselves daily seeking the Lord and going to him for guidance? Is their wife doing the same? Is their family being good financial stewards? Are bills paid?

Ladies! Let's appreciate our men today. The thing about men is:

They need to hear they are doing a great job, even the ones who seem to already know...they want us to say it. Even the ones who are struggling right now, they need to know we understand and that we believe in them. They need to hear us say that because if we don't, who will? And what happens to them if nobody believes in them, not even their wife. God thought they needed a help-mate and we get to be that!

They have huge influence over everyone in the home, but we as wives have great ability to provide them with the confidence to influence well.

Their job is hard and so is ours, ladies. But let's not forget that part of our job is loving them well.

Lord, I pray for marriages today. I pray for wives and husbands to be drawn to you and through you drawn to each other. I pray that you would work miracles in homes everywhere. I pray that this sacred thing that you created would be protected. I pray that wives would not forget how heavy the burden is on their husbands. I pray that husbands would not forget how much we are all looking to them for strong, wise leadership. I pray that we would all know and understand how valued we are in your eyes. I pray that you would use that truth to give us all the confidence to live boldly for you in good times and bad, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health...as long as we both shall live.

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