Elizabeth George's Blog, page 31

Back-to-School Time Management

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With back-to-school season upon us, planning our time is ever important. There is a lot to do and only a few hours each day to do it: homework, projects, carpools, field trips … the list goes on and on.

Planning and Praying

Whatever life-management system for organizing our time we use, the first step is to carry out our planning with divine style. How are you when it comes to including God in your planning sessions? Do you pray over your schedules? When you speak of the future—even the next hour—do you add to your thoughts and words “Lord willing” or “If the Lord wills”? James 4:15 reminds us, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” In all the hustle and bustle, remember to include God when you plan.

Next, be sure to put a schedule in place. When there’s no schedule, the 1,440 sparkling minutes God gives you each day can be characterized by stress, frustration, and even rage. But with a schedule for each procedure or project, you can flow through your day in a calm, orderly progression. 

Proceeding Through Your Day

A schedule brings discipline into your life, which helps you walk in the Spirit, produce spiritual fruit, and fulfill His purpose for your life . . . and your day. Here are 5 time management tips:

Learn to be more effective. Evaluate your day and note what you did that wasted time—too much TV or internet? Too much texting? You can do a lot of things in your busy, fast-paced life, but are they the right things, God’s priority things (Phil. 4:8)? Put the first things first and that order will help guide your day.

Learn to eliminate. There are so many activities we do every day that are not essential. Ask yourself, What can be eliminated from my life and my children’s lives at this time? As Solomon observed in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, life has its seasons. So, maybe you take a season off from your book club, or your kids participate in only one after-school activity a week.

Know your priorities. Manage your time to reflect God as your first priority and your family as your second priority. Service is noble and necessary, but when it gets in the way of your relationship with Christ and calmly managing your household, it is counterproductive.

Determine to make tomorrow a better day than today. Maybe today didn’t go as smoothly as you’d hoped for or planned. Ask for God’s grace (and, if necessary, your family’s forgiveness), and start tomorrow fresh. And don’t forget to ask God for His wise counsel (James 1:5)!

Learn to delegate. Take a look at your responsibilities in your home. What chores can you give your children? Have a Command Central Station—a master calendar where you record your children’s tasks so they know what’s expected of them.

List out each day’s schedule, so they have a clear idea of what and when things will happen (this will also help eliminate too much negotiating bathtime and bedtime with your kids!). Include a place they can put papers you need to sign, list school project deadlines, and log sports/club practices, game times, recitals, parties, etc. 

Being a good steward of your time is important. Put these five steps into place so help you plan your days with intention and deliberation. You’ll be amazed at the positive changes in your use of time and focus. And it’ll make a huge difference in the tone and atmosphere of your home, especially on busy—and early—school-day mornings!

RESPOND

Dear Lord, I need a giant boost of hope and energy to plan my week with wisdom, so that I can be a blessing to my family by bringing calm to our busy days. Help me wake up each morning excited to practice Your priorities—to make my time count! Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES  [image error]

Creating a Beautiful Life—Each new day presents opportunities to grow your faith, manage your work and goals, and make good use of the time God gives you. This book for busy women will help you create a more beautiful and productive life.

REFLECT

Do you currently have a plan in place to schedule your week? Before the school year gets going, set up your Command Center and teach your kids how to add to it and follow it.

REMEMBER

As a woman after God’s own heart who desires to grow and plan in wisdom, follow these basic principles:

Realize only God knows your future.
Realize God has a purpose for your life.
Realize God may send interruptions into your “perfect” day.
Remember to pray over your plans, asking God for guidance.
Remember to say, “If the Lord wills...”

Friendship with The World

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So many times we think small things don’t matter. There’s no harm in them. We think there’s no way something of such little consequence in this life could hurt us at all. Perhaps it’s being friends with one person who’s a little on the edge. Or maybe just one date with an unbeliever. Or just one small expenditure.

One Small Thing

Yet one small thing can be the first tiny move toward what James labels “friendship with the world.”

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

If a bathroom sink springs a leak, you could say, “It’s just one leak ... nothing will come of it.” But something will come of it—disaster! First the area around the leak will become saturated, and before you know it, tiles will pop out of place, wood will expand and warp, rot will set in, and the damage will expand through the floor.

Shaking Things Up

In James 4:4, did reading the words adulterers and adulteresses shock you? James is deliberately shaking up the thinking of his readers who are spiritually unfaithful to God and who are making pleasure their chief concern. They are adulterers because they’re not being faithful to God. They flirt with worldliness and with the pleasures of this world.

Either/Or

Before today had you ever thought about this either/or choice? That you’re choosing to be either a friend to the world or a friend to God? That you’re choosing to be either an enemy toward the world or an enemy toward God? Search your heart and consider the kinds of choices you’ve made during the past hour...week...year. According to the pattern of your choices, are you building friendship with God or with the world?

God yearns to see His Spirit evidenced in your life. When you are humbly seeking to live wholly for Him, you’ll receive the gracious help you need so you can do just that. God blesses the humble-minded and favors the lowly with His continual grace for continual growth. Make a point to pray for ways you can humbly seek a life that pleases God and ask for the assistance of His great and marvelous grace.

When you turn your eyes to Jesus, you won’t be interested in the small trinkets that the world offers. When you turn your eyes to Jesus, you’ll be consumed with Him—the light of His glory and grace. So turn your eyes to Jesus today.

RESPOND

Lord, I fix my eyes on You. I seek Your heart. Help me see where and how I’ve been flirting with the world. I won’t let “it’s just one time” become my mindset. I want to turn my attention and my thoughts and my actions toward eternity with You. I can’t wait! Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

A Woman After God’s Own Heart—Experience peace, order, and joy when you follow God's guidelines for every area of your life with this helpful book that includes a Quiet Time Calendar!

REFLECT

Search your heart and consider the kinds of choices you’ve made during the past hour...week...year. Are they more godly or worldly?

REMEMBER

Don’t forsake God! Each day make the choice to engage with and draw closer to Him.

Recognizing Your Spiritual Gifts

[image error]From Jim’s Heart—

Recognizing your spiritual gifts and how you can use them to minister to others, especially members of your church, can take time. These four steps can help you get started:

Start Where You Are

Do anything and everything you can do, until you find something you must do! When you find it, that’s an indicator that “something” is likely your spiritual gift.

When we first began attending church, Elizabeth and I did any- and everything we could possibly do. It was a joy to serve any- and everybody in any way! Over time, as God worked through us, we began to find tasks that were ideally suited to us—these turned out to be our areas of giftedness.

Start with What You Like

God gave you spiritual abilities (1 Corinthians 12:11) upon your salvation which are an inherent part of your Christian makeup. They are uniquely “you.”

As you grow and mature spiritually, and as you take advantage of opportunities to serve, these spiritual abilities will surface more and more. So what’s the best way to discover your areas of giftedness? Do what you like to do or desire to do. Doing so, plus your spiritual growth, will help confirm your spiritual gift.

Start Asking Others

Others will often recognize your spiritual giftedness before you are aware of them. So ask others what they see as your most effectual area of service. Their observations will probably indicate your areas of giftedness.

You may not recognize them as readily because they will seem to come naturally, easily, and effortlessly to you. They’ll be so rewarding, you’ll hardly notice! That’s because it’s not you, it’s the Holy Spirit. Your area of spiritual giftedness is a channel through which the Holy Spirit works.

Start with What God Is Blessing

Others will be blessed when you are using your God-given gifts. Also, your gifts will become more obvious as God blesses certain ministries you undertake. So, if you wonder what your gifts are, notice what you’re doing for the body of Christ that God is blessing.

Sometimes we can feel immobilized in our service toward God by an over-emphasis on spiritual gifts or a fear of not being the right person for the job. Remember, God uniquely gifted each of us, and we’re not to compare ourselves with others. Follow the steps above to help you identify your giftedness and begin serving God and others!

RESPOND

Dear Lord, thank You for gifting me with specific spiritual gifts. Help me use them to serve you and to benefit others in the body of Christ. All to Your glory. Amen.  

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

Following God with All Your Heart: Believing and Living God's Plan for You—Find encouragement to embrace faith as you serve God. This encouraging book will help you learn God’s direction and provide what you need to do His will.

REFLECT

Have others commented on your spiritual gifts? 

How can you serve in your church, based on your spiritual gifts?

REMEMBER

God gave you spiritual abilities (1 Corinthians 12:11) upon your salvation which are an inherent part of your Christian makeup. They are uniquely “you.”

Train Up A Child

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When I taught elementary school, I could not “wing it” when teaching my students. I had to think ahead about the year’s schedule. I had to search for effective teaching materials and look up creative ideas. I spent hours planning each lesson to give my students the building blocks they needed to succeed in the next grade and beyond.

Likewise, God gives parents the job to prepare our children in their spiritual lives. We cannot leave this vital teaching to Sunday school teacher or educators. As parents, we must provide discernment as much as possible.

Why Should Parents Train Their Child Up?

Outside of your home—at school, or with neighborhood children, or with others out in the world—there will be times when your children will be influenced by people who are somewhat beyond your control. Your children will encounter influences that are ungodly. That’s why we must commit and seek to teach them about God’s ways.

Eventually, our children will grow up, and leave home to go to school or start a job. Their leaving our nest is natural and normal. And it means that you’re not always going to be there for your children. They will be in situations that require them to make some life decisions on their own. But before that happens, we parents need to give them wisdom for spiritual discernment. Teach them how to make godly choices on their own. Isn’t that our main goal as a godly parent?

How to Train Your Child Up

As our children grow, we should be training their spiritual sensitivity so they can “distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). If you are in this position, start with what’s going on in your home. Who are your children’s friends at school? Where are they spending their time? What are they reading and viewing?

As you instruct your children in God’s ways, put these practices into place:

Plan to some extent how you will accomplish this goal
Schedule a time each day for some kind of formal Bible time
Encourage your child to have some time alone with God
Coach them in ways to have daily devotions
Search for age-appropriate materials and ask other parents for ideas for helping children grow spiritually
Pray daily about this mission from God, this teacher role He has personally given you

Wherever and whenever you and your child are together is God’s opportunity for you to teach your child about Him. So take advantage and be purposeful with the gift of such times. But, if they are too few and far between, plan, schedule, and determine to make them happen as if it were your most important job on earth—for it is! 

RESPOND

Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of my child and the time that I have with them. Help me make the most of it, teaching them Your Word and Your Ways. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

A Mom After God’s Own Heart—Here is fresh help for you—a busy mom!—to make God an everyday part of your child's life. 

Through the Bible One Rhyme at a Time—Fun rhymes and colorful pictures combine with Bible truth to help your child’s faith grow.  

REFLECT

What discussion or activity will you plan today to guide your child into a better understanding of God?

REMEMBER
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

People Pleasing

[image error]A habit is a learned behavior. When we do something once, and then again...and again...and again, it becomes routine, an ingrained part of our life. Worrying about the approval of others (people pleasing) is a bad habit that many of us have learned over a period of time. So if we can learn a bad habit, guess what? We can unlearn it and replace it with a good one.

How do you avoid the mental anguish and worry that comes with the temptation to give in to peer pressure, fear of rejection, or fear of persecution? It’s not easy, is it? We’ve all been there, and maybe we’re still there. But it doesn’t have to continue. No, there is hope and help for us.

Here are some things you can do, with God’s help to stop people pleasing.

Keep your focus on God.

No runner ever wins a race while distracted by the crowds in the stands. He keeps his eyes riveted on the track and the finish line in front of him. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

If your focus is on pleasing Christ, you will always say and do the right thing, the God-honoring thing.

See yourself as dead to self.

You are identified with Christ both in His death and in His resurrection. The apostle Paul explains: “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts” (Romans 6:11-12). If you see yourself as dead to yourself, along with all your pride, fears, feelings of loneliness, and yearning of acceptance, you won’t be tempted to conform to the world’s standards.

In other words, there is no you. There is only Christ.

Accept your eternal citizenship.

The temptation for worldly acceptance comes when you lose sight of your identity. As a believer in Christ you are a kingdom citizen (Philippians 3:20). You are a sojourner and a pilgrim (1 Peter 2:11), merely passing through this life on your way to eternity. So don’t get too settled in a world and a life that is passing away.

This will keep you from worrying and being overly concerned about what people think of you and your Christian standards and beliefs.

God is fully able to enable you to live a victorious Christian life. And He is willing and available to do so. That’s His part. Now it’s up to you to do your part, to focus fully on Him—not others—and live for Him. 

RESPOND

Dear Lord, please help me crave only Your approval, and to not worry about pleasing people. I want to live for You alone. Amen.  

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

Breaking the Worry Habit Forever—Go beyond the simple “just pray and give your troubles to the Lord,” with this practical step-by-step advice to help you change your focus, find the positive in negative situations, develop proactive skills to head off anxiety, and more! 

REFLECT
Do you worry more about what people think or what pleases God?

REMEMBER

If your focus is on pleasing Christ, you will always say and do the right thing, the God-honoring thing.

Where Your Treasure Is

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When we were first married, we wanted many of the same things everyone wants. We wanted good jobs, a good income, a new car, and an exciting lifestyle—with, of course, the funds to finance them. As time went by and we obtained these goals, we began to wish for a terrific home to own. Within eight years of marriage, we had all this. Life was good. 

Stuffing Ourselves with Stuff

But then what? There we were, stuffing our lives full of stuff, and still we were restless. So we traveled. We camped. We took night classes. We developed hobbies like photography and woodworking. We regularly read, played chess, and belonged to a bridge club.

Still we couldn’t shake the emptiness. As hard as we tried, and as much money as we earned and spent, and as many things as we stockpiled and owned, we still searched for something more.

But nothing lasted and nothing satisfied...and we weren’t even 30 years old.

New Life

Well, praise God for His intervention in our lives. By His grace we gladly stepped into a new life, a life where there are never any voids—a life filled with Jesus Christ and goals centered around eternity and eternal values.

It wasn’t long before Jim resigned from his job to go back to school to prepare for ministry. We sold our home and most of the furniture and moved into a very small and much older home. Later in life our financial position did stabilize, but our perspective on our possessions was permanently altered.

Where Your Treasure Is 

Because of the temporary nature of our possessions, Jesus tells us exactly where we should place our focus.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:20-21).

Where is your focus? Where is your “treasure”? Put another way, what occupies your thoughts and time? The goal is to make sure your first loyalties—your priority heart commitments—are on the right things, the things that cannot fade away, the things that can never be stolen, the things that cannot wear out (and are never out of fashion!). In short, the things that last—the things that are eternal.

RESPOND

Dear Lord, may we look at our treasures with clear eyes that can discern the temporary from the eternal. May we pursue those treasures that will last forever! Amen.  

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

A Couple After God’s Own Heart—Enrich your marriage and learn the essentials for enjoying life together by developing better ways to communicate. This book for couples will help you draw upon God for unity and strength.

REFLECT

Where is your focus? Where is your “treasure”? What occupies your thoughts and time?

REMEMBER

By God’s grace we can live a life filled with Jesus Christ and have goals centered around eternity and eternal values. 

How Do I Pray for My Husband?

[image error]As Paul wrote, “We do not cease to pray.” This is a good reminder for all wives that our prayers for our husband are not to be a one-time event. When our husband has an issue, need, or crisis, or we have a concern regarding him, we can offer up a quick prayer anytime and anywhere. 

However, you cannot be satisfied with random prayers shot up to heaven from here and there, now and then. Yes, there is a place for quickly sharing your heart with God as you go through your day and think about someone, or your heart is breaking, or you need some on-the-spot wisdom. But prayer is also doing business with God. It’s sort of like preparing a presentation to share at work. 

This is serious business—which you present to God. You pour out your heart to God and your reasons for what you are asking. Let’s do as the apostle Paul. His prayers were “always” (Philippians 1:4), “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and he prayed “constantly” (2 Timo- thy 1:3 nasb). 

Now, what is it you should be praying for? Here are three prayers for your husband:   

Pray that your husband will grow in the knowledge of God’s will (Colossians 1:9).

The Bible says that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). So praying that your husband knows and lives and acts according to God’s will is extremely important. 

How is your husband to identify God’s will? Colossians 1:9 gives the answer: “all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Pray for wisdom for your husband. “Wisdom” is the ability to gather and organize principles from Scripture. And pray for your husband’s spiritual understanding— that he will understand what he reads and studies in God’s Word. “Understanding” is the application of those principles in your husband’s daily life. That is the essence of God’s will!  

Pray that your husband will please God (Colossians 1:10 ).

Pleasing God occurs when your husband obeys God’s commands—when he does God’s will. Pray that your husband will follow and obey God by walking in a worthy manner, which will result in bearing the fruit of the Spirit in his life—the fruit of love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control (Galatians 5:22-23). Pleasing God also occurs when your husband grows in his knowledge of God. 

Pray that your husband will be strengthened by God (Colossians 1:11).

Paul focused on God’s strength in Colossians 1:11, that believers would be “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power.” In prayer, ask Christ to enable your husband with His power to be God’s man. Ask God to infuse your husband with His strength to love and to lead your family through the pressures of life. And pray fervently for your husband to be strengthened with all might, “according to His glorious power.” Ask God that your husband would be made strong with God’s incredible strength so he can have “all patience and longsuffering with joy.” 

And here’s the ultimate blessing of God’s glorious power: When your husband is strengthened by that power, there will be only one way to explain his life and character, and that is God! And because there is no human explanation for your husband’s walk and the fruit in his life, God Himself will receive all the glory. God will be glorified, which is every Christian’s highest goal and purpose—“to do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

RESPOND
My Prayer for My Husband Colossians 1:9-11 

Father God, I do not cease to pray for __________ , and to ask that __________ may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that __________ may walk worthy of You, Lord, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in his knowledge of You, God; that __________ may be strengthened with all might, according to Your glorious power. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

15 Verses to Pray for Your Husband—discover key Bible passages you can use as a springboard for lifting your husband up to God.  As you draw closer to God, you'll draw closer to your husband as well.  

REFLECT

Do I have a daily habit of praying specifically for my husband? 

REMEMBER

Make it a point to pray for your husband; after all, you may be the only person on earth who is praying for him!

Victory Over the Flesh

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Have you heard someone shout “The devil made me do it!” when trying to explain away a sin or failure? Whether in jest or not, this is not exactly a true statement. In actuality, as one person quipped, “We start the fire, and the devil supplies the gasoline.”

Building the fire is our choice. In the opening verses of Luke 4, when the crafty devil was trying to entice Jesus, we see a different picture. Jesus never allowed the fire to start, which didn’t give the devil the opportunity to pour gas on the fire!

Note how Jesus was tested, fought the battle, handled temptation, won the victory, and went on in the power of the Holy Spirit to mightily teach the truth and wondrously display His authority. 

The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’” (Luke 4:3 and 4).

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You...if You will worship before me...”And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (verses 5-8).

Then [the devil] brought [Jesus] to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you...’” And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (verses 9-10,12).

Rebuke and Resist

Jesus rebuked Satan and every temptation. We can resist temptation as we turn to the power of Christ found in the truths of Scripture. So what can you do the next time you are tested?

Trust that God is faithful. He will not “allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Take up the whole armor of God. If you gird your waist with truth, don the breastplate of righteousness, put on the shoes of the gospel of peace, grip the shield of faith, wear the helmet of salvation, and wield the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word), you are ready for battle (Ephesians 6:13-17).
Know you are not alone in your trial. Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, was tempted as you are. He is compassionate and understanding of what you face. He won’t leave you alone in your trial. You can go “boldly to the throne of grace, that [you] may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus stands ready to help you! 


Victory in Christ 

Having a purpose, a goal, is one of the most dynamic forces in human nature. With purpose, a man or woman can accomplish amazing feats, achieve challenging goals, and persist through staggering difficulties. Without purpose, many people drift through life with little to show for their existence.

Do you know your purpose? Your reason for being? The course of your day at each fresh sunrise?

Joshua knew his. He declared, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew her purpose. She said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Paul knew his purpose. He proclaimed, “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). 

If you’re unsure of your purpose, ask God and others to help you understand. Then you can focus on living for Christ and doing what He wants you to do. And remember, with God’s help you can handle temptation and stay on target.

RESPOND

Dear God, I come before Your throne today knowing that in this life I’ll face temptations that could threaten me and my faith. Remind me to turn to Your Word and put on the full armor You provide so I’ll be protected and victorious. Thank You for Your mercy and faithfulness. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]
A Woman After God's Own Heart—As you embrace God's plans for you, you will find real purpose in a life of prayer and practicing God's priorities as you become A Woman After God's Own Heart.

REFLECT

Am I committed to resisting temptation?

Memorize Joshua 24:15, Luke 1:38, and Philippians 1:21 this week.

REMEMBER

Trust that God is faithful. Take up the whole armor of God. Know you are not alone in your trial.

A Good Wife

[image error]A wife's mission of fulfilling God’s pattern for goodness in marriage is empowered by Him when we plan and practice goodness. 

Plan to Do Good

A wise proverb says, “Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good” (Proverbs 14:22). Sharing his insights into this verse, a visiting preacher at my church pointed to Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader who masterminded the murder of six million Jews. He noted that Hitler “devised evil,” that he planned evil, as meticulously as a bride plans her wedding. 

A Good Wife Plans Good

You and I can choose to plan for good or plan for evil, but as God’s beautiful women we are called to do good! So make it your goal to set sail today—and every day—on a course of doing your husband good all day long. 

Practice your plan—Don’t be content with merely planning to do good. Follow through on your good intentions! Put your plan to work. Hopefully, the following ABCs will help your spring of goodness to gush. 

Some ABCs of Goodness 

A Always contribute spiritually. Don’t discourage your husband about God’s plans as Job’s wife did (Job 2:9).

B Bless his name. Allow “the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26) to rule your words whenever you talk about your husband.

C Control your spending. Be sensitive to the family’s financial situation.

D Discipline, raise, and train his children. Proverbs 31 is the faithful teaching of a godly mother to her husband’s child.

E Encourage his dreams. Fan the flames of his personal aspirations.

F Follow his leadership. Eve brought sorrow of heart to her man—and to the world—by not following him. 

G Give your husband the joy of a happy home. Don’t be the contentious, brawling wife of Proverbs 19:13.

H Habitually exhibit a steady, predictable, even-keeled nature. Be sure there’s no Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde in your home! 

I Indulge in praising him. A good word makes a heavy heart glad (Proverbs 12:25). Let your mouth be a spring of goodness!

J Join him in sexual pleasure. Rejoice his heart and satisfy him “at all times” (Proverbs 5:18-19).

K Keep up your spiritual growth. Seeking the Lord regularly is the best way to contribute goodness to your husband.

L Look not at what others have. Be content—and delighted—with your husband’s provision for you.

M Make prayer a part of your ministry to your husband. Nothing creates a deeper spring of goodness in a heart!

N Now try your hand and heart at finishing this alphabet of goodness! Refer to it daily—and, of course, do it! 

Just a note here. I know that Proverbs 31:12 refers to the husband mentioned in verse 11, making its application obvious for married women. But Proverbs 31:10-31 is every bit as much a description of a single woman as it is a married woman. Remember that the young man hearing these instructions from his mother was single, and he will be seeking these virtues in an unmarried woman! Clearly, God’s goal for all of His women—married or single—is that we be a perpetual spring of goodness!

RESPOND

Dear Lord, I’m relying on Your grace to show goodness to my husband—and then to others—as I go about my day. Thank You for Your Word and Your Spirit that guide me. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES [image error]

Beautiful in God’s Eyes—Explore the timeless wisdom of Proverbs 31as you become a woman who desires to honor God in all that she says and does.

REFLECT
Fill in the rest of the alphabet of goodness above. Keep a copy close by as a gentle reminder.

REMEMBER

God’s goal for all of His women—married or single—is that we be a perpetual spring of goodness!

Dealing with Hardships

[image error]If today is “one of those days” you would rather forget, remember that God is available to you every moment of it, no matter what you are facing.

Choosing

Choose not to focus on your problems, but to focus on God. Begin by praising Him for the gift of your salvation. A mere “Thank You” is hardly a sufficient response for the gifts of salvation and eternal life, but expressing continual praise to God will go a long way in showing your thankfulness.

Praising

So praise the Lord! Praise Him for the wonders that are at work in your life and in the lives of your loved ones. Proclaim His praise to the people you meet. Praising God is a wonderful way to testify to the reality of the living God. Praise Him for the true joy you find in Him and in His promises.

Asking

Ask Him for grace.

Ask Him for strength to thank and praise Him.

Ask God to help you remember—pray for wisdom to go to Him for His comfort and guidance in your times of need.

Until you are with the Lord forevermore, there will always be suffering, disappointment, dashed dreams, and even ridicule and persecution. It is at these times you may not feel like praising God, but let your suffering cause you to offer to Him a sacrifice of praise. James 1:2-3 reminds you to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Praise God and His blessed Son with every step and every breath you take today.

RESPOND

Dear Lord, when hardship comes my way, give me the strength to bear it with grace and maintain a clear conscience. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCE [image error]
Prayers for a Woman’s Heart – Prayers and devotions to help you grow in wisdom, patience, and peace! 

REFLECT

Write down three ways God is using your hardships to grow you more like Him. Give Him thanks for this wonderful work!

REMEMBER

“By Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15)