Over the past month, thousands of women participated in the Wife After God study. It was such a blessing to be able to go through this devotional with so many ladies, as it kept me accountable to doing it daily and also introduced me to a ton of other wives.My friend Elise and I thought it would be a great idea to host a link up so that any of you who participated could share what you got out of doing this study.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this devotional on January 1st. I feel like I have a great marriage and despite the trials we've been going through lately, Ryan and I have tried to not let them affect our relationship with each other. As I began to complete the readings and challenges daily, I saw that there were so many areas that may seem "great" in our marriage, but there is always room for growth.
My eyes were opened to ways in which I can support and encourage Ryan. One of the biggest things I began to do was be more intentional about the time we spend together. Since we are with each other 24/7 on a daily basis, it's easy to think you are hanging out together constantly, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are spending quality time together. I could be on the computer while he watches tv at night, sitting side by side, but we weren't really enjoying each other's company. We started finding fun and creative date nights that we could do for free. We started talking a lot more and discussing things that maybe hadn't ever come up in the past. I can honestly say that I feel like our relationship was strengthened over the past four weeks.
The other big thing that stood out to me was how important it is that I follow God and do what's right for my marriage, regardless of Ryan and his actions. In the heat of an argument it's so easy to lash out because you have been hurt by what your partner has said. It's also much easier to give your husband the cold shoulder than to drop your pride and keep showing him love. Jesus doesn't just care about me sometimes and He definitely doesn't base His feelings towards me on my attitude - if that was the case, I'd be abandoned by Him on more days than I care to count. I also need to watch my negative body language. I can say all the right things and in the perfect tone - but I am terrible about letting out an eye roll or shaking my head when I am annoyed. As another wife so brilliantly put it, "I might want to learn to put my face on mute."
Completing this study was amazing and I am so glad I committed and stuck to doing it. I'm looking for another study to start in the next week or so! Elise and I would love for you to join us.
So what was your experience with Wife After God? In what ways were you challenged or how did your marriage grow?
