How a Man Should Treat His Wife

A home will not be truly a home without genuine affection for each other. And usually, it should start with the parents. They say that the best gift that a father can give his children is loving their mom the right way. If you are a husband or soon-to-be one, and you wish to treat your wife in a way pleasing to the Lord, you should consult the Bible. What does God’s Word say you must do? 1. Surrender Your Life to Christ and Live for Him. Before you can apply God’s Word in your life, you need to surrender yourself to Christ first—that is how you become a CHRISTian. The moment you make Jesus your Lord or Master, the Holy Spirit will be at work to transform your character. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) 2. Seek Godly Wisdom. No relationship is perfect, even between a Christian couple. That is why, being the head of the family, always seek God’s wisdom on how you can care for your wife and kids. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) 3. Avoid Adopting a Worldly Lifestyle. By renewing your mind to align it to God’s will, you learn to be more selfless. You strive to avoid selfish pursuits that can harm your family. This is necessary for marriage since pride and self-centeredness are the common roots of divorce. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) 4. Be Gentle to Your Wife. Your wife is not perfect and sometimes she is hard to understand. Do not be harsh on her. Instead, be gentle and patient all the time. “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” (Colossians 3:19) 5. Be More Understanding. As mentioned in no. 4, your wife is sometimes hard to read. Please know that women struggle with hormonal rage sometimes, that is why they are prone to mood swings. Instead of getting angry and embarrassing them, be more understanding and supportive. “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7) 6. Be Willing to Sacrifice Yourself for Her. Just like how Jesus is willing to sacrifice His life for the church, commit yourself to protecting your wife, even if it costs you your life. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25) 7. Love Her as You Love Yourself. Love your wife just like how you would love yourself. Take care of her properly, provide for her needs, and protect her from pain and harm. “In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:28) 8. Devote Yourself to Her Until the End. Do not take your marriage lightly. Be determined to stay with your wife through thick and thin until the end. In a world where divorce is a trend, be determined to make your marriage last a lifetime. “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:9) 9. Value Her as Your God-Given Partner. God appointed you to be the leader of the family, but that does not mean you are better or more important than your wife. Respect her role as your suitable helper—a partner—in managing your family. Value her opinions and consult her for decision-making. “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

10. Fulfill Your Marital Duty to Her. Your wife has physical intimacy needs too. Do not only focus on your own desires. Be willing to meet hers as well. “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:3) 11. Avoid Temptations that Can Ruin Your Marriage. In connection to no. 10, see to it that you protect your marriage at all costs, including against infidelity. Avoid the temptation to cheat on your wife. Set limitations in your friendship with the opposite sex and do your best to be faithful to her. “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” (Hebrews 13:4) 12. Manage Your Home Well. While this verse talks about deacons or church leaders, this also gives you an idea of how a man of God should be. Your wife would be so blessed to have a husband who knows how to manage his family. This involves being faithful to your wife and making sure she is happy and content. “Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.” (1 Timothy 3:12) Be a Better Person By pursuing Christlikeness in your life, you have a better chance to be a good husband to your wife. Keep praying to ask God for wisdom and strength to be the man that your wife deserves.

Signs God Wants You with Someone

Everyone wants to love and be loved. In short, love is one of the ultimate needs that each human has to meet. Unfortunately, however, many people searching for true love end up being broken-hearted because the person they chose was not the right one for them. For devoted Christians, relying on God’s wisdom is necessary to help them find the right person. They have faith that if they marry a person according to God’s will for them, they are more likely to have a successful and fruitful marriage.

1. You Feel Comfortable And At Peace When That Someone Is Around. Another sign that you and your partner are meant to be is the peace you feel in your heart. It means that you are comfortable enough to be yourself around that person. Also, you have no inhibitions, and you feel sure that you want to marry that individual. 2. The Two Of You Have A Proven And Tested Friendship Even Before The Relationship. One good sign that God has fated you to be together is your solid friendship. If you and your partner have started being good friends, you are so blessed. Most successful relationships and marriages start with friendship. It allows the couple to get to know each other well before committing to love each other. Thank God if your partner is your best friend. 3. You Know There Is True Love Between You. God would never want you to be stuck in a relationship without true love. Is your love for each other unconditional, selfless, and goes beyond physical attraction and intimacy? If yes, then it is the real thing. 4. The Two Of You Aim To Put God At The Center Of Your Lives And Relationship. God is indeed pleased with your relationship if you strive to make Him its center. Be assured that you have His favor if you both are doing your best to live godly lives. Of course, this will include keeping your relationship pure and a blessing to God and others.

Keep Asking For Wisdom These are all signs, and not all may be present in your relationship. However, you should not immediately conclude that you and your partner are not meant to be. Do not be entirely hopeless that the person you love is really the one for you. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Until God’s answer becomes clear to you, do not give up asking for wisdom. The verse promised that the Lord would generously give wisdom to everyone who asks. Also, ask Him to help you and your partner become better Christians and use your relationship to give glory to Him.

Love and Sex

Sexual connection is a vital aspect of most romantic relationships, but it’s not always as central as people may think. Partners have sex for self-interested reasons—it feels good and can boost self-esteem; and for relationship-focused reasons—it enhances closeness and pleases someone they love. Over the long term, most couples will face sexual challenges, as bodies change with age and individuals’ desire for sex waxes and. Research consistently shows that most couples struggle to talk about sex honestly, but that when they do, it brings them closer together.

Love also brings people together, but it takes more than love to stay together. Many of us know couples that broke up despite believing that they were in love with each other, because of one partner’s infidelity or because of distance or circumstance. But even in long-term stable relationships, partners who feel that they are in love may grow apart, if one believes that they are not emotionally safe in the relationship, or that it lacks passion or intimacy.

Fall In Love

When we fall in love we generally believe it’s until death do us part. What we feel is a grand rapture. My mother used to tell me that love is the feeling you feel when you’re about to feel a feeling that you never felt before. Not very helpful for a teenager trying to understand her emotions, but most of us recognize what my mom was trying to tell me: romantic love is special, unique, like nothing else we’ve experienced.

There’s no question that the early stages of a relationship can be confusing. You might puzzle over your own feelings, and wonder what the person you’re dating really thinks of you. Your own emotions may be difficult to fully decipher, and trying to categorize them as falling in love or as just a passing attraction can be tricky. Falling in love is a uniquely intense period of time for anyone. But we need to sort out a lot of other questions during a falling-in-love phase: Beyond clear attraction, is this person someone who will support you, respect you, understand you, and be compassionate with you? And does this person share your values and priorities?

If you're lucky, putting in the time and effort during this initial period will pay off, and your mutual attraction can transition into a more stable and long-term relationship.

How to Know Whom You Can Trust

Before our trust can be lost, we first have to give it out. For some people, we make them earn our trust, but for others, we freely give it away. “Trust is both an emotional and logical act.” On one hand, it is a feeling. If we have some familiarity with a person, that is if they share something meaningful with us such as culture, values, or even community, we are more likely to give them our trust without expecting them to earn it first. According to author Simon Sinek, “When we’re surrounded by people who believe what we believe, something remarkable happens, trust emerges.” On the other hand, before we are willing to do business with a stranger, we want some assurance that they will provide what is expected.

It’s not surprising that dysregulated eaters, who often have little self-trust, also have difficulty with knowing whether or not to trust others. Knowing who to trust is a learned ability, a skill. One way to assess trust is through verification. Another is by recognizing what people do when they feel guilty. The motivation behind trust is to find someone who cares enough about us that we can rely on them. But, that desire involves risk. When we trust someone, we make ourselves vulnerable to that person. We give that person the power to hurt us. Do you know if the person you want to trust cares about you? If not, then you might want to make them prove their trustworthiness first.

Single Parenting: The Struggle Is Real

People become parents for some different reasons, though those reasons are mainly the result of a) divorce or b) death. And sometimes, after a divorce, your ex-partner can be so distant or uninvolved that it makes co-parenting nearly impossible. How many times can you disappoint a child by telling him or her that the absentee parent didn’t show up for yet another visitation appointment? It is stressful being a parent on a good day, let alone a bad one. You need to have time to yourself, whether it’s to blow off some steam with a good movie and a glass of wine, or get some housework done, so you stop looking at the same messes day in and day out. While it can be tempting to be SuperMom and get all the glory of doing everything on your own, the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” didn’t come from nowhere. When you need help, ask.

One of the things single parents tend to worry about the most is being able to provide their children with a sense of security. The best way to establish this is to create a routine and stick to it. Many single parents tend to rely too heavily on their children, treating them almost as equals. They share their financial burdens with their children, as well as the struggles they go through both as a single parent and, if applicable, with their former spouses.

Being a parent sometimes requires us to ask for things we’d never ask for, and do things we’d never have done.

Is He Truly In Love?

Being truly in love is something many people dream about and hope to experience in their lives. A healthy long-term relationship can feel comforting, validating, and safe. If you are in a relationship that feels right but aren’t sure if your boyfriend feels the same way, the only way to find out is to ask. First, think about the way you felt when you first realized this relationship was special. The feeling of falling in love is exhilarating. You want to spend time with your partner and find out everything you possibly can about them. You feel connected, and you want to be physically and emotionally close. A huge part of intimacy is connected to understanding how someone's mind works and what's important to them. Understanding each other allows you to feel secure in the relationship. Once you have fallen in love with someone, the next step is figuring out how to stay in love with each other.

Love is a beautiful phenomenon that can mean different things to different people. When you're in love, you feel a sense of security, trust, freedom, and excitement in the relationship. You don't worry about what your boyfriend is doing when he's not with you, and when you're together, you love to find activities and conversations that help you feel connected. When you look into each other's eyes, you feel warmth, compassion, and connectedness. You don't have to ask for emotional validation because you know that you're cared for and that your boyfriend respects you.

No matter how you phrase it, asking your boyfriend how he feels about the relationship is important. Communication is the key to understanding, and especially in a romantic or intimate relationship, feeling understood will allow each of you to care more deeply and fully for each other.

Happiness: What You Should Seek Out Of Life

No matter who we are or what we do with our lives, the ultimate goal is to be content and satisfied with our current state of being. We want to be able to look back on our memories fondly and without regret and we want to be able to say that we led the best lives possible, ones that filled us with joy and made us truly satisfied with what we accomplished and how we lived.

But for some, the meaning of happiness can be very elusive, and many may not be able to properly determine what happiness would look like, feel like, or what causes happiness. Happiness is, after all, something that holds a different meaning for each of us, even if we feel it similarly. That being said, there are some key components to being content throughout our lifetime, and even though we may not be necessarily pursuing the same kinds of things that make us happy, we can all learn some important tips that will help us to reach our individual.

Family Love Is One Of The Best Things In The World

It's easy to say, "I love my family," but family love is about more than these simple words. Family love is a special type of love that comes with its unique feelings, behaviors, challenges, and rewards. Once you understand what it truly is, you can learn how to build family relationships by genuine love and care.

What Is Family? A family isn't necessarily about blood relations-it's a group of people that function as a unit. Often, but not always, this includes parents and children. Family can also mean all the descendants of a common ancestor. Some people consider their friends like family. However, when we speak of family love, the love you have with your friends might or might not fit, depending on what type of relationship you have. What Is Love? Love is a word that's been used in so many ways, it's nearly lost its meaning. We may say we love ice cream or skiing when what we mean is that we enjoy it. Love is of course commonly used to describe romantic or sexual feelings and behaviors. In the context of family love, the term refers to bonds characterized by deep affection, respect, loyalty, and healthy attachment. Family relationships are different from other types of bonds. The following characteristics of family love set it apart from other types of love relationships.

From Faith to Faith

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

— Romans 1:17

Faith is a word the apostle Paul used often in his writing. When writing to the Thessalonians, he wanted to know about their faith.

While the word faith means belief or absolute trust, it’s more than that—the word also implies loyalty and commitment.

Faith means being convinced that something is true. In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the apostle told the Corinthians that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, their faith was meaningless. He was saying that all they believed was utterly useless. True faith acknowledges that the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection is true.

True faith begins when we’re receptive—when we’re willing to listen. It starts with a kind of mental assent—it seems reasonable that it’s true. But that’s not true faith. True faith happens when we say, “Not only does it make sense to me, but I’m willing to stake my life on it.”

Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, saying that the just—the righteous—shall live by faith. One way to think of the just is to think of those who were “justified,” or made right, by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

If we are justified, it means that God treats us as though we are not and have never been sinners. He treats us as His own—His beloved children. Instead of being God’s enemies, we’re His friends. Instead of fighting Him, we serve Him.

When God calls us just, or righteous, we enter into a relationship of love, confidence, and friendship. We need not fear or worry because there is no punishment for us.

When Paul says the just and upright shall live by faith, he means that those of us who have been made right with God live by our faith. That is, we live by our trust in the God who reaches out to us.

This is where many must fight the wiles of Satan. Instead of focusing on all God has done for us, they listen to the devil whisper, “Do you remember when you lost your temper?” “You’re worried about paying your bills, and if you worry, you don’t have faith, right?” “If you’re supposed to be a Christian, how could you have said what you did?”

The torments are there, and Satan never passes up the opportunity to remind us of past failures. All have failed, and we will continue to fail, but when we do, we can repent and move on.

I went through a particularly difficult time several years ago when there was absolutely no joy or peace in my life. Unhappiness filled most of my days. I repeatedly asked the Lord what was wrong with me, really wanting to know what my problem was. I was working so hard to please the Lord and trying to be the kind of Christian I thought I should be, but I certainly didn’t feel like any progress was being made.

Then one day, I came across Romans 15:13 (AMPC) in a box of scripture cards: May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. That was it! I got it!

I had plunged into doubt and unbelief, allowing the enemy to torment me with his evil lies. As a result, I had become negative, grouchy, short-tempered, and impatient. I was making myself miserable, and Satan was thrilled at the stronghold he had over me!

This scripture changed all of that old thinking! I knew the answer. Jesus loved me so much that He not only forgave all my sins of the past, but He also looked ahead and forgave me for those moments of weakness when I’d fail in the future. I’m not referring to deliberate sin, but to human weaknesses, those times when I just don’t live up to all the truth I know.

“Just think,” I told my husband, “two thousand years ago Jesus not only died on the cross for all my sins before I even knew Him, but for all of my sins and failures until the day I meet Him face to face.” That was such a powerful thought to me.

Then I pondered the words of Paul in Romans 1:17. I finally understood the concept of living from faith to faith. I don’t have to allow Satan to sneak in with questions or unbelief. I can live every moment moving from faith to more faith to more faith.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus Christ, I am in awe of Your love for me, which is so great and so powerful that You not only died for all my sins before I was born, but You’ve provided for all my weak moments in the future. I am so thankful to You for Your love, and I rejoice in Your holy name. Amen.

Breaking Bad Habits

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

— 1 Corinthians 15:58

Habits are behaviors that we often do unconsciously, and to break bad ones we have to become conscious and aware that we are doing them and choose to replace them with good habits.

Breaking bad habits is a process, and if you are a person who gives up easily, you won’t get very far. So, make a decision that you are in it for the long haul and that you are willing to have the pain for the gain.

Anything wo

rth having in life is going to take a concentrated effort. With God’s help, a determined attitude, and an awareness that a bad habit needs to be broken, you can have victory—be encouraged that you can break that bad habit, with God’s help, and replace it with a good one.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to not give up! Strengthen me today to make right choices. Help me to replace the bad habits in my life with good, healthy habits that glorify You. I can only do it by Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.