Winning Him Without Words: 10 Keys to Thriving in Your Spiritually Mismatched Marriage Read Online Free
Author: Lynn Donovan, Dineen Miller
needed to look to God for my deepest needs—not my husband, who was never intended to fill that role.
My husband and I found a sort of harmony in our marriage that embraced a respect for one another’s choices in faith. Over the years, God has continually shown me how to love my husband unconditionally. So much of our past conflicts became the strength of our marriage when we faced a life-threatening crisis with one of our daughters. This strength was the source of our unity when she was diagnosed with a malignant braintumor, and it continues to bring us closer as we support each other through her ongoing recovery.
God is teaching me that life is not a problem to be solved but a gift to be enjoyed. I used to think that one day our lives would be free of trials. Now I understand that these trials are vital to our faith deepening and for us to draw closer to a God who loves us more than we are able to comprehend. God lets us go through the tough stuff so that we can each grow closer to being a reflection of the image of Christ. This training allows each of us to be a vessel of revelation to those around us of God’s amazing goodness, mercy and grace and a reflection of Jesus to our husbands.
Sometimes survival is all we can do, and God asks nothing more, but He never intends for us to stay in that place. He wants us to thrive in our lives and in our mismatched marriages. And, ever the gentleman, God leaves the choice to us.
So what do you choose, dear friend? Choose to thrive, because I am so excited to be on this journey with you. It is one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life. This is Romans 8:28 in full swing, the chance to see God bring good—healing and hope—from the sharing of what He’s done in my life. And He’ll do the same for you, because you are His beloved one and His desire is for you.
Get ready to thrive. God’s waiting to show you the way through the pages of this book. I hope that one day you’ll share your story with me and let me know how God brought you to experience His wild hope.
Praying and believing,
Dineen
KEY #1
Know that You’re
Not Alone!
(Lynn)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age
.
MATTHEW 28:20
I don’t care anymore. I need to be here, even if he won’t come with me
.
I made a beeline to the nearest seat in the back of the church; I felt the eyes of those already seated watching my determined steps.
Did they notice I was alone
? I quickly flipped the bulletin open, pretending to give it my complete attention; it was the only cover available to disguise my uneasiness. My anxiety over my situation slid into restlessness. I shifted awkwardly in my seat. After a few minutes, I settled down and ventured a glance around me. No one was staring.
Whew!
My lips tipped up in a shallow smile.
I did it. I finally made it to church
. Today was a big day. I had left my comfort zone, and for the first time since being married I had made it to church—and I had gone alone.
As I waited for the service to begin, my thoughts returned to the struggle earlier in the morning. I recalled absent-mindedly applying mascara. I was calm and collected on the outside, yet on the inside, a battle raged. I was desperate to attend church but completely stressed out over the thought of attending alone.I stood before the mirror and fought to gain control of my growing anger. Sealing the cap of the mascara, I stepped back and glanced across the bedroom to the lump of snoring covers. I seriously toyed with the idea of throwing my hairbrush at said lump in hope that it would inflict bodily harm. However, I steadied my resolve and then walked out of the house, determined not to start a fight or miss church one more week, even if I had to sit abandoned.
For years, my husband had refused to go to church with me. In fact, any mention of church, religion or faith had inevitably resulted in an argument, coupled with pouting, crying and/or manipulation—I’d resorted to them
My husband and I found a sort of harmony in our marriage that embraced a respect for one another’s choices in faith. Over the years, God has continually shown me how to love my husband unconditionally. So much of our past conflicts became the strength of our marriage when we faced a life-threatening crisis with one of our daughters. This strength was the source of our unity when she was diagnosed with a malignant braintumor, and it continues to bring us closer as we support each other through her ongoing recovery.
God is teaching me that life is not a problem to be solved but a gift to be enjoyed. I used to think that one day our lives would be free of trials. Now I understand that these trials are vital to our faith deepening and for us to draw closer to a God who loves us more than we are able to comprehend. God lets us go through the tough stuff so that we can each grow closer to being a reflection of the image of Christ. This training allows each of us to be a vessel of revelation to those around us of God’s amazing goodness, mercy and grace and a reflection of Jesus to our husbands.
Sometimes survival is all we can do, and God asks nothing more, but He never intends for us to stay in that place. He wants us to thrive in our lives and in our mismatched marriages. And, ever the gentleman, God leaves the choice to us.
So what do you choose, dear friend? Choose to thrive, because I am so excited to be on this journey with you. It is one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life. This is Romans 8:28 in full swing, the chance to see God bring good—healing and hope—from the sharing of what He’s done in my life. And He’ll do the same for you, because you are His beloved one and His desire is for you.
Get ready to thrive. God’s waiting to show you the way through the pages of this book. I hope that one day you’ll share your story with me and let me know how God brought you to experience His wild hope.
Praying and believing,
Dineen
KEY #1
Know that You’re
Not Alone!
(Lynn)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age
.
MATTHEW 28:20
I don’t care anymore. I need to be here, even if he won’t come with me
.
I made a beeline to the nearest seat in the back of the church; I felt the eyes of those already seated watching my determined steps.
Did they notice I was alone
? I quickly flipped the bulletin open, pretending to give it my complete attention; it was the only cover available to disguise my uneasiness. My anxiety over my situation slid into restlessness. I shifted awkwardly in my seat. After a few minutes, I settled down and ventured a glance around me. No one was staring.
Whew!
My lips tipped up in a shallow smile.
I did it. I finally made it to church
. Today was a big day. I had left my comfort zone, and for the first time since being married I had made it to church—and I had gone alone.
As I waited for the service to begin, my thoughts returned to the struggle earlier in the morning. I recalled absent-mindedly applying mascara. I was calm and collected on the outside, yet on the inside, a battle raged. I was desperate to attend church but completely stressed out over the thought of attending alone.I stood before the mirror and fought to gain control of my growing anger. Sealing the cap of the mascara, I stepped back and glanced across the bedroom to the lump of snoring covers. I seriously toyed with the idea of throwing my hairbrush at said lump in hope that it would inflict bodily harm. However, I steadied my resolve and then walked out of the house, determined not to start a fight or miss church one more week, even if I had to sit abandoned.
For years, my husband had refused to go to church with me. In fact, any mention of church, religion or faith had inevitably resulted in an argument, coupled with pouting, crying and/or manipulation—I’d resorted to them
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