Women's Daily Encouragement Blog

I have been speaking lately about the land that flows with milk and honey. I take the descriptions that God gave of the physical land of Israel and relate them to the land of motherhood that God has brought us into. I noticed again this morning in Jeremiah 2:7 that God says, “I brought you into the fruitful land to eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and defiled my land.”

God intends your land of wifehood and motherhood to be a fruitful and good land. There are so many wonderful blessings to possess. (I’ll share with you some of the blessings in another post). When we embrace all the “fruits and rich bounty” that God has provided we will live in His blessings.

God’s plan for the land of motherhood is good, but we have do it His way. When we think our way is better we end up in confusion.

Isn’t it sad that many despise the land of motherhood? They leave the land to find other lands, but in doing this, they leave behind the blessing of God, for His blessing is in the land, not out of the land.

Love from Nancy

Can I let you in on a secret? You cannot build a successful marriage when your life is “all about me.” Selfishness never works. Expecting to be served and pampered doesn’t work. Even Jesus did not come to serve, but to serve and give his life (Matthew 20:28).

The only way you find your life is by giving up your own life in serving others (Mark 8:35). Marriage is the perfect relationship to experience this victorious way of living.

Here’s a project for you. Can I encourage you to change your thinking from “it’s all about me” to “it’s all about him”? Instead of dwelling on what your husband is doing wrong and how he is not doing this and that around the home etc, why not think of all the ways you can bless him.

Starting from today and for the rest of this week, think of at least two special things you can do for him, say to him, or write to him each day. Why not surprise him by initiating sexual intimacy instead of waiting for your husband to make the first move? And don’t forget to have a lovely meal waiting for him each evening as he comes home.

Think creatively. Think out of the box. Think about him instead of you!

Love from Nancy

Who is your marriage all about? Is it all about you? Many couples live together, but are not bound together, or enjoy life together. They started off with great love, enjoyment and enthusiasm but now their relationship is pretty boring and cold.

Why is this? I believe it is because of the “all about me” syndrome. What is my husband doing for me? How is my husband serving me? I have a right to be whom I am and do my own thing. Soon the couple are living their own separate lives instead of being cemented together.

The very first marriage principle that God gave is oneness. Genesis 2:24 states that the married couple are to be “one flesh.” We are not separate entities. We are one. We should think oneness. We should be yielded to one another to be “one flesh” as much as possible. We should be yielded to one another in one spirit, mind, and purpose to build our marriage and family. We haven’t got time to be pursuing our own life. We have been blended as one to build a family that is strong, , powerful and will impact the world. This will only happen through oneness.

Love from Nancy

When we commit to establishing Family Devotions in our family, our children become aware that we honor God’s Word. It’s not enough for us to go to church on Sunday or Saturday, but our children need to know that we can’t get through one day without the sustenance of God’s precious Word.

When we make it a commitment to read the Word and pray together morning and evening, they know that we truly are Bible believers and praying parents.

If your children do not see you honoring the Word of God each day, will they think it is something worth studying and reading? If we do not gather with them to pray together every day, will they get a vision for prayer?

The children see by our lifestyle what is important to us. What do they see? A materialistic attitude, trying to keep up with the Joneses, and following the crowd? Or do they truly see that God is the priority in our lives?

Love from Nancy

Your children gain convictions about the sanctity of life by observing your attitude about children. If your attitude is against having more children, they subconsciously imbibe that children are a commodity to have according to your plans, rather than gifts to be embraced by God because of His eternal plan.

What about eating together at the table? Even in homeschooling families, this biblical tradition (Psalm 128:3) is being lost today as they get caught up in all their extra-curricular activities. I know that all these activities are very good. Satan, the deceiver, never entices us with things that are evil, but with things that are “good, pleasant, and wise” (Genesis 3:6).

If we don’t sit together for meals, what are we teaching our children? What example do we give them for when they establish their family life? Will they grow up always eating out and not establishing this biblical premise?

As you begin teaching again today, remember that your biggest teaching is your lifestyle.

Love from Nancy

We were reading the story of Rebekah at the well, when she was chosen by the Lord to be Isaac’s wife. Gen 24:16 says, “And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her”. The Douay-Rheims Bible words it, “An exceedingly comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man”. I made sure to explain to our children that a very large part of this maiden’s beauty was her purity. I’m always looking for ways to promote the blessings of purity. We need a “Virginity is Gorgeous” and a “Save Yourself for Marriage” campaign, to counter the other garbage campaigns out there that are lying (and destroying) to our youth. Love Michelle

Spring cleaning has begun at our house. I find it so exciting to de-clutter and put things back in order. It is like transforming our home into a whole new creation! I love it so much. Painting, organizing and getting rid of accumulation makes for a lovely home to enjoy our lives in. In addition, we never know what the Lord has in mind for our futures, so when our homes are in good order, we are ready if He moves us to a new location. Our children even get excited to see rooms sparkling and organized. It is work that is worthy of our time, and it greatly benefits our lives. Are you spring cleaning? I started with the office at our place. Maybe it will even be painted by the end of the weekend. How fun! Love Michelle

There are times when I really appreciate immediate gratification. That is one of the things I love most about home-making. We have the immediate gratification of a job well done, every time we clean something. We do not need to wait to see results, because we see the difference within seconds. What a blessing! Our homes get put back in order, things look clean and tidy, and the transformation happens instantaneously, with each little bit of effort exerted. I know the results are often short-lived, but that is okay. We live in our homes, and so we simply resume that bit of effort again, and Presto! we get instant results once more. I love how even if many of my tasks require repetition, they reward me with immediate results. How many people can say the same about the work they do each day? We stay at home gals truly are richly blessed! Love Michelle

Famous people may get hounded by the media, with paparazzi wanting their pictures, and fans wanting a second of their time, but that is nothing. As a mother, I am in demand 24/7 each day of my life! There is always someone wanting to share with me, touch me, talk to me, show me something, draw me, sit with me, listen to me, see me smile, hug me and kiss me. Someone always wants to know where I am, what I am doing, and how I am feeling. Someone always misses me, longs for me and wants to be in my presence, even if I am in the shower! I am forever in dialogue and in loving demand, and it will not pass. This is true of all mothers. Unlike the famous, we are always in the limelight. There is no fleeting moment of fame because for Mother, it lasts a lifetime. No amount of worldly fame and fortune can hold a candle to the power and influence of motherhood. What an incredible privilege, to be so very in demand. Love Michelle

In my travels I overheard some businessmen in conversation. One commented with enthusiasm how he would be home in an hour, and on his couch. He said it with such pleasure. He could not wait to be HOME. The next man mentioned their mutual friend, who would still be at the shop, as that is where he always is. The first man answered, “He just loves to be away from home.” Oh, what a sad testimony! Home should be the family’s favourite place to be: the place of renewal, rejuvenation, and belonging. May we all have such amazing atmospheres in our homes that our husbands and children cannot wait to be back home when they are away. Love Michelle