Married to an Unbeliever

My heart goes out to the many Christian women who are disappointed in their marriage because their husband is not a Christian. I've read some of your blogs and emails and I've learned about the daily frustration that you face. Please don't give up. Your situation isn't hopeless.

Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or can imagine.

While you're waiting on your husband there are things that you can do:

• practice scriptural marriage principles
• pray for your husband
• trust God to work in your husband's life
• get Jesus centered, instead of being self-centered
  

Scriptural marriage principles are for all Christian women - those in Christian marriages and those married to unbelievers.

Ephesians 5:33 tells us that men are to love their wives and women are to respect their husbands. I heard Dr. Emerson Eggerichs talk about this verse on a radio show. He pointed out that the verse doesn't say anything about respecting your husband only if he deserves it. We are to show respect to our husband despite his spiritual condition and lack of spiritual leadership.

1 Peter 3:1 tells us that wives should accept the authority of a husband. A woman's godly life can speak to him without any words as a Christian witness. A husband will notice if his wife is respecting him, honoring his family leadership, and if she is growing as a Christian.

31 Days of Praying for Your Husband is a prayer calendar that many Christian women are using right now. It can be useful to you as you pray for your non-christian husband. Prayer is so powerful and I've seen God do dramatic things because I prayed for my husband.

I really enjoy the radio ministry Revive Our Hearts. Nancy Leigh DeMoss talks to women about many different subjects, including being married to an unbeliever. You can listen to her past programs online:

When He Doesn't Believe Series -
Choosing Love
Demolition Queen No More
The Lip Zip Principle
How to Pray for Him
Hope in God
An Obnoxious Christian Wife
He's Still a Guy
Staying Commited to an Unbeliever

Love and Respect Series with Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
The Crazy Cycle
The Energizing Cycle
Unconditional Respect
When He Won't Respond

Spiritually Unequal Marriage is a blog for women who are married to unbelievers. The blog offers help and encouragement so women can thrive in an unequally yoked marriage.

I hope these resources are helpful to you as you wait and pray for your husband's salvation. Please remember - even if you don't see any evidence of it, God may be working in your husband's life. Keep trusting the Lord and drawing close to Him.

Monday Memories: The Spontaneous Trip

I have a January memory of a trip that took place 18 years ago.

My new husband (of 2 months) got some camping equipment for Christmas. A few days after Christmas, we got this great idea to go camping. However, it was 34*F outside. So, we got an even better idea to drive to Southern California where it was warm enough to camp.

We both took vacation time off from work, packed the car and were off. It was very spontaneous, and I could never do that now. But being spontaneous was part of the fun.

When we got to LA, we went to Disneyland - just the 2 of us, no kids yet. We even found a campground about 45 min. from Disneyland, next to the Pacific Ocean. I remember cooking canned chili on a single propane burner and finding a huge, exotic looking insect under our tent.

A lot of the memories of this trip are fuzzy. But, it was a special trip that we took together. Maybe when the kids have grown up, we will be able to be spontaneous again - after I pick up my prescriptions, get someone to water the plants, put a hold on the mall, wash the clothes that we will be taking, prepare food for the trip, and lose 10 pounds.