Friday, May 20, 2011

"Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives" Book Giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS TO AMY BO WHO HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF SPLASHES OF SERENITY: BATHTIME REFLECTIONS FOR DRAINED WIVES! THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE GIVE AWAY, AMY. BE BLESSED BY THIS BOOK.
What a thrill when Danielle Peters (who heard me speak several years ago) asked permission to quote me in her blog. www.Fancylittlethings.com.

The following quote from my book, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives, spoke to her heart:

"God's Word says 'Examine yourself.' It does not say, 'Examine your spouse.' We are not the Holy Spirit sent to make over our spouses. We're off the hook because that's God's job."

Danielle and I are offering a book giveaway this week of my book, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives.

If you would like opportunity to receive a free copy, keep reading Danielle's challenging words to wives.

Posted by Danielle Peters. Encouraging Our Husbands to Be Leaders {Giveaway Included!}

Dear Danielle…I want my husband to be the spiritual leader in our marriage and family. He didn’t have an example in his own family and doesn’t understand that this is a role God has called him to do or where to start with it. How can I encourage him as his wife to take on this leadership role?

I can tell from the wording of this question that this wife has a heart to encourage her husband. Not to change him, not to nag him, but to be God-honoring in her approach to see her husband embrace his leadership role in the home. That is the first step in this process. If you don’t feel your heart is line with this attitude to encourage, start with some prayer and soul searching. As my friend, Elaine W. Miller wrote in her book Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives, “God’s Word says ‘Examine yourself…’. It does not say ‘Examine your spouse’. We are not the Holy Spirit sent to make over our spouses. We’re off the hook because that’s God’s job.” (Earn a chance to win Elaine’s book! See details below!)

Last week’s post had some good examples of what NOT to do. Here I’ll offer some thoughts on ways to encourage our husbands to be leaders in our homes, whether spiritual, financial or other.

• Prayer: There is no more powerful tool that we have to stimulate positive change in our husbands than prayer. Not sure how to pray for your husband? A great resource is The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian. Plus, it allows God to continue to speak to us on our attitudes and the steps He may call us to take to help them.

• Affirm Him: Say “thank you” to your husband: for being a provider for your family, for taking care of that little fix-it problem, for leading in the areas he already does. Let him know how much your family needs him and appreciates him. When he knows he is appreciated for what he does do, he will be more motivated to do more for you and the family.

• Make Way: A man will not step into a leadership role that is already being filled. You need to make way for your man to lead. This doesn’t mean just drop the responsibilities you’ve taken on and let them remain neglected until he takes over. What this does mean is that you can draw him into the role and show him his rightful place. Working on finances? Ask him to a little financial meeting to set some family financial goals…and honor his ideas and decisions. Want him to lead family devotional? Begin my initiating them first and then once everyone is involved, take a backseat and allow him to lead the discussion. He may not know where to start, but you can help him.

• Teach Yourself: Do you really understand the roles that God created men to fill? Are your expectations in line with the man God designed your husband to be? Do you understand the ways God made their hearts to come alive? A book that really opened my eyes to understanding men was Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. I truly believe every wife and especially a mother of boys should read this book. And when you finish, maybe it happens to strategically land in a newly cleaned out magazine rack next to “the john”.

Win your own copy of Elaine’s Book, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for a Drained Wife!

Here is how you can win… {each entry requires a separate comment!}

~Mandatory~

1 ~ Follow our blog www.Fancylittlethings.com by submitting your e-mail in the sidebar or adding us to your feed, then come back & comment.

2~ Follow Elaine’s blog, www.ElaineWMiller.blogspot.com by submitting your e-mail in the sidebar or adding her to your feed, then come back & comment.

~Extra~

3~ Follow FancyLittleThings.com on Facebook & share our profile with your friends, then come back & comment.

4~ Follow Elaine W. Miller on Facebook & share our profile with your friends, then come back & comment.

5~ Feature this giveaway on your blog or website and then leave a comment with your website address and we’ll contact you right away!

6~ Leave a comment here answering “What are some successful ways you’ve encouraged your husband to be the leader God called him to be?”

6 entries = 6 comments


Rules: This giveaway will be closed on Wednesday, May 18th at Midnight and the winner will be posted on Thursday, May 19th. You must check the website to win. If the winner chosen does not contact us at danielle@fancylittlethings.com within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen!



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2 comments:

  1. Just posted this to FB, Elaine! Love you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Truly respect your husband as a man with something of value to bring to the table, rather than just hoping that he'll "catch on" to your perspective (which is really just a form of manipulation). It's hard to lead when there's no one willing to follow.

    ReplyDelete

I would love hearing from you! Thanks for sharing!