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May 12
Diversity in Marriage
Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another.
Colossians 3:12-13, nkjv
The differences between my husband and myself have been the basis for many fights. My husband likes everything in its place while I never even notice when things are a mess. He is very outgoing, able to recall people’s names easily. In contrast, I am almost a recluse and can’t even remember the faces of people I’ve met.
One day, following weeks of tension and fighting triggered by these differences, we began to make a study of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We recognized our own particular spiritual gifts, and they were totally opposite from each other. This led us to recognize other differences, acknowledge those differences by name, learn to accept them in each other, and then grow to appreciate them for the balance they give to our marriage relationship. I cannot adequately convey the blessing this has been, the peace that has resulted, and the love that has increased between us simply because after years of doing it “my way,” we finally followed the Creator’s wise directions for diversity in our marriage.
God’s Story, (Nashville: W Publishing, 1997).
Updated following Danny’s passing:
The differences between my husband and myself were the basis for many fights. My husband liked everything in its place while I never even notice when things are a mess. He was very outgoing, able to recall people's names easily. In contrast, I am almost a recluse and can't even remember the faces of people I've met.
One day, following weeks of tension and fighting triggered by these differences, we began to make a study of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We recognized our own particular spiritual gifts, and they were totally opposite from each other. This led us to recognize other differences, acknowledge those differences by name, learn to accept them in each other, and then grow to appreciate them for the balance they gave to our marriage relationship. I cannot adequately convey the blessing this was, the peace that resulted, and the love that increased between us simply because after years of doing it "my way," we finally followed the Creator's wise directions for diversity in our marriage.
©2012 Anne Graham Lotz. All rights reserved.
What are the secrets to a life of impact? Daniel achieved greatness in the eyes of his contemporaries, in the eyes of history, and most importantly, in the eyes of God. His faith did not waver as he faced his critics, as he served new kings in power, or even as he confronted hungry lions. How can we achieve that kind of faith today? Twenty intentional, key choices made all the difference. Daniel’s choices can be ours, such as:
• The choice to listen
• The choice to forgive
• The choice to pray
Cultivate a life-changing faith when you learn to implement The Daniel Key into your everyday life. Request your copy!
For more from Anne Graham Lotz please visit AnneGrahamLotz.org.
Originally published Sunday, 12 May 2024.
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