Priorities for a Christian woman

Lots of Christian women wonder what their priorities should be.  Should husband come before kids?  Should financial security come before family time?  Should house-keeping come before leisure time?  Well, I’m not going to answer those specific questions because I’ve learned they are the wrong questions!  When it comes to priorities, God is urging all of us to put his kingdom purposes and plans above ALL else!  Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

It’s such a simple and concise instruction from the Lord, but make no mistake, it’s hard to carry out!  Our fleshly desires cry out for us to focus on personal happiness, and financial security, and “success” for our children, and luxurious vacations, and a new wardrobe.  Our culture, through both advertisements and social media, constantly reminds us that we should have it all.  We deserve it all. 

However, God is calling us to place Him above everything and everyone else.  He is desperate for people who are desperate for Him.  He’s calling us to repentance.  He’s calling us to pray continually.  He’s calling us to loosen our grip on our money and possessions and to give to the poor.  He’s calling us to honor and obey Him as our first priority.  We say we want revival, but are we earnestly seeking the Lord above all else?  We get some great clues about what leads to revival when we look at what the early followers of Jesus did immediately after he ascended to heaven following his resurrection.  Read Acts 2:38-47 to get inspired! 

By the way, you’ll likely find that as you seek the Lord above all else, you will become a more peaceful wife and mom!

A top need of your children

If you love your children, one of the MOST important things you can do for them is to keep your marriage healthy and intact!  Not to scare you, but the research regarding children from divorced families is alarming.  Perhaps this is one reason the Bible says in Malachi 2:16, “For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce“.  God knows the devastating impact of divorce on children’s lives.

Research by Focus on the Family has found that teens from divorced homes are much more likely to engage in drug and alcohol use, as well as sexual intercourse than are those from intact families.  Also, kids whose parents divorce are substantially more likely to be incarcerated for committing a crime as a juvenile.  Plus, research from the Heritage Foundation found that children of divorced parents perform more poorly at school and have higher drop-out rates.

Yes, God can heal a child’s heart following a divorce, but the scars will remain.  So, work hard to keep your marriage healthy and strong.  Pray every day for your husband and pray daily for marriage guidance from the Lord.  See a counselor if you guys are fighting a lot or if you are growing increasingly resentful.  Don’t let your heart grow hard.  Fight for your marriage.  Your kids will thank you!