Comments on His Girl's Blog: A Blog Hijacking: Heeeeere's Gretchen!

Stopping over from A Teachable Heart. Wonderful, ...

2009-04-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Stopping over from A Teachable Heart. Wonderful, insightful post!

Gretchen, that was great. I can relate to all of i...

2009-04-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Gretchen, that was great. I can relate to all of it.

This post brings back a lot of memories. I reca...

2009-04-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

This post brings back a lot of memories.

I recall having home group at my house, with my husband's blessings. One guy cornered him and was determined to save him. That was the last time hubby allowed Christian gatherings here.

Unequally yoked marriages can take on lots of different looks. Some are like yours, where Christianity is tolerated by the non-believer. My husband was mostly tolerant of our church attendance, but not of Christian music, or prayer or anything "religious" at home. That part was very difficult.

Sometimes the kids would be sad and ask him why he didn't believe or what he believed. I remember a lot of tears when one daughter was told that he didn't believe in God or Jesus. She was brokenhearted.

Four of my five children are adults. I'm still married to an unbeliever. Sometimes I do get weary this many years later.

Spot on. That is exactly right. But I am really s...

2009-04-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

Spot on. That is exactly right.
But I am really sorry that people are stupid and say stupid things and have stolen the joy out of gatherings for you.
Wait on the Lord.

Gretchen! Thanks for hijacking this blog. That w...

2009-04-25T03:04:00.000-07:00

Gretchen! Thanks for hijacking this blog. That was an amazing post and it just blessed my heart. Thank you for your honesty.

Keep on keeping on!

Gretchen, This post is going to be a blessing to s...

2009-04-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

Gretchen,
This post is going to be a blessing to so many people. Both those who walk in your shoes, and those who don't...but need to understand.

Love the "Treat him as if he already is a Christian", which in many ways is John 15:2, in yet another translation. THAT's not only how we should treat our unsaved family members, but every human being God places in our lives!

Great post!

Garsh! Thanks for the kind words. And once again...

2009-04-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

Garsh! Thanks for the kind words. And once again, Amber , thanks for your hospitality. Xxxooo

Gretchen, this was an amazing post, and I have com...

2009-04-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Gretchen, this was an amazing post, and I have come away just sensing how wise you are, and how much God has taught you in this area. Bless you, my friend. And thanks to Amber for letting your hijack! :)

What a treat to find you here...I loved everything...

2009-04-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

What a treat to find you here...I loved everything you had to say, Gretchen. My mom lives this every day with my step-dad and I know shares your sentiments. Especially the whole church gathering thing. That can be dicey.

Praying for Big and your family, too!

Gretchen, thank you for sharing your heart! I wil...

2009-04-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

Gretchen, thank you for sharing your heart! I will tell you that my mom took her children to church every Sunday that my dad wasn't a believer - the first 16 years of my life and the 10 years before that. BUT GOD! He shows up so big! My dad walked the isle at church one Easter Sunday. I blogged about it Easter weekend if you want to read the whole story.

I have a friend who was also married to an unbeliever. She did EXACTLY what you are saying. She went and she honored him. She honored him in tithing (she didn't without his blessing) and in respecting him. He too walked the isle at church - and it didn't take 26 years!

Your husband will be won by your heart and your love!

In Christs Love,
L

Ah Gretchen. All things above.

2009-04-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

Ah Gretchen. All things above.

Thanks for the reminder to to keep praying for you...

2009-04-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the reminder to to keep praying for you, and for Big's salvation. It was good to get your perspective on church events and such. I hope I can be more understanding and helpful to friends' unbelieving spouses.

My sweet Gretchen! This is so touching and so REA...

2009-04-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

My sweet Gretchen!

This is so touching and so REAL!!

I think this can be said for all of us who even have LOVED ones (maybe not spouses) that aren't saved and we want to show them Jesus...

Your tenacity and heart are amazing and I echo Sus..what a testimony he WILL have!

Psst! I snuck onto the internet to see how it's go...

2009-04-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

Psst! I snuck onto the internet to see how it's going over here... and of course, you did a fabulous job, Gretchen! I lurve this post so very much and I have more specific comments, but I'm off to the next part of the confernce. xoxoxo!!!

Awesome post, Gretchen! I love how you honor your...

2009-04-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Awesome post, Gretchen! I love how you honor your husband, and I love the scripture you gave at the end. Thank you so much for sharing!

I loved the openness and honesty of your post. I t...

2009-04-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

I loved the openness and honesty of your post. I thought that I might be able to add some encouraging words to your heart today.

The Word says that marriage is to be esteemed and held in high honor, all marriage. (Hebrews 13:4) So, you are right to see your marriage as holy. God does. You should not look at your marriage as "less than" to anyone else's.

Marriage is a covenant that is supposed to be a symbol to the world of the marriage-love relationship that we have with Jesus. We, the church, are His bride. Needless to say, we were not holy when he set out to win our hearts and marry Him spiritually.

He has sanctified us, set us apart for Himself, by the Truth of His Word being manifested in Him toward us. Experiencing His forgiveness, His love, His mercy,
His grace, moves our hearts toward the one who loves us and has cut covenant with us to do us only good all the days of our lives.

This moves our hearts more and more toward Him and less and less toward anything that the world has to offer.

Scripture also says that when we marry we become "one", no longer two. It is with great excitement that you can know that when God looks at your husband, He sees you. I Peter 3:7 says that you are joint-heirs of the grace of God. Your union with God makes your husband, who you are one with in the flesh, sanctified with you before God. (I Corinthians 7:14)

This would support the promise of Acts 16:31. When you believed on Jesus, you entered the covenant of promise that He would save all those that are one with you, husband and children.

Everything God is doing in you, He is doing in your husband as well. You are "one." You are joint- partakers in His grace. Isn't God so good!

I hope I encourage you just a little today.

God Bless

Gretchen - thanks for this post! As a minister's ...

2009-04-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Gretchen - thanks for this post! As a minister's wife, it is so helpful to hear your feelings on this. I hope I can now be a better encourager to the spiritually single women -and men - in our church. God's blessings to you!!!

Thanks for this post, Gretchen. I, too, am spirit...

2009-04-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks for this post, Gretchen. I, too, am spiritually single, and it has been a challenge in many ways. Because of dumb decisions on my part over the past several years, my husband has become almost antagonistic towards the church. Finally seeing it, I'm now trying to repair it, but it is hard. Tell you what.. I'll pray for you, and you pray for me, OK? Cause I know that God has plans for us, for our husbands, and for our families... we just have to let Him do his work without us always worrying about it. May blessings and grace abound in your home..

Hi My Sweet Friend, Girl, We live very similar li...

2009-04-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Hi My Sweet Friend,

Girl, We live very similar lives. All eight of these I absolutly live as well. Church on Sunday... Dad isn't going, why should I... Parties with church friends are always a struggle and usually go badly... Oh, it is painful but girl.... You and I... We honor Jesus by loving our husbands. Thank you for sharing your heart. Write something for SUM.... Send it along. Love you. Hugs.

Hi, I'm visiting through Shanda's post. I greatly...

2009-04-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm visiting through Shanda's post. I greatly appreciated reading this! I am praying for you, Gretchen, Big, and your precious children.

I love the advice, treat him as though he already ...

2009-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love the advice, treat him as though he already is saved....already a believer.
I have been living that with my adult kids. I kinda get that.
Good job, Gretchen.

You are a wise woman, Gretchen. Amber, thanks for...

2009-04-23T05:35:00.000-07:00

You are a wise woman, Gretchen.

Amber, thanks for giving her the floor!

I love to see that verse lived out. I love that h...

2009-04-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

I love to see that verse lived out. I love that he is so accepting and encouraging to you. This tells me that he knows it's making a huge impact in the life of his family. I can't wait to hear his testimony about how God used you in his life.

Gretchen, I'm praying for you and for Big. I've gr...

2009-04-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Gretchen, I'm praying for you and for Big. I've grown to love you both.

Awesome post! So many women live in this place - ...

2009-04-23T05:08:00.000-07:00

Awesome post! So many women live in this place - thank you Gretchen for being such a blessing and encouragement to others through your own transparency!