10 things I love about my husband

1. He is saved by grace through FAITH!

2. He is a great leader. He always does his best to make sure he doesn't steer us wrong. He only wants the best for us and he works hard, and prays even harder, to provide it.

3. He is an amazing father. He loves his girls and you can tell when he spends time with them. Its written all over his face as he looks at them and dripping from every word he says.

4. He's the perfect protector. He's always watching out for me. He checks for ice before I walk and helps me out of the car. He's always on the look out to make sure the girls and I are safe. He even does the laundry so I won't have to go into the basement of our apartment alone!

5. He is a happy helper. My dear sweet hubby is a strong man and so any chance he gets to use his muscles he does! He joyfully helps others especially with physical labor. But he just as happily will help with things that don't involve physical strength, like helping an elderly lady down the steps. That was one of the first things I noticed and loved about him. He's just an all around nice guy.

6. He is talented. My husband is an artist. He mostly does graphic design, but his drawings and sketches blow me away. YHVH truely blessed him with am amazing talent. I could watch him design all day.

7. He is loyal. If my husband makes a commitment he honors it. If for any reason he can't he does his best to come up with a compromise or another way to honor his commitments. He's such a dedicated man and he is wise. He never paints himself into a corner, which helps him be able to keep his word. He's also very loyal to his parents and siblings. Even though we are his main priority, he makes sure to take time to help them how ever he can. He has younger brothers and he tries to set a good example for them. I love to watch him interact with them. He's an all about family kind of man. 

8. He's fun. I like to have a good time and so does my hubby. We have an easy time enjoying each other, even though sometimes life gets in the way. He gets me. He laughs at my jokes and he can always make me smile. He's a big kid at heart and so am I.

9. He loves me. Someone once told me that love is a choice. Yes we can fall in love, but real love is a choice we make. Well I know my hubby made that choice and he stands by it everyday. We've been together for almost 4 years. That may seem like a short amount of time to some, but with everything we've been through its really shaped our relationship. There where times, he could of walked away. But he never has. He has never turned his back on me, not even for a second. When I say times got hard, times got REALLY HARD! My whole family knew he would marry me just because he was sticking around despite the drama. We've been through the fire, and by the grace and strength of YHVH, we made it out to the other side stronger than ever. They say that the strongest metals are made in the hottest fires; well that's us. We're like titanium or carbon 40 :o)

10. He's so handsome how can I help but love him! Ok I know this seems a bit superficial BUT he's handsome from the inside out. So really its deep lol. But seriously my husband is a very attractive man and I love to look at him. He has such a heart for YHVH and such passion for life. When I look at him I see my present, and my future. I see who I want my (future) sons to be like. I see the type of man I want my daughters to marry. And I see the greatest blessing God has given me.

ARRANGED

I really enjoyed this movie! I watched it through Netflix. I just kind of stumbled upon it, but it was a really great find! There is one scene that shows one of the main characters at a party observing some bad behavior, it's brief, but I suggest parents watch it before letting their kids watch. According to the website the movie is loosely based on the life of the writer. If you watch it I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Here is the movie description from the website:

Two young women — one an Orthodox Jew, the other Muslim — meet and become friends as first-year teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. Over the course of the year they learn they share much in common, not least of which is that they are both going through arranged marriages.

Challah!

I meant to share a picture of the first loaf I made weeks ago, but I didn't get around to it. So here is the egg-free Challah that I made this past Shabbat. This one was my best yet! Very soft and light :o) 

We had a wonderful Shabbat, things didn't go as planned but it was a blessing, as always. It was also our first Shabbat using a messianic Siddur. I went to Hebrew4Christians.com and copied down the prayers and blessings. Hubby liked having it because it really helped us to have structure and order. It was really a sweet time for our family. 

Here is the recipe I used:

Whole Wheat Challah

1 tsp. sugar

2 1/4 tsp. yeast (or one package)

1/2 cup warm water

3/4 cup soy milk, milk, or water

1 1/2 cups white flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 Tbsp. honey (or sugar)

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix together warm water, yeast and sugar - let sit ten minutes until frothy. Mix together with soy milk, honey, salt and olive oil. Then add flour until dough is just a little sticky but manageable. Spray bowl with Pam and let rise for about 1.5 hours. Punch down, braid into challah shape, let rise about another 1/2 hour to an hour. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

I let mine rise for a lot longer than the recipe called for, mainly because I was busy :o) but I found that it came out better that way. SO I recommend letting it rise for 3 hours before punching it down. Then after you braid it, let it rise for 2-3 hours. 

Why can't I dance?

I'm beginning to question my music standards. I just kind of adopted the belief that "worldly sounding" music, and dancing were bad. But I never actually had any beliefs on the subject of my own. I've heard sermons on how "Christian rock" is bad and how "our music" shouldn't sound like the world's and I agree with that, BUT does that mean that we can't use certain instruments? Does that mean that a song that has an energetic beat is wrong? I'm thinking no. I think YHVH loves to hear us lift up our voices in songs of praise. 

 “IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH:” –Psalm 92:1

“Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.” -Psalm 47:6

"Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.” -Psalm 68:4

 “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” –Psalm 100:2

Those are just a few of the times that singing unto the Lord is mentioned in Scripture. So now that we have that cleared up. When I sing, I sing with my whole body. I sway, move my arms, or I may even be led to bounce around. Of course this is in private! :o) But singing praises to YHVH is not just moving my lips. It really takes my whole being to praise HIM! But in most conservative Christian circles dancing is seriously frowned upon. So is any music that has too much of a beat to it (meaning drums are out).

Now I don’t think that the music needs to overpower the message in the song which happens all too often, when we focus too much on the beat, or when we remake songs of the world and give them “spiritual” lyrics. But what’s wrong with a simple melody that has a variety of instruments (not just a piano) and it leads the listener to DANCE? I say nothing BUT what do the Scriptures say?

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” -Ecclesiastes 3:4

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”-Psalm 30:11-12

“Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” –Psalm 150:4

“Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry” –Jeremiah 31:4

I’m thinking there is nothing wrong with dancing to praise YHVH. In fact I think that if we are dancing with a pure heart that is truly praising HIM then it’s a good thing. There's nothing wrong with singing Psalms and hymns, but I'm finding there's nothing wrong with other songs either. Now I have to go find some good worship music! :o) 

A Covered Birth

            During this pregnancy I was in so much pain, I just wanted to have the baby and get it over with! In the last two months I started having contractions off and on and it was really getting to me. I kept thinking is this it? Ok now is this it? I was timing contractions like a mad woman! Through all of this YHVH was working on me in some other areas and I was learning and being convicted about different things. One of those things was headcovering. I have been back and forth over this issue a million times, but it seems like it kept coming up in my personal reading and study time. Even my husband couldn't deny it was a recurring theme. I asked him to pray on it and see if he felt as strongly about it as I did. I really haven’t gotten a definitive answer out of him BUT he agreed that I could cover in the house, while he was at work.

                Covering at home led to not only more prayer time, but more FULFILLING prayer time. I found that after awhile I couldn’t pray without having something on my head. I also found myself getting lost in prayer and really pouring out my soul to YHVH. I couldn’t believe how much of a blessing I was receiving. It was like YHVH showed me how to come to Him, in a way that set me free. Having my head covered gave me a freedom I never even knew existed, a feeling of real closeness and intimacy with God.

                It was during my prayer time that God showed me that I didn’t really trust Him with my pregnancy and birth. I had said a million times that I trusted Him, but I wasn’t. I was trusting man. I was constantly timing contractions and calling the doctor. Finally I gave up timing contractions and I actually let go. I began spending time in prayer for the little life in my womb. I spent time focusing on the time I had left to enjoy being part of a miracle. Then it happened, I went into labor!

                I was only 38 weeks along. I had completely given up on having the baby early and settled on the fact that God willing come February (I was looking far ahead) I would be holding a baby. So on New Year’s Eve when the contractions started I had no idea what was about to happen.  I had been really sick for hours. I spent  the whole day in bed or in the bathroom. My poor husband had to deal with lots of a mess. But he’s so good about taking care of me when I’m sick. I really thought I had eaten something bad. Then at around 10pm it happened. I started having contractions. I just ignored them the best I could while I went on watching movies in bed. The New Year came in and hubby came and gave me a kiss, then I went to bed. I woke up at around 3am in serious pain. I tried to go back to sleep but the pain was really getting to me. I managed to get a little sleep in between contractions, and around 9am I was shaking my husband letting him know something was seriously going on. I asked him to help me get in the tub, at which point he insisted on timing my contractions. I had given up on timing them so I told him I didn’t want to know how far apart they were.  So he timed them and I sat in the tub trying not to get my hopes up.  After about an hour with nothing getting better, I called the doctor and insisted they let me come in.

                I tied on my headcovering before leaving for the hospital and I felt a certain strength come about me. It was the first time I would be covering outside of my home. I didn’t realize how much it would be a blessing. We left for the hospital and at this point I couldn’t walk or talk through my contractions. When we arrived at the hospital it seemed like no one believed that I was actually going to have my baby, but I just left it up to YHVH.

                Throughout my whole labor and delivery I prayed. I prayed for my labor to progress, to be able to relax through my contractions, for the health of my baby, and anything else that came up. I felt so unbelievably close to YHVH. It was like He was there with me holding my hand through it all. When I thought I couldn’t go on I was able to call on His strength. Only in His strength was I able to labor naturally up until I reached 10cm and it was time to push. I got an epidural at the last possible minute but my doctor turned it off before it could take full effect. About an hour later our second daughter was born.

               This birth was so different from my first. I felt so close to YHVH, I felt so much peace and comfort from my heavenly Father. I felt so incredibly loved. I truly believe that is the power of following Him. When we really seek YHVH, He is faithful to show us love, and mercy. 

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." -Isaiah 40:31

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" -Micah 6:8

"I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah." -Psalm 61:4

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." -Psalm 91:4

 

Update

So the challenge is over! How did it go? I definitely felt like I grew closer to my husband during this time. Being in prayer for him daily really made a difference to our relationship! I plan to continue to pray for him daily and specifically. It's one thing to make mention of him in my prayers but a whole other thing to set a side time to only pray for him and his needs. I also wanted to add that if you aren't married you could still benefit from this exercise, just think how blessed some young man would be by the prayers of his future wife :o)

In other news, I had my baby!!! We're so very excited. I may be away for a little bit but I plan to get my birth story up soon as well as what's been happening with me regarding headcovering! YHVH has truly been working on me. In the mean time you can find out more about the last few weeks of my pregnancy and the baby at my other blog: My soul waiteth...

Blessings

Day 31- The Last Day!

Pray that your husband will recognize the lies of the Enemy in his life. Pray that his attitudes and actions will be guided by the truth as he brings his thoughts into captivity to the Word of God.

"⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

 ⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" -2 Corinthians 10:4-5