than a beloved son of God? Explain. Write out a prayer asking God to help you see your husband through His eyes. 14. Look up Proverbs 21:19 and underline it in your Bible. Are there any issues in your marriage where you find yourself registering the same complaint or criticism over and over? List those. Write a prayer asking God to show you when to speak about each matter and when to just keep silent and pray. 15. Is there any sensitive matter that you know you need to speak to your husband about, but you fear what his response might be? What is that? Write a prayer asking God to show you what you are to say and when to say it. Ask God to prepare your husband’s heart to hear it. 16. Read Psalm 62:5 and underline it in your Bible. Are there any expectations you have of your husband that he is not living up to? What are they? Write a prayer asking God to show you where your expectations of your husband don’t coincide with the reality of who he is. Tell God you will put your expectations on Him so He can meet your needs. 17. Read Ephesians 5:33 and underline it in your Bible. Is there any area in which you have lost respect for your husband? Explain. Write a prayer asking God to reveal ways you may have demonstrated a lack of respect for your husband. As He reveals them, confess them as sin and ask God to help you see your husband the way He sees him. 18. Read Galatians 5:22,23 and underline it in your Bible. Do you have any habitually negative ways of responding to your husband that need to be changed? What are these? Write them down. Ask God to give you revelation about this. Then write down next to them which fruit of the Spirit you need in order to eliminate the negative mindset and habits of response. 19. Read Proverbs 31:10-31 in your Bible. Ask yourself the following questions without expecting perfection: Are you a trustworthy wife? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Are you an asset to your husband? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Do you work diligently to make a home in which he can be comfortable and happy? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Are you careful and wise with money? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Do you take care of your physical health and appearance? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Are you a giving person? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Are you prepared for the future? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Do you make sure your family members have their needs met? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Do you generally move in wisdom? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Are you always loving and kind? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Is your relationship with the Lord alive, intimate, growing, and strong? Yes _______ Need Improvement _______ Without being hard on yourself, write a prayer asking God to help you with each area in which you need to improve and enable you to become the wife He wants you to be. 20. Pray the prayer out loud on pages 44–46 in T HE P OWER OF A P RAYING W IFE. Include all the specific needs, desires, and hopes from your own heart. Whew! You got through chapter 1. If you are at all like me, you will probably have to keep referring back to this chapter whenever you find your attitude less than what it should be. For months I had to keep confessing my bad attitude every time I prayed for my husband, so don’t feel badly if you have to do that, too. In fact, according to the mail I have received since T HE P OWER OF A P RAYING W IFE first came out, we are not alone in this. So don’t give up, and you will see good results.
W EEK T WO
Read chapter 2: “His Work” from T HE P OWER OF A P RAYING W IFE.
1. Is your husband successful in his work? Does he need to find work? Does he need to find work that is more suitable for him? Explain. Write a prayer asking God to open up