Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out…
Hebrews 10:24 (The Message)
I am a great encourager.
I encourage my kids daily (Good job not peeing on the floor today!), I encourage my students (Thanks for finally turning in that assignment, three weeks late is better than nothing!), and I’m even really good at encouraging my dog (You’re the best puppy in the world, Blue!).
I want my kids and students to feel successful and supported. I want them to know I’m paying attention and aware so I let them know with my words.
And as I was thinking about who else I encourage often, one person was noticeably left off my list: my husband.
I would say I rarely encourage my husband.
I feel like I need to let that sink in and say it again, perhaps in a whisper because it’s not a proud moment:
I rarely encourage my husband.
The man that is the main caregiver for my children, the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with, the man I want to be happy, healthy, and loved so that he can dream big dreams and do big things. I can’t remember the last time I encouraged him, tried to make him feel supported, or told him that I was paying attention and aware of him.
God said, “It’s not good for man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.”
Genesis 2:18 (The Message)
That’s a sickening feeling. I’m called to be my husband’s helper and I’m doing the exact opposite of that.
I realized that I probably tear him down more than I build him up. Because I tell him lots of things, I talk to him all the time, but it’s probably not in the way that makes him feel loved and appreciated and supported.
But encourage one another daily, as long, as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)
And that realization has left me pretty convicted.
So I decided to start small and be purposeful about encouraging my husband. Sometimes it feels like we’re ships passing in the night: I’m at school before he and the girls are out of bed and with evening commitments and him working one evening a week and on Saturdays, we are not together a lot. That’s the season we’re in right now. I could use those things as excuses or I could figure out a way to get around them.
So I’m working around them.
I sat down with intention and prayed over my husband, asked for new eyes to see how much he brings to our family, and then began looking for ways to tell him what I was seeing, what I was thankful for, and what I loved about him.
Whatever came to mind, I jotted down on a sticky note. Then I began putting one on our mirror every morning as I headed out the door. So that when he rolls out of bed and is standing next to the sink taking our newly-potty-trained two year old to the bathroom, he finds love, encouragement, or thanks.
And it’s working. I don’t always hear a response to the note I left that morning, I don’t always get an acknowledgement, but I am noticing a change in our interactions. He feels more valued and appreciated and that’s making our house quieter, calmer, and more peaceful.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:8
It’s funny that when I started looking for ways to encourage my husband, everyday things began to take on new meaning. I was looking for the good instead of the bad, and I was overwhelmed with ways I could encourage this man I married.
Guys, it’s changing things in big ways.
And it’s just fun too. You can be as creative as you want with your notes (especially if your kids can’t read yet, hint hint). So what do you think? Are you good at encouraging your spouse? Is this something, like me, that gets pushed aside too easily? What could you do to make sure you are a spouse that helps instead of hinders? And might I suggest a sticky note or two? They’re a powerful game-changer.
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