Motherhood and Marriage
Motherhood can get messy. Yes, at times, it’s even a blur. And if I’m honest, the one who really gets caught in the crossfire of my crazy… is my husband Ken.
Ken and I have been married for 13 years. We have a 12-year-old, 11-year-old, 9, 8, and (almost) 7-year-old. Our firstborn came along only one year after we were married. Then by adding more children soon after, it left our young marriage in a rather vulnerable state.
I have tried to successfully navigate both motherhood and marriage. But tending to one, without neglecting the other, is more than a notion. I have made plenty mistakes, but I have also gained insight on how to properly execute this dual role of wife and mother.
So, stick with me, Sis… I’ve got 3 ways to help run your home, but not your husband!
1. Honor him as the HEAD – 1 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” This, dear sister, is not a popular message, especially in today’s time. But God has a created order, the perfect order by which to display His glory. Don’t trip, though. This does NOT mean the wife is less than or subservient in purpose. But it DOES mean that we have different roles. And when properly executed, one compliments the other, and the home functions in a healthy way.
2. Make him the HERO – As moms we can present so much information to our children. Real or fake, fact or fiction, fantasy or not, what we feed our children will either develop their imagination or shape their way of thinking. So, I like to use this opportunity to present the very hero we have living in our home! Now I hear you, I hear you, Sis. You might be “doing more” than your husband. And nobody is thanking you, applauding you, or holding you up on a pedestal, right? I have been there… more times than I care to admit. But as I began to honor Ken, the LORD began to honor me. But I would have never experienced the peace that comes with doing it God’s way, if I didn’t first step out in obedience.
3. Remember he is HUMAN – We all make mistakes. And we give ourselves grace. We even give our children grace. But it’s often difficult to give our husbands grace. Let this sink in. He is imperfect… dare I say, just like you. So be careful not to hold him to a standard of perfection that even you yourself cannot attain. Yes, he is the head, and the hero, but he is also human. Show your husband grace!
Now don’t get it twisted. Ken and I are not the perfect couple, and we certainly don’t have it all together. However, 13 years and 5 children later, there is peace in the home, strength in the leadership, and joy in submission – as we are committed to nurturing our children by first nurturing our marriage.