Before becoming a Christian, I made some big mistakes, and I was terrified my children would do the same. Desperate to become the perfect parent and pop out little disciples for Jesus, I read a lot of books in search of the right formula and understand my husband’s spiritual leadership.
In the process, I saw areas where I was failing. I also became convinced there were areas in which my husband, Randy, wasn’t leading the way he should. I would then proceed to tell him what I thought he should be doing to lead our family. (As you can imagine, these discussions were about as welcome as a porcupine at a balloon toss.)
True spiritual leadership
Thankfully, God began showing me that my husband was doing a great job as the spiritual leader of our home. Randy took us to church each Sunday and faithfully tithed. Many weekends he and our kids helped single moms and widows, and he prayed with us at mealtimes and before bed. In other words, my husband was leading us his way, not mine.
That’s when I finally got out of his way and let him lead. In addition, I began praying for my husband and asking God how I could become a better helper.
Becoming a team
God answered this prayer by inspiring me with fun ideas to support my husband’s spiritual leadership. I found simple devotions that I printed and put in a jar with candy. After dinner, we each enjoyed a piece of candy while Randy read a devotion he drew from the jar. I also began cooking a big breakfast on Sunday mornings that set the stage for a fun Bible-reading time. Randy would use different voices to make the Bible come alive. The kids loved it and began loving the Word of God through it.
When I stopped fussing at Randy, he began to lead more confidently. While my criticism had caused him to feel defeated, my support allowed him to step more fully into his calling as a godly father. It also opened the way for us to create the Christ-centered home we both wanted.
