Phrase for 2017 — Renewed Focus

January 6, 2017 By bwatson Leave a Comment

I grew up in Southeast Texas, not too far from the Gulf Coast. I loved going to the beach as a kid. I loved playing in the surf – jumping waves and floating around in the water. I remember one time playing in the water for a while and when I looked up, I had drifted down the coast quite a way from my family. The undertow had carried me without me even knowing that I was drifting. I remember having to get out of the water and walking back up the shore to get to them. NOT FUN!

Life can be like that. When we are not paying attention, we can drift away from where we want to be. We can drift from important relationships like our marriage or our relationship with our children. We can drift in our jobs or in the area of our physical health. When we look up, we realize that we have gone a long way away from where we started. Most of the time, drifting takes us in a way that we do not want to go.

My phrase for 2017 is RENEWED FOCUS. I have drifted some in my life and 2107 is the time that I will get back on track. It is always exciting to be refreshed and renewed.

Areas of Renewed Focus

Health
- I drifted in my weight loss efforts from the past couple of years and I need to get back on track.
Spiritual
- So much of my study time this past year was directed at preaching. Therefore, I need to get back to some of the spiritual disciplines for my personal relationship with God.
- Scripture Memory
- Journaling
Professional
- I have started a couple of certifications for coaching/counseling that I have not finished. I have begun working toward completing those.
- Reading more books
- Writing more blogs

RENEWED FOCUS is a phrase that will be an emphasis in my life for 2017. Being able to stay focused on the leadership of God will be the key to having a great year.

What is your word or phrase for the New Year? I would love to hear what word or phrase that you will be working with.

Yearly Evaluation

January 4, 2017 By bwatson Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt that you were always running just a little late in life? Here we are 3 days into the new year and I am just now getting started with evaluating last year and looking forward to this year. I usually try to accomplish this task during the last week of the year, but better late than never. RIGHT?

HIGHLIGHTS

Our fifth grandchild was born. Amos was born in January so the year started out with a lot of excitement. My wife and I now have 3 grandsons and 2 granddaughters. That sure makes life fun as we talk on the phone or visit our kids. There’s always a lot of laughing and of course some crying.
Another great thing about 2016 was the fact that I was the Interim Pastor of a local church. I got to preach every week, do Bible studies, and pastoral visits and counseling. I had a wonderful time each week. My wife and I made a lot of new friends as well as grew in our relationship with God and each other. This experience was one that I will hopefully grow from the rest of my life.

STRUGGLE

The not so highlights can be summarized with a simple phrase…I lost focus of Directed Path Ministries. I spent most of my study time for the church so I overlooked the need to continue to read and write for DPM. Because of that loss of focus, I almost feel that I am starting over. The best part of this starting over is that most of the pieces are still in place. Those pieces just need to be readjusted and put back in place with tweaks along the way.

FUTURE

So as I look forward to 2017, I am looking with a keen awareness of a renewed focus on DPM and other ministry opportunities that are offered. More Reading…More Writing…as well as other changes that are in the works. Of course I will not share those with you until it is time to unveil what God is leading me to do.

I sure hope that your 2017 is on the right track to being wonderful. I am so full of enthusiasm and hope for this year, I feel I am bursting at the seams. (Maybe that’s just the weight I’ve put on recently.) Oh well, it’s time to start with all things new.

Spiritual Markers

November 7, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

This post was originally from 11/16/2009. I find it to be a good reminder of what God has been doing in my life over the past several years.

Joshua 4:20-24 (NASB)
²⁰Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.
²¹He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’
²²then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’
²³“For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;
²⁴that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Yesterday, my pastor preached on the benefits of having spiritual markers in our lives; which motivated me to remember the spiritual markers I have placed in my life over the years. I appreciated the fact that as he was preaching, he identified a few of his. Just as he did yesterday, I would like to take the opportunity to identify some of mine.

Marker 1: My adoption, 1962. I know that I do not “remember” anything about being adopted except what I have been told, yet it is a marker in my life of how God was and is very active in developing who I am.

Marker 2: My salvation, 1969. I was six years old at the time I received Christ. I remember going each night to the revival services and coming home and talking to my mom about what was shared. I remember her attempting to talk me out of making a decision because so many others were. On the Sunday I made my decision public, my dad was home sick and I was sitting by myself in the sanctuary of my home church. My mom came out of the choir and asked me if I was for sure Jesus was speaking to me. I made my decision public that morning. I was then baptized with about 15 others the following week.

Marker 3: Glorietta, 1978. It was the first year for Centrifuge and I was 15. I was walking with a girl up the side of the mountain and talking to her about her relationship with her boyfriend. That night during the service, God called me to the ministry, but I told Him I would be the best Christian friend and listener I could be.

Marker 4: My call, 1982. I had just experienced a true rededication as I had been running from God in my life. On a Thursday night, I was sharing with a group of teenagers about trusting God with all they had and God asked me if I was doing what I was speaking about. I knew the reason for the question. He was calling me again to serve Him. The following Sunday, I was going to make my decision public when the pastor began preaching on “Sexual Sin.” I decided I would have to wait because I did not want anyone to think that I was guilty of any of what the pastor was preaching on. God told me to go ahead and make the decision public. I remember asking God if He really wanted me to do that. I then said that I would step out and if He did not want me to continue, He could break my legs. He did not break my legs and my made my decision public on that day. Just a couple of weeks later, my home church licensed me to the ministry and I left for East Texas Baptist College at that time to begin the formal training for the ministry.

Marker 5: My Marriage and Family. God has given me a wonderful wife and two awesome children to help me and motivate me in my daily living for the Lord. Yes, there have been some struggles along the way. But as I look back on the past 24+ years I see the hand of God directing us, providing for us, and taking care of us. On one specific occasion, a man gave me $67 and told me that it was the most unique amount of money God had ever given him to give to someone else. The next day I went to seminary to buy books and they cost me $66.90. God even gave me $.10 to buy some gum for the drive home which was 125 miles. On several occasions He has blessed us in the same way.

Marker 6: The Defining of my ministry, 2008. As I was driving back from an interview with my home church I was praying about what God wanted me to do. I really thought that going back “home” was exactly it as in my mind that would be the right thing to do. I could help my parents. I knew the town. I knew the church. To me, this was going to be an easy decision. God had other plans for me. During the 5 ½ hour drive back to Wake Village, He laid on my heart the vision for Directed Path Ministries. He began placing names of men to serve on my board of directors. He outlined many of the steps that I was going to have to take in order to pursue this Pastoral Counseling ministry. When I got home and shared it with Lisa, she had many of the same confirmations of the direction for my ministry. Over the past eighteen months, God has reaffirmed the direction. I have had people who have donated money for the launch of my website, a design for shirts (even gave me several), as well as becoming regular donors for the ministry.

As I have looked at each one of these markers as well as some of the others in my life, I know that God is still working in me and defining my calling so that I can better serve Him and glorify Him. What are your markers? Do you understand the significance of each one so that your life reflects who God is creating you to be? Are we using the markers to help us teach our children who God is in our lives?

Bradley D. Watson, BCBT

Directed Path Ministries

After spending more than 25 years on church staffs, God has allowed me to take the experiences and knowledge that I gained to develop a Biblical Counseling ministry. The basis of this ministry is to allow God’s Word to shine on the main issues in peoples’ lives in order to bring His resolutions to problems.

Develop The Life and Marriage You Desire

A Woman’s Greatest Need in Marriage

October 24, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

#FlashbackFriday Originally posted October 9, 2012.

Men, have you ever thought about what you wife’s greatest need is in a relationship with you? I would like to know how she would answer you. I wonder if she would mention that she needs to be listened to more and understood better. Maybe she would point out that she desires more attention to what she is doing that cannot be interrupted. I wonder if she might tell you that she really would like for you to care about what she cares about more. I’m not sure what she might say, but I have heard so many different answers; yet at the same time most of the answers are very similar. So let me share with you what I believe is the answer that we need to focus on.

Before I give you the one word answer, I want to show you how we get to that answer.

The Bible uses four primary words in Ephesians 5 and I Peter 3 telling husbands how to treat their wives. The first of those words is Love.

Ephesians 5:25 (NASB)
²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

The word that is used in this verse translated “Love” is the word that describes God’s love. This means that the love is to seek the best in the recipient of the love and is also seen as being sacrificial and unconditional in how it is presented. So I want you to think for a moment about how you love your wife. Do you seek the best in your wife? Are you sacrificial in your love? Is your love unconditional or do you expect your wife to earn or maintain your love?

The second word that is used in Ephesian 5 is Nourish.

Ephesians 5:28-29 (NASB)
²⁸So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
²⁹for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

The word for nourish deals with feeding to bring to maturity. This word primarily used describing the parent relationship with their child, but here it is suggesting that the husband is to provide for and protect his wife. When we nourish our wives, they will flourish in all they do. I ask husbands if their wives are better off because they are married to them. If not, then how can the husband improve on that aspect of the relationship.

The third word is Cherish. This word means to warm and foster with tender care. The only other place this word is used in all of scripture is in I Thes. 2:7 where Paul is talking about a mother nursing her baby. How does that baby feel in his momma’s arms? How is that momma looking at her child? I realize that the relationship between a momma nursing her child is unique. I believe that our wives need to feel that they are special to us and that they are treated with tender compassion. I won’t ask a question here; I’ll just make a statement concerning the need that is addressed here. When we yell at our wives, they will not feel cherished. They need us to be gentle with them.

The final word is the word that we looked at yesterday and that is Understanding. I will not go into more detail on that principle but if you have not read yesterday’s post, look down the page and find Understanding Your Wife.

Now that you have all four words – Love, Nourish, Cherish, and Understand – let me give you the one word answer to the original question. SECURITY!!

There are several aspects of security in your relationship with your wife. I just want to mention different areas of security that your wife needs. At a later date, I will address them at length.

Physical Security
Financial Security
Emotional Security
Sexual Security
Spiritual Security

Now, gentlemen, how are you doing in the area of providing security for your wife? If we want our wives to be happy and fulfilled in our marriages, their need of security has to be met!

Bradley D. Watson, BCBT

Directed Path Ministries

Develop The Life and Marriage You Desire

The Results are In

September 23, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

When I began the survey several days ago, I had some preconceived ideas about the people who read my blog. As I evaluate the results of the survey, I have to scrap those ideas and then some of them are confirmed. Who is reading my blog at this time?

Age Range: Twenty’s 44% Thirty’s 33% Forty’s 22%
Women. 78% (I would invite you to share with your husbands what is being written.)
Marrieds. 89%
Of the married couples, 75% were either satisfied or very satisfied. This statistic means that I will be challenged in many different ways in writing.
The length of marriage was split down the middle at the 10 year mark. 50% have been married 10 years or less, while 50% have been married 11 years or more.
78% have only been married once.
The majority (67%) of the couples have children and they all have two or more children.
The number 1 issue facing couples today is communication. Everyone stated that this was a struggle of some sort. The number 2 issue facing the readers is dating. 43% said it was a major struggle. The number 3 issue is your spiritual life together.

Thank you for everyone who participated in the survey. If you would like to participate in the survey, click here. I am always wanting to hear from you and what your needs are.

Bradley D. Watson, BCBT

Directed Path Ministries

Providing Hope in Troubled Times

Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

August 28, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

In the spirit of Throw-Back-Thursday, I thought I would repost my most viewed blog. Originally posted Aug. 20, 2012

Ephesians 5:31-33

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³²This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she^[a] respects her husband.

When a couple comes into my office the very first time, I usually ask each person what the problem in their marriage is according to their opinion. Many times one or both individuals will answer with “if my spouse would change, we would be fine.” I always chuckle at remarks such as this because we as people are always quick to blame someone else so we do not have to focus on our own behavior. Even after explaining that each person in the marriage plays a role in the harmony as well as the conflict, I have had several continue to insist that the problem in the other person in the relationship.

Today, I would like to share with you that an attitude like that is most likely the main problem in the conflict. You see, when a person is unwilling to examine his/her own life and own behavior, change will not occur which means that the conflict will just be a merry-go-round with some ups and downs but always end up at the same place. I don’t know about you but merry-go-rounds are not my favorite rides at the carnival. Matter of fact, I have not been on one at the carnival or fair in about 20 years when my children needed me to ride with them.

So how do you get off the merry-go-round in your marriage and begin moving toward the common goal of a harmonious relationship that is fulfilling for each person involved?

Here are several things that need to be addressed.

You have to take your eyes off your spouse’s behavior. When you are focused on your spouse’s behavior, you cannot look at yourself and the role you are supposed to play. You see, the Bible gives each the husband and the wife a role to play. There has to be a balance between the two for the relationship to work properly. (Now if your spouse is being abusive or committing adultery, that is another subject all together. This discussion is for those conflicts that occur in most relationships.)
You need to ask the question “What am I doing wrong?” As I have already stated that each person plays a role in the conflict as well as the cooperation. Are there areas of relationship that you could be doing things differently or better? Are you being selfish in some of your thinking? Are you more concerned about your needs than the needs of your spouse? All of these questions need to be answered. If any of them are answered “yes” then you have some work to do on your own behavior.
You need to ask the question “What am I doing right?” You might be confused with this question. Sometimes a person loses sight of what is good in his/her behavior. Many individuals believe the lie that he/she is the total problem in the marriage, which is not the case. (Again, we are not dealing with adultery or abuse here.)
You need to remember you are on the same team. Your spouse is not the enemy. Satan loves to bring conflict into marriages. He uses whatever means he can to separate the union that God has brought together, even if that means creating disharmony through friction. A husband and wife are to be one in spirit as well as flesh. If a couple does not remember this, the clash of the two will bring a chasm that is difficult to overcome.

When your favorite football team takes the field in a couple of weeks, I want to encourage you to notice if the offense is blaming the defense for the mistakes being made or for the losses incurred. Maybe the defense is blaming the offense for the losses. Which ever the case, that team is in trouble!! But, if when a team loses, everyone begins talking about the changes they need to make and they win as a team and lose as a team, there is hope for that team to improve. The same is true for your team of being a husband and wife. If you can identify what you are doing wrong and what you need to work on and allow your spouse to do the same, your marriage can be a winning marriage moving in the right direction of bringing God glory and you fulfillment.

Bradley D. Watson, BCBT

Directed Path Ministries

Helping Others Using God’s Principles

Why I Am A Biblical Counselor

February 4, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

I have been asked on a few occasions “Why do you do what you do?” Also, “why did you leave the local church ministry?” Both of these questions have basically the same answer. I could go all the way back to when I was 15 and God called me to the ministry the first time to answer these questions. I was on the side of the mountain in Glorieta, New Mexico talking with a girl about her relationship problems when I first heard God’s voice of calling me to the ministry. I could go to the night that God called me and I finally said “yes.” I was speaking to a group of teenagers about trusting God and I felt Him ask me “Are you truly trusting Me?” I was using Proverbs 3:5-6 as my text (hence the name Directed Path Ministries). I could answer the questions by referring to the classes I took in seminary on counseling that truly peaked my interest in counseling and had me wanting to learn more and actually practice what I was learning. I do not refer to any of those scenarios to answer this question.

What I do refer to is what God has been doing in my life over the past several years. While I was on a church staff, I began to do more and more of the pastoral counseling. I began to study more and be trained in some different ways of counseling, all the while seeking God’s direction for my life. When the time came for some major changes in my life and ministry, I believe that God birthed the vision for Directed Path Ministries in my heart and I began to pursue what I saw in my spirit. Here are some of how God is using His Word to .

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB95)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

This passage of scripture has become my basis for the method of my counseling. As you can see that God tells us that His word is profitable for the counseling experience. As a Biblical Counselor, I take the principle of scripture to help teach individuals the truth of God’s Word and how it applies to life. If needed, I then lovingly show them how their lives do not match the principle and how correction is needed. Finally, I use scripture to help train the individual or couple in using the principle to equip them for the life that God has laid out for them.

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95)

12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

I have been asked about using other methods or modalities of counseling. I have even been asked why I did not get my license in Professional Counseling. I looked into getting an LPC but the place I did at the time did not recognize any of my work as valid nor did they see scripture as a valid tool for counseling. I sought out a license through a Christian organization called Therapon and am now working on getting a PhD in Biblical Counseling through Masters Theological Research Institute.

This verse that I reference is another verse that indicates that scripture is the source for what God has called me to do. God’s Word will separate the person’s emotional self from his spiritual self and communicates how to correct the differences.

Obviously there are many more verses, but for today these I believe give a good demonstration of why I am a Biblical Counselor. I believe that biblical counseling can minister to all that struggle in the areas of relational, emotional, spiritual, and even some physical needs.

I would love for you to respond with your thoughts.

Does God Answer Prayer with Sin?

January 27, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

A young couple had been married for several years and they had reached a point that they were not satisfies in their marriage. Something was missing. They had children, owned their house, and drove fairly nice cars. Each had jobs that kept them busy and then they chased kids during the evening. They had very full lives but still there was something missing!! The wife began to pray about having a better husband. See, her husband said he was a Christian, but each Sunday he chose to stay home rather than go to church. He worked most Saturdays and so Sunday was the only day he could sleep in or do whatever “he wanted to do.” This attitude left his wife wanting more in the relationship. The husband would argue with her that he was working so much to provide for her needs as well as the kids needs. Those arguments still left her wanting more. He would just get angry and go out to the shop or work in the yard. He was a good dad, most of the time. He went to the kids events, when he could. He helped around the house, he thought. He was a good provider and that should be enough. The wife continued to pray for a better husband. One day she was talking with a man at her work. He was married and faithful to church. She started thinking that she wanted a husband like this man, which the more they talked she decided she wanted this man. What she didn’t realize was that he too was going through some struggles at home and he was looking for more. She began to believe that this was God’s will for them both to divorce their spouses and marry each other.

I could go on with this story. Many of you have heard it before or even could write a better version. I begin with this story today in order to address a question that I believe many Christians have answered incorrectly…Does God answer our prayers with sin? Your immediate response to this question should be a resounding “NO,” yet the scenario mentioned above is far too common in the church. Why do we even consider such a thing as God answering our prayers with an answer that leads us to sin? Here are a few suggestions as to why.

People have the wrong idea of God. We understand that God is loving, merciful, and full of grace. We concentrate on those aspects of God. (I am very thankful for the grace and mercy He shows me daily.) We forget that God is equally as just, holy, and righteous. We also do not wrong to think about the wrath of God. We have put God in a box that mostly reflects what we would like in a god. We do not see God as who He really is.
People are selfish. I know that this is an obvious statement. We allow our selfishness to control our thoughts and our actions. In our selfishness, we are also impatient when it comes to waiting on God to answer our prayers in His timing. When we pray for God to change someone or our circumstances, we must allow Him to do His work. Sometimes, God does things immediately while other times He works methodically which takes time.
People have their own idea of how the prayer is to be answered. When we pray, do we want God’s solution or do we want God to bless our solution? I know that Psalmist says that “God will give us the desires of our hearts.” What people fail to realize is that there are conditions to that promise. “Delight yourself in the Lord,” “Commit your way to the Lord,” and “Trust in Him” are the three conditions to the promise. (Psalms 37:4-5) When we are willing to follow the conditions, He is willing to give us the desires of our heart. Not before.

The Bible says in James 1:13b “and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” God has never tempted anyone to sin. He would not answer a prayer with a sin. When someone tells you that God has told them to do something that is sin, don’t believe them. God will not and does not go against His Word at any time. It is important that as we walk on our journey with God that we consider that God is wanting our lives to give Him glory and show His character to others. We cannot do that if we give God credit for the sin in our lives.

Finding Hope

January 23, 2014 By bwatson Leave a Comment

Psalm 31:24 (NASB95)

24 Be strong and let your heart take courage,

All you who hope in the Lord.

Romans 15:13 (NASB95)

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Recently I was talking with a man who had lost all hope for a future. As I was listening to his blight, I began to feel his hopelessness. Boy, I did not like that at all. It just seemed the world was getting gloomier and gloomier. As I was listening to him, I had to mentally picture the “Son” shining in my life. My conversation with this man reminded me that so many people have lost sight of the Hope that is in Christ.

When a person has lost their hope, there are several steps that I have found to be very helpful when needing to “find my hope.”

Remember — The Israelites were instructed to erect stones in the middle of the Jordan River as they crossed over into the Promised Land. The purpose of the stones was for the people to see them (not during the flood stage) and be reminded of what God had done for them. I think that a person needs to set up some “stones” of what God has done in his/her life for times of remembering. Writing them in a journal or in the back of a Bible helps keep them in a place that will be seen.
Repent — Again, using the Old Testament as a guide, the Israelites often would lose sight of God and turn to idols or their own wisdom. Each time they took their focus off of God, He would allow calamities, bondage, and defeat to happen. When they would turn back to God, He would require of them to Repent. Repentance happens when a person realizes that he/she is going in the wrong direction and turns around to go in the opposite direction. Repentance carries an attitude of brokenness and humility. If hope is lost, it might be because the focus is on worry or on loss and not on God. Repentance is needed.
Recite — The Israelites were told to recite the book of the law and to meditate on it. There is power in the Word of God. It is living and active, as well as being comforting and applicable. I believe that it is important that a person memorizes scripture to be used in times of need.
Refocus — Paul tells the Philippian church to dwell on the things that are good. It takes a great deal of effort to change focus, yet it is an exercise that is worth every bit of the effort.

As I have helped many people find the Hope that is in Christ, these steps have been extremely helpful. I hope that you find them as helpful as I have.

I’m De HEAD!!

December 13, 2013 By bwatson Leave a Comment

I’m De’ Head!!

I’ve heard men actually say that in counseling sessions. I’ve had to laugh when someone has said that. I thought for a minute that they would start beating their chest to prove their dominance. I remember reading in a book that if you had to announce your headship, you weren’t the head.

1 Corinthians 11:3 (NASB95)

3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Ephesians 5:23 (NASB95)

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

These two verses are the two that point to the fact that a man is the head of his wife and therefore is responsible as such. What does it mean for a man to be the head of his wife?

Here are a couple of thoughts about this Biblical principle.

It is a God-given responsibility. It does not say anything about the man being smarter or better than the wife. It is a position that is given based on God’s order and design.
This responsibility has a perfect example as Ephesians 5 says. A man’s example of how to be the head is Jesus Christ. You might be thinking that it is an impossibility to follow that example, so why try? We try because it is what is best for our marriage as well as our relationship with God.
This position can be misused and abused easily. Many men try to dominate their wives which is not leading them. Other men try to pacify their wives, which allows the wives to be the leaders. Both of these are abuses/misuses of the position.

Let’s look at our example and how He interacted with the people He was sent to lead.

Jesus was a servant. The main stories of Jesus serving the disciples is found in John 13. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Understanding the humility of His actions is extremely important. Jesus could have required someone else to do this because he was the master, yet he chose to do it himself. As husbands we must be humble and be willing to serve as it is needed.
Jesus was compassionate. There are several examples of his compassion with people. How he interacted with children, how he spoke with the “woman at the well,” how he was non-judgmental with the woman who anointed his feet with the oil and wiped his feet with her hair are a few of the examples that come to my mind this morning. Husband, are you compassionate with your wife? Do you care about her feelings, wants, and needs?
Jesus was forgiving. On several occasions Jesus told people that their sins were forgiven. I guess the main story of that is found when the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery for Jesus to judge. If we are going to be the godly head of our wife, we have to have a forgiving spirit. No one has a perfect wife (mine is close tho) and therefore, we must be willing to forgive.

I could continue to show things about Jesus that we are to follow His example in doing as we lead our wives, but I am not trying to write a book with this blog post.

I want to conclude with what I think is the most important aspect of following Jesus’ example of being the head.

Jesus spent time with The Father. Men if we are going to lead our wives as we are supposed to, our relationship with God must be growing and dynamic. Without spending time with God through prayer and reading His word, we will not know how to follow Jesus’ example and will not be a good head.

When we follow Our Lord’s example, we will NOT have to declare that we are the head. It will be obvious!!

Phrase for 2017 — Renewed Focus

Areas of Renewed Focus

Yearly Evaluation

HIGHLIGHTS

STRUGGLE

FUTURE

Spiritual Markers

Develop The Life and Marriage You Desire

A Woman’s Greatest Need in Marriage

Develop The Life and Marriage You Desire