Stormie's book says on page 201 "If your husband's eyes get so focused on the day-to-day detail of living that he loses his vision for the future, your prayers can lift his sights. They can help him see that GOD is his future and he needs to run his life in a way that invests in that". Being unsaved, my husband is living in the world, for the world. Right now, his worship is in his job. It seems to me that he is placing his work and relationship with his boss above all else. My role in this situation is to quietly seek God, and pray for my unbelieving husband to be enlightened, to help him see that GOD is his future, his refuge, and he must live for Him, and run his life in a way that is pleasing to God; placing no idols before God. My job is also to trust God to guide us in our future, one step at a time, and to continually seek Him. <P>Lord, help each of us to pray accordingly for our husbands' visions for the future. Help these husbands understand their need for You, to place You first and foremost in their lives, living in a manner that is pleasing to You. Please give each husband understanding for Your plans for him and his life, and the wisdom and guidance to choose the right path towards this vision. Help each husband to seek You first in all things, finding his vision for the future in You. Send the Holy Spirit to these husband to lead them, and to help them walk confidently towards Your goals for them. Help each husband to see that with You, There is hope in your future (Jeremiah 31:17). Thank You Father for your guidance, wisdom and faith. We are in awe of Your workings in our husbands' lives. We praise You Lord, and worship You. Thank You for being the wonderful counselor, and walking beside us, each step of the way. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

Rootbeer,<P>Thank You for finishing the book! I believe that we all will gain from the steadfastness to complete that which we started!<P>So excited about all of the new women on the bible study forum. This was Stormie's desire that we continue to grow and that we would consider the study guide for more in depth discussion.<P>The future is a wondrous subject, and one in which at one point I would of never thought possible. God is so good. He gives us so much to be thankful for and so much to hang on to.<P>Thank You Father for giving us a future and a hope. You have begun a good work in us and we look to You to complete it as Your word promises. I ask You to bless this Women's Forum and those that are faithfully seeking Your will for their lives and their marriages. Lord, intervene in each particular circumstance and begin a new work of restoration and healing. May these women praise You for Your faithfulness and mighty power to give life to what the enemy would destroy. <P>IJN<P>------------------<BR>"Perfect love casts out fear" I John 4:18

RO 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. [19] The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. [20] For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope [21] that* the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.<P>I love all these verses! To see how God controls even the frustrations we all experience for the purpose of His will to be accomplished in all of us. To realize that He sometimes hardens the hearts of our loved ones so that His purpose may be revealed, so that victory is even greater when it occurs. How many more are touched by the victory of one who has been through the fire and the dark side first before the chains and shackles are released and grace abounds?<P>RO 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [29] For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.<P>God knows absolutely everything that happens or will happen to us. <P>[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?<P>Those who have not yet believed need the adversity of trouble for the glory of His love to shine brighter. For those of us who believe and are in the refining process, these "trouble" points of our lives are living examples to others who do not understand the glory before them. How often we have been told to quit, to get out of the relationship, to start anew, that we don't deserve this treatment, etc. This is true, we don't, but then neither did He and yet, He willing do so that you and I might have the reconcilliation of the Father. That we experience a small inkling of what He went through for us, bonds us ever tighter, knowing that He does understand the hurt and pain we feel.<P>Maybe as believing wives, we are the visionaries for our husbands. Knowing that we often fail in keeping our eyes upward and future oriented, we have been blessed with the gift of the Spirit, who: <P>RO 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.<P>so that His will prevails in spite of us. Glory to the Father for His insight and understanding of us. Praying specifically for our husbands to have a vision of purpose for the future is vital, especially for those who do not yet believe for they are short-sighted, having difficulty getting through a single day much less being able to see tomorrow, etc. By praying for them to have God-ordained goals, plants that seed of hope, for how does one accomplish God-ordained goals except through the One who ordained them?<P>These are exciting times we live in. How wonderful to be a part of praying women who refuse to accept less than What He has planned for us, who accept the challenges placed before us and who are determined to glorify Him who saved us through our individual lives, in a marriage as He designed it.<P>Father, as we finish this initial chapter and book and prepare to start it anew with the study guide, refresh and annoint us with the oil of joy that we may see what You would have us learn with new eyes and in a new light. Give us wisdom to share with one another and show us how to encourage the new women here. Give the new women a boldness to pou their hearts out that we may be united in prayer and in the battle for Your glory, that our marriages might be as You designed them, reconciled to one another with You as the head. Show us specifically how to be the heart of our marriages, make our seeds of faith grow into a mighty tree! IJN, Amen.

Taj,<BR>So HAPPY to see your post! Sure do miss you! <P>Love and prayers<BR>AW