Where He leads I'll follow...

I have not conquered submission by any means. However I have learned a lot in the past six years about submission. Not only to Christ but to my wonderful husband. The most important thing I have learned about it is the fact that all it really is, is Faith. It takes total faith to submit your life into the hands of another. But isn't that what Salvation is. It is submission to Christ and the conviction of the Holy Ghost. It is giving up our will for our life and giving it to our Saviour. Not just to save us from Hell. But to serve him all the days of our life.

Submission is a beautiful thing. It is full of love. Many in the world picture this in a distorted way. They think of it as being a slave to your husband and doing what ever he commands. That is where they are wrong and do not understand the Bible. We are all under the authority of someone else. Our husbands will some day give an account for how they lead their family. They are under the authority of Christ. They are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. My Bible says that Christ gave him self for the Church. What a sacrifice. They are to love us so much that they would be willing to give their all for us. I don't know about you but I think it is the least that I can do to submit my will to him and let him lead where the LORD leads him. If your husband is not saved, I know this is hard. I was there at one time. I thank the LORD that it was not to long. However I learned much in those months. I thank God for the good Godly women that he put in my life to give me counsel. Hang in there and keep trusting the LORD.

Submission is showing our love to the men that God has placed at the head of our family. This does not come easy. I think we all tend to buck in this area. We want it done our way. I have a struggle with this. When I am bucking I am never as happy or as joyful as when I let go and let God through the leadership of my husband. I have always wondered why some women see submission as such a negative term. All it really is, is doing what you would do for someone that you truly love. I think that you should have a say in matters. But I believe that your man should have the last say. A pastors wife once said. "Let him choose not to listen to you, even though you are right. It will only happen a few times." This is so true. We are one flesh and together we make decisions. But I know that Joshua will always have the final say. If I manipulate to get my way, things are never as sweet...

One area that I have struggled in majorly is Joshua staying in the military. I have questioned time and time again. I will be good for a couple months and then question again. I have often wondered how it could be God's perfect will for a Christian man to stay in the service. Especially when he has a wife and children that he is suppose to be leading. The hours are long they are deployed for months at a time. How could he possibly be the best leader that way. Over the past couple of months the LORD has shown me much through his word. I have read Joshua. What a mighty man of God he was. He accomplished so much, yet he was away at war much of the book. But we all know the famous verse. "As for me and my house we will serve the LORD" Joshua 24:15... He obviously had a house hold that he was determined to serve the LORD with. And he made it known to all.

I see my failure. I was trying to lead him in the way that I thought the LORD was leading. However I read from a wise women "The Lord never leads the wife". We are to try all the spirits and I have not been trying mine... Christ wants me follow. Even if it was not the will for my husband to stay in the Marines, I am still suppose to follow. Now I know that Joshua has been praying for months on end about weather to get out or stay in. I know that it has not been and easy feet. I know with all my heart that he does not want to take our family out of the center of Gods will. So why do I struggle so. I guess, I have just been giving the flesh the victory. But not anymore. I am determined by the grace of God to follow wherever he leads. I know this is going to be a huge task. But through Christ all things are possible. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 5:13... Do any of you have area that you struggle with or it only me?

Joshua just told me on Sunday that he was re-enlisting for sure. I was beating around the bush asking him about "what if he got out of the military". His response was I am not getting out. He knows that this is where he is suppose to be for now. And he is not opposed to if the LORD changes that along the way.

I am so thankful for submission. I have a terrible time making decisions. Let alone seeking the Lords will for myself and others. The more I come to know about this beautiful commandment from God the more I appreciate it. I often tell Joshua that I am glad the LORD made me a woman. I would never want the responsibilities that he places on the man.

Submission is a beautiful thing when practiced out of love, not just because we have to. Our old pastor used to tell the story of when his wife would make him banana pudding. He always said that it tasted much sweeter when she made it for him, just because. Not because he had asked for it. Just because she loved him. That is the honest truth. When we submit out of love it is much more heavenly then when it is out of obligation.

Practice, Practice, Practice.... I think that we are what we practice. Debi Pearl talks about this in her book... And my oh my how true it is. If we practice loving our family and submitting with a loving spirit, over time it will all come naturally...

After all in the long run all submitting to our husbands really is, is submitting to Christ.... What a beautiful picture of salvation....

Because of Him,
Brittany