Winning Him Without Words

When I was a young married woman I was desperate to find others who could help me navigate this crazy, often lonely, mixed up journey of the unequally yoked. In those early years the resources were limited to a couple of books and not much more.

It was during that time I hesitantly joined a small group. A women's Bible study. That group changed my life. I found friends, hope and help. I found Jesus with Skin On.

In our book we discuss what Jesus looks like with "skin on." He looks a lot like you and me. We are His hands, his feet, his voice to others who are searching for hope. And others are often speaking to us through God's spirit. How amazing is that? In Chapter Two of the book I emphasize how important it was for my journey to healing and thriving in my marriage, to join a small group. 

With this in mind I want to share that there are actually small groups forming all over the country, dare I say the world, where their main purpose is to love on, help and study together with other spiritually mismatched. So, if you are looking for a group, we have a list at WinningHimWithoutWords.com/studygroups. There are only a few listed and we are trying to grow the list. These are groups who are studying our book. And there are groups that are studying other books on this specific topic. Take a look to see if there is a group in your area.

If there isn't? Perhaps this is the very ministry God is calling you to. There is always a need to reach out to this vast population who is striving to live for Christ in a spiritual mismatch. So let me know if you are starting a group, know of a group or are in a group and want the group listed on our site.

I want to take a minute to thank everyone for the amazing week of fasting that transpired last week. My friends, this is where the power of God goes into overdrive. I can promise you that bonds were broken and the salvation of many was set into motion. I'm already excited for next year.

Finally today, I want to share this scripture in salute and to greatly honor all who are standing in the gap for their marriage. God sees you. He knows you love Him more than you love yourself and He looks upon your face and says, "Well done, good and faithful servant.... Come and share your Master's happiness. (Matt: 25:23)

Today in the comments, please let me honor your commitment to marriage and more importantly, your commitment to marriage. 

Write your name and the years you have been married. Let's bring these awesome number's before the throne of grace in one big amazing praise offering.

Lord, we love you. We KNOW You have amazing plans for your lives in 2012. You have set in motion healing in our hearts, our men our marriages. You have proclaimed the year of the Lord's favor upon those who desire to be faithful in marriage and faithful to You. We give you our marriage. May it bring great honor and fame to the name of your son, Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.

 

Lynn and Mike - 20 years, March 14

Dineen and Mike - 24, September 5

What Study Groups Are Saying

It's my great honor to introduce you to one of my newest BFF. 

This is Liz and she along with 20 women recently worked through our book, Winning Him Without Words. Liz shares from her heart about a specific chapter that held meaning and change for her.

Take a listen. 5 minutes

 

Winning Him Without Words, what study groups are saying. Chapter Seven, Pick and Choose Your Battles.

I adore Liz and all the women who call themselves, Warrior Wives, in Riverside, CA. 

If you are starting a study group, Dineen and I would love to support you with resources and our prayers. Please email me and we will send you a study group package. 

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend and do something intentional to love on your spouse. Lynn

Is It Possible to Thrive?

In a word, YES!

Today we are sharing a recent interview where Dineen and I (Lynn) talked with Lynne Ford of the Mid-Morning Show at WBCL in Ohio.

The interview covered many of the common struggles we face living uequally yoked. Turn on your speakers, get out the ironing or wash the dishes, listen in on your lunch break at work and be encouraged. 

Dineen is returning from vacation and I am heading out to Wisconsin. Have a blessed week. I will catch up with you on the road. Hugs, Lynn

 

MidMorning with Lynne Ford

ALSO, THERE ARE NEW PRINTABLE FREEBIES ON OUR BOOK WEBSITE. Please take advantage of these. Share them with your Bible study groups, your small groups and any woman who needs encouragement in her marriage.

Visit www.winninghimwithoutwords.com Click on the Freebies and Resources tab. Lynn 

Just Too Busy

It's my great delight to share with you today my friend, Joanne Kraft. Joanne and I met face-to-face at She Speaks Conference back in 2008. Here is a photo of (left to right) Angie, from the Knightly News, me and Joanne Kraft of One So blessed. 

Little did we know the adventures God would take us on. This month I am privileged to share with you Joanne's new book, Just Too Busy, Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical. Her wit and humor abound as she tells the most amazing story of how Joanne and her family "quit" the traditional American life.

Cover: Just Too Busy is the true story of the Kraft family s head-on collision with busyness and the twelve-month experiment that changed their lives. When their children could recite the dollar value meals at McDonalds faster than their times-tables, they knew something was very wrong. So, instead of continuing their bad habits and fitting more into their schedules, they took a year off from all activities and learned how to be a family again. 

In this book, readers will laugh their way to learning the ten tell-tale signs that they are too busy and discover the symptoms for a common disorder known to moms today: A.D.D. (Activity Denial Disorder). Families will find simple ways to guard themselves from the temptation of constant distraction.

To learn more visit www.JoanneKraft.com or Amazon.

Please leave a comment and you are entered into a drawing for a $25 gift-card.

I'm delight for Joanne. She is a woman who loves Jesus and I am praying for her and the message she had to share. Lynn

Weekend Devo — Do Whatever Brings You Back to Your Heart and the Heart of God

(In honor of Father's Day, we'd like to share this excerpt from Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge.)

Against the flesh, the traitor within, a warrior uses discipline. We have a two-dimensional version of this now, which we call a "quiet time." But most men have a hard time sustaining any sort of devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting their strength; it feels about as important as flossing. But if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it. Maybe not perfectly-nobody ever does and that's not the point anyway-but you would have a reason to seek him. We give a halfhearted attempt at the spiritual disciplines when the only reason we have is that we "ought" to. But we'll find a way to make it work when we are convinced we're history if we don't.

Time with God each day is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of Scripture or any of that. It's about connecting with God. We've got to keep those lines of communication open, so use whatever helps. Sometimes I'll listen to music; other times I'll read Scripture or a passage from a book; often I will journal; maybe I'll go for a run; then there are days when all I need is silence and solitude and the rising sun. The point is simply to do whatever brings me back to my heart and the heart of God.

The discipline, by the way, is never the point. The whole point of a "devotional life" is connecting with God. This is our primary antidote to the counterfeits the world holds out to us.

(pp 171-172)

Book Signing Tomorrow

Hi Everyone,

Dineen is here with me today. We are taping our Intentional Marriage Show. If you have a question to ask us, please leave it in the comments. We will try to get to it. 

Also, if you are in the Temecula area, please plan to stop in and visit with us on Saturday, May 7yth at the Berean Christian Store in Temecula. Noon- 2:00 p.m.

Register for a gift card, collect some other treats and let us hug your neck. Dineen and I were on the phone today for over an hour. We are going to read the book, Boundaries In Marriage.

Who has read this book and what stood out to you. We are going to have some conversation over this book in the months ahead.

Be blessed and see some of you  on Saturday. Love, Lynn

Boundaries in Marriage By Drs. Henry Cloud & John Townsend

Hey, Help Us Out

Hi Everyone,

My friends I hope you can help me out with two things.

1) Next week Dineen and her daughter will be visiting the Donovan Clan home once more. Lord have mercy on poor Dineen. She has to put up with my zaniness. Anyhoo, we will be taping our show, The Intentional Marriage, while she is here. 

We LOVE to answer questions from all of you. So, please today, ask us anything. Write your questions in the comments and we will answer them next Friday on our show. The last time we did this you all provided some fantastic questions. I'm wondering if you have questions about raising children, how to defend your faith, how you deal with other Christians who are well meaning yet don't understand what you are really dealing with. Okay, now it's your turn. Ask away and make them hard. *grin*

2) Dineen and I will have a book signing in the Temecula area next Saturday. Oh please, if you are anywhere near us, please stop in. We have prizes and treats and would love to hug your neck and get a photo.

Also, Dineen and I have been discussing a few topics which we are feeling led to write about beginning in May. Who wants to really understand "The Genesis Woman?" Also, I'm toying with some thoughts on how you can turn a bad day into a good day and uplift your soul. All kinds of stuff ahead.

Finally, I have been deeply touched by the emails and comments that arrived this past week from our single readers who are trying to live out their faith in the wild world of dating. Wow, do I ever esteem them and praise their efforts to submit to the Lord's teaching. I am thinking of writing more on that subject. Doing some research on it now.

LOTS ahead. So join the community. Leave a comment and let's really work out somethings in our lives. To bring us peace and joy. To bring salvation to unsaved spouses and mostly TO HONOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Hugs, Lynn

Join us over on Facebook!

Lynn and I are together today at the Berean Christian Book Store in San Jose, California at 12:00 PT signing books and making new friends. Join us over at our Facebook Page to see pictures and get updates. We'll be sending messages all day long! Come join us!

Praying and believing!
Dineen

(Special thanks to Joey Garcia, store manager, and his entire team for opening the doors to us to share our book and our message!)

Submit To Your Husband. You Win in the End

Submit to your husband.

Why is it, this very short sentence makes my emotions bristle?

For far too many years the teachings from Ephesians 5:22 have been misunderstood and misrepresented. So let’s have some real and honest talk about God’s intention of this passage and let’s take it a step further. Can you submit to your unbelieving husband?

This is a compelling post from my experience in submission in my marriage. You will look at this passage in an entirely different light and see the beauty God intends for all marriages.

Join me today for : Submit To Your Husband - You Win in the End, at the Internet Cafe, Marriage Counter. Have a blessed day and I pray you discover what I did about God's Word and marriage.

Hugs, Lynn

Also, I want to give a shout out to my friends who are offering a copy of our book in a giveaway today at their blog:

Holly at Broken For God

Shari England

Rachel at Racheltemple.com

Trica at Trica Goyer

Patty at Patty Lacy

Pay them a visit and say, "Hello."

The Intentional Marriage - Stand Up or Shut Up???

Welcome to our video broadcast of The Intentional Marriage. We are looking at how to sift our marriage conflicts, failures and questions through a small but powerful passage in the Bible.

18 minutes of power. Take a listen. Lynn

 

 

The Intentional Marriage Show March 2011 from Lynn Donovan on Vimeo.

Also, find Dineen today over at Laced With Grace where she shares: Parenting Struggling Teens.