JoyPals, Design for Life --JoyPals.com-Serving women for Christ on the Internet.

"And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house
and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:7

"...As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15b

The Christian Home is:

a sanctuary from the world

a place

where Christ
is first
where the Bible is read and taught
where prayer
is heard
of loving leadership
of submission and humility
of love and forgiveness
of laughter and sharing
a place where sinners live!

"Heavenly Notes" 1997

Recommended Books

See our book recommendations here and our Blog and Links at Reformed Women and JoyPals for other selections.

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved,
let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.
"Song of Solomon
7:10-11

"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine."
Song of Solomon 6:3

~~~

"God's revealed goal for a husband and wife is to become one in all areas of their relationship -- intellectually, emotionally, physically."
Dr. Jay E. Adams

Psalm 128

Blessed is every one who fears the LORD;
who walks in His ways. when you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children's children.

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
Ephesians 5:22-28

Marriage

"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh."
Ephesians 5:31

"One flesh," "having one mind," "being of one accord," "united," "togetherness."

Our marriage relationship is the next "most important" relationship in our life, our relationship with Christ being the first. God has ordained it to be so, it is His blueprint for life, it is a "picture" of Christ and His church. (Ephesians 5:22-33)

Christian marriage requires a diligent and prayerful pursuit of that "one flesh" goal. We must pray and study together, encourage and support each other. There must be a consistent time of relaxation and "getting away" on private husband and wife outings, and to "be involved" in the emotional life of each other. It is for our good and the blessings of our children. If we are strong in the marriage relationship then our families will be strong.