12/31/13

It's a New Year!


It's 2014
 
Wishing you a Happy New Year 

and thanks for reading! 

Ladies, 

It is my sincere prayer that in 2014 you will remain "on purpose" in your marriage and that God will show you new and amazing things. He is calling you to stay married and to work on being the best wife you can be. 

I am here to help and walk with you along the way. Enjoy the posts and every bit of information, books, CD messages and my speaking as you grow in godliness.  

I do it all to serve you as I serve God! 

In 2014, I will still be "Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time."

Let it be YOU! 

With the Love of Christ, 

...............................................................................................................
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12/30/13

Love Is



You have heard it before. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 New International Version (NIV)
 

Love is patient, love is kind. 
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

And my favorite part: Love never fails. 

Isn't that the truth? 

God's love never fails and because of His love we can love our husbands. Even when we don't feel like it. Now that is loving "On Purpose" if you ask me.  

Want more lessons on how to love on purpose? 
Wife School is now enrolling for next session.

Don't miss it.

Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time
Lisa Ellis Williams

12/28/13

Easy ways to refresh love in 2014



How do I love thee, let me count the ways. 

 Lisa's Top 10 tips to Refresh Love in 2014
1.       Read God’s Word daily. Keep it in your mouth as you speak to one another and in your heart that you may do it. (adapted from Deut 30:14)
2.       Keep your promise. Love until death do you part.
3.       Perform simple acts of kindness everyday to keep your spouse excited to see you coming.   
4.       Forgive quickly to keep the “bah humbug” spirit out of your Christmas and New Year's season.
5.       Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building your spouse up according to their needs. ( adapted from Eph 4:29 NIV) 
6.       Marriage is more valuable than any gift money can buy    
7.       Make more loving deposits than selfish withdrawals and watch your spouse’s interest accrue in the New Year.
8.       Don't just say “I love you”, show it. Starting with the New Year   
9.    Jesus came to give life. With God’s love marriage can feel like life more abundantly! 

10.   Marriage should show the world God’s love. Make yours a shining example in 2014!    

Happy New Year!

Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time 

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12/25/13

Merry Christmas



Wishing you and your husband 

a Very Merry Christmas... On Purpose! 







Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time
Lisa Ellis Williams


12/16/13

Are You Tired?




Have you ever felt like the wife is expected to be all things to all people especially her husband? 

What about you? Taking care of your health, cooking healthy meals, scheduling appointments, house cleaning, grocery shopping, hair appointments, bargain shopping, clipping coupons, caring for children, caring for aging parents, working a job, working at home, oh and yes… loving your husband! I get tired just from thinking about it and yet this long list of "to do’s" is my life. I bet it describes your too. If you are like me some days you get weary in all of this well doing. 

Q: What can a wife do?
A: Take some action before crisis sets in

Here are a few simple things you can do to keep the virtue in your role as wife.

1.       Make a Commitment- Starting today begin to adopt God’s way of being a wife. No more running around.  Sit down with your Bible and begin. There are lots of great Bible Studies around.  You can even sign up for one of my Marriage Workshops to help you get motivated.    

2.       Dedicate time to pray for your husband.  This is different from just asking God to change him. Really release him to the Lord and be willing to accept the man God gives you back. Wives On Purpose pray daily for their husbands. It’s nice to know other women are dedicating their husband to God too.  

3.     Get some friends to take to Journey with you. When you live out God’s principles for marriage, you begin to look a little different to others. Even your husband might not recognize the woman who is using a soft tone of voice to state her case. Doing the “god thing” can get lonely sometimes. Get refreshed by others who are like minded.  Register for a Wife School Group Coaching sessionThere are also community groups and Church groups that promote godly marriage. Get some friends and choose them wisely. 

4.    Gather good resources. Build your own library so when you need a word... you have one. You can collect mp3 downloadable messages, Audio books, published works, and more. Just be careful.  Not everything published or referred to you is based on God’s truth. Read your Bible and memorize scripture so you can spot the truth when you see it.  If you get a contradiction, put that resource down immediately.  If you need help getting started check out Wife School, using God's Word to build a stronger marriage. If you have a resource to share email it to me. I am always looking for good stuff for my collection.    

I am happy to share what I have learned in over 24 years of marriage.  Each day I pray for wisdom and I pray for other wives.  It is my pleasure to give what I know to you each month. 

These and other posts in my monthly newsletter. 
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Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time, 

12/9/13

He is looking for you

Wives are everywhere but your husband is looking for you to live married on purpose!

How do you know if you are living like Wives On Purpose? 

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies Proverbs 31:10 (NKJV). 

Wives On Purpose are virtuous!  They are precious with a heart to please God.    

A Wife on Purpose


  1. Knows her value in marriage
  2. Considers her role as a wife, honorable  
  3. Walks uprightly and lives with integrity 
  4. Expresses kindness towards others and is highly regarded by the public 
  5. Humbly serves God’s Church and her community
  6. Faithfully manages the resources God gives her
  7. Prays without ceasing
  8. Is joyful




A Wife On Purpose understands that a god-centered marriage doesn’t just happen.
She diligently watches over it and keeps it growing “On Purpose” 
Join Wives On Purpose everywhere and let your husband find his good thing all over again!   
Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time
Lisa


12/6/13

What I learned from the Widow

As a women who champions' love and marriage, it is always with great sadness I receive news of a married man's death. One reason is because I have compassion on the the mourning wife. The news of Nelson Mandelas' passing is no different for me. My heart goes out to his wife.

A report in the Huffington Post, Canada reads:

They were married on his 80th birthday. Now, in Nelson Mandela's 95th year, Graca Machel must say farewell. 

The third wife of the revered former South African president was by her husband's side earlier this summer when Mandela was admitted to hospital in June and multiple news reports stated Mandela was in grave condition. Machel, 68, remained quiet amidst the rumors Mandela was in a vegetative state and shortly thereafter the couple celebrated their 15th anniversary on July 18. Mandela made a recovery and returned home. Mandela died months later on December 5.

(Read the full article here) 

This short piece reminds me that we must stay married on purpose in order to live married until death do us part. Without focusing on the previous wives that Nelosn Mandela had, today I want to deal with Graca Machel, his widow. We can learn a great deal from this short description of her marriage.

Picture with me how she must have admired the 80 year old man she married. After all, he was old! Even as our husbands age, you and I must always find reasons to admire them. 

Allow yourself to imagine her heart racing while rushing to the Hospital and watching the vibrant healthy man she married appear weakened in his body, not to mention what may been going on in his spirit. In sickness and in health is what we promised. This wife stayed present with her husband, the famous Nelson Mandela, even while he was reported to be in "grave condition". How many wives leave when things get weak and grave in their marriages? 


What about remaining quiet amidst rumors? This takes honor and nothing short of God's amazing grace! Wives, we must acknowledge that the public, friends, and even family will make general sweeping statements about our husbands condition or status in life. Are you prepared to be quick to listen and slow to speak?

Wives, we cannot add to public comment, like, follow, or photos if we desire to maintain dignity and some privacy in our marriages. This wife remained quiet. Can you do it?

I believe that as we honor God's way in marriage, He allows our husbands to recover from what ails them and return home. What kind of home does your husband return to?

Is it a place of peace, rest, comfort for him or are you too busy living your own separate life? Do you plan time to minister to him when he in a state of recovery? These issues ladies represent real life stages in marriage!

 What lessons are you prepared to learn in Wife School?

There are so many lessons that can be learned from the widow but, today I send prayers to heaven for the wife and now widow of Nelson Mandela.

For Graca Machel I pray comfort and strength. I pray that God will grant her peace.

After all, her husband lived and died for it.

Ministering to marriages, one wife at a time
Lisa Ellis Williams
 



  

12/2/13

Many ways to pray for your marriage


Wives all over the world have joined me to pray for marriage. 

One of the things that makes me the happiest is that wives are in many different postures and places. There is an air of confidence when we speak to God in a group. Maybe it's because we know that when two or more are gathered in prayer then our God sits right smack in the middle of our gathering and listens to us!

On the contrary, many lack that same confidence when they pray alone. Could it be that we get caught up in a "right way" to pray?  

Dear Wives On Purpose, God is ready and waiting to hear any heartfelt sincere prayers that we send His way. To help ease your mind about praying in a manner that God will hear, let me give you a few postures and places you can be free to pray with confidence.  

Pray while you are sitting in a comfy chair, the dinner table, or desk at work. Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house,that You have brought me this far? 1Chron 17:16 NKJV
 
Kneel beside your bed or chair while you are alone in a quiet place.  And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 1 Kings 8:54 NKJV

Bow. I mean get into a secret place at home, a hotel room , or during time at a conference or retreat, and really bow down in reverence before God. Worship Him!  So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. Exodus 34: 8 NKJV

Take a walk during lunch hour or in the evening after dinner. You can even walk early in the morning or on a tread mill.   He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 2 Kings 4:35   

You can also lay prostrate before the Lord or just stand still. No matter where you find yourself you can pray without ceasing! That is great news so go ahead and pray with confidence for your husband and marriage. God is listening. 

Ministering to marriages on wife at a time, 

Want to hear more ways to pray for your husband?
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