“A loving doe, a graceful deer…” Proverbs 5:19a

Dearest Mama,

I love reading anything by Ruth Bell Graham, the Reverend Billy Graham’s wife. Over the years, her writings have inspired me, convicted me, and caused me to want to love my husband and children well. I appreciate learning from older and wiser women like Ruth, who have a way of driving a point home sweetly, but with the touch of a velvet hammer. Her words cause you to stop dead in your tracks, but always give you hope in the exhortation.

I remember reading today’s quote from Ruth as a young wife, feeling the admonishment to stop the process of nagging my husband about his faults and instead making the decision in my heart to simply make him happy. How many times do we wives fix our gaze on all of the habits and quirks of our men, instead of praying earnestly for them to feel the love of Jesus and asking the Lord to help us to be a respectful, encouraging wife who loves to makes her husband happy?

How much more joyful would our little homes be if they were filled with the unconditional love of Jesus, and if our aim was to build up our men instead of tearing them down? There is still a need to be honest with our husbands when a situation arises, but when we are able to give up our expectations and control to the Lord, we can minister to our husbands and be a source of encouragement instead of criticism. We can then truly be like the “loving doe” and “graceful deer” whose husband is intoxicated with her love (Proverbs 5:19).

As we read through the studies for the next two weeks and learn how to love and respect our husbands well, may we ask the Lord to open our hearts, give us wisdom, and help us to make our husbands’ lives a bit more happy, even if it’s just in some little way. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a good marriage can become great as we choose to love well one day at a time.

Blessings and love,
Deb Weakly and the Help Club for Moms Team

“It’s my job to love and respect Billy; it’s God’s job to make him good. God called you not to make your husband good, but to make him happy.” Ruth Bell Graham

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Deb Weakly

Co-founder at Help Club for Moms

My name is Deb Weakly and I helped create the Help Club for Moms with one goal in mind: to create a community in which moms help moms to know the love of Christ. My own childhood was difficult and filled with sadness. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, so when I became a Christian (and soon after, a mom), I had no idea what I was doing; I didn’t know what it meant to raise Christ-centered kids, but I so desperately wanted to learn.

I remember going into my daughter's room night after night and kneeling beside her bed and crying my heart out to God because I didn’t know how to be a Christian mom; I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. You know what? God is so faithful! He answered me and simply said, “Spend time with me, Deb.” And so I did. I began arising 15-30 minutes earlier each day so I could read my Bible and pray, and plan out my day with my family.

If there was one thing I would love to share with you is that God is personal and loves you as you are. You don’t have to be perfect to be loved by our amazing God! Come as you are! His loving presence can be practically known and experienced. He is not a God who is far away, He is near and easily found. He longs for you to come to Him!

Randy and I have been married for 33 years and we have two grown children, Christie, and Jack, and one answer to prayer son-in-law named Alex. And now I get to be a Gigi to my sweet little grandbabies, Aspen and Skylar, and Piper. Yay!

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