“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up; just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

I can’t say when I first noticed.

My husband and I were in a stormy season. We had faced many trials that year and both of us felt like we were barely holding our heads above the waves that were crashing all around us. Financial issues, stressors at work, teenage angst, and my health issues forced us into a robotic routine of going through the motions and living just to get through it.

One day I realized that my husband needed a lifeline. His eyes looked so tired and I knew that he was carrying the weight of our family on his shoulders and it was becoming too much for him to bear. Although he didn’t say anything, I just knew that he was sending out an S.O.S. and I needed to rescue him.

I don’t know how your husband is, but mine tends to keep things to himself. Even if he is dealing with difficult situations and emotions, he tends to push everything down. Perhaps it is pride, maybe he is trying to protect me. Whatever the reason, it is hard for him to open up and share what he is feeling.

In these difficult times, I know that it is my duty as his wife to encourage him. There are three ways to encourage your husband during hard times.

1. Pray for him—Even if you don’t know the specific details of all that he is struggling with, God knows. Simply come to the Lord and lift your man up to your Heavenly Father in prayer and supplication. Ask God to meet his needs and also how you can be a wife of strength, hope, faith, and love for your husband.
2. Thank him for his hard work—Our husbands have a lot of responsibility and the stress that accompanies it. If your husband does something to help out with the house, with the kids, or for you, make sure you don’t take that for granted and show him your appreciation.
3. Tell him you are proud of him—It is very important for men to know that their wives are proud of them, the work they do, the sacrifices they make, the love they show you and your children, and so on. If he is feeling down and stressed, let him know that you are inspired by him as a man, as a husband, and as a father.

One of the things I love the most about being married is the shared partnership I have with my husband. For us to be successful as husband and wife and as parents, it is important to stay alert and aware so that I know when he needs a little encouragement to get through those stormy seasons.

Blessings as you encourage!

Susie and the Help Club for Moms Team

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Susie O'Neal

Hello! My name is Susie. I have been married to my best friend, Andy, for twenty-five years, and we have two beautiful daughters who are twenty-four and twenty-one. I live in Cleveland, Ohio, where I work full-time as a writer and proofreader at a textbook company. I am the creator and writer of Between the Gardens Ministries, LLC., where I am passionate about teaching and encouraging believers through the truth of God's Word through online evangelism. I am blessed to be a part of this wonderful community, and I pray I can help mentor and inspire mothers of all ages and stages.

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