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Recently, I've been reading a wonderful marriage book called "Love that Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace." It was written by Gary and Betsy Ricuicci. Gary has been a Pastor at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland since 1977.

One chapter is specifically written by Betsy to the wives. The whole book has been amazing so far, but this chapter was such a great reminder to me of God's sovereignty in marriage and His sovereignty in designing me to be the helpmeet of Kyle. Even though, as you grow closer as one, and you begin to see all the imperfections of both the husband and wife, you do not have to hold those against your partner.

Betsy states: "I can only be truly grateful for the efforts of an imperfect husband if I'm truly grateful to God for the undeserved favor he extended to me in my salvation and continues to extend each day, despite my overwhelming imperfections." (pg. 54) As women, we can relate. It's so easy for us to look at the imperfections of our husbands and dwell on them, instead of focusing on everything that he does well and on the grace that God has extended to us as women, in need of much grace!

"An excellent wife is a woman endeavoring by God's grace to give her utmost to the great call of being a faithful and godly wife - and God gives grace where he intends to reveal grace. It's about serving in humility, with a focus on God's glory, according to our gifts. It's about being committed to serving and growing and changing in these areas and being a helper to our husbands, not about having attained some particular level.... The wife who lives with biblical wisdom toward her husband will, by the enabling grace of God, exhibit love, respect, and submission toward her husband and will serve him according to her gifts." (pgs. 64-65)

Being a godly wife is no different from being a godly woman. It's all about focusing of the Lord, allowing Him to sustain us as we seek to follow Him in serving others (specifically our husbands), living in obedience to Him, and living our lives in a way that brings honor and glory to His name.
So even if you're single and reading this post, you can still be cultivating these traits of a godly woman. No matter our age, status in life, or the field of ministry that God has called us to, we can honor and glorify Him by living our lives in obedience to His revealed will for us as women as seen in Scripture.

I'm a little over halfway through the book and have been so encouraged, yet also convicted. There is always work to be done in a marriage and it's only by God's grace that we can cultivate and sustain a God-glorifying marriage that reflects the beauty and passion of God.

Along with introducing this book to you I wanted to give a shout out to a couple new CDs that Sovereign Grace Ministries has released. I have many of their CDs and I always get excited when they release a new one! The songwriters do such an amazing job with intertwining scripture based lyrics and beautiful melodies. The Lord has really used many of their songs to spur me on to greater faith, trust, and reliance upon Him. I hope that their music will be uplifting to you as well!

Their new kids CD, To Be Like Jesus, was released in June. I have their first CD entitled Awesome God which I have enjoyed listening to. I can't wait to order this new CD. I look forward to introducing my own children to this music one day! What could be better than teaching your children truths about God through music? I'm not a big fan of a lot of the current children's music that is sold in our Christian stores. Even though children are young, it is never to early to be teaching them truth... not ingraining in their minds simple songs that reflect on man... I want my children to sing of our Savior!



Tomorrow the newest CD Sons and Daughters will be released at the WorshipGod Conference in Maryland. I was able to attend the WorshipGod Conference in 2006 and have deeply desired to go back ever since but have been unable to make it yet. I hope that maybe next year Kyle and I can go together!

Last year, at New Attitude (now Next), C.J. Mahaney made an announcement at the end of the conference that he wanted SG to produce a CD that focused on God as our Father. He called for all the songwriters to begin working on songs with that theme. They have done it... with this CD.

Tonight Kyle and I attended a concert at Southern by Keith & Kristyn Getty. If you are not familiar with them, they wrote the much loved song, In Christ Alone, that many churches now sing. The concert was so wonderful! As I mentioned to Kyle afterward, the neat thing about going to a concert like theirs is that it's like your just worshiping together. It's a night of singing and worshiping together, one voice, one passion, one Savior and Lord! Our eyes were turned towards our Savior as we sung about his death, his compassion, his grace, etc...

They have some new songs coming out on an album in a few months that we got to hear tonight and they were wonderful! The most recent song they wrote was on Christ's compassion towards us. When they sang it tonight it was such a genuine song, full of praise towards our Savior. I can't wait for it to come out on CD!

I'll post a few videos so that you can be introduced to their beautiful music.

Here is also a link for an interview video with Keith and Kristyn if you're interested.