As Father’s Day comes up, I wanted to share some encouragement from my husband and I to you. Last year we launched the men’s Reflections Journal, a 60-day quiet time journal, that encourages men to open their Bibles and study Scripture. This journal is created to be a companion journal to the Give Me Jesus journal and and can be used between a husband and wife to record what God is teaching them through Scripture. My husband I don’t have a perfect marriage, nor do we have perfect quiet times every morning, but we long to know Christ. We daily have to embrace our imperfections and weaknesses as opportunities to know Christ’s strength!

The Reflections Journal is an opportunity for us to encourage our husbands, fathers, and brothers to spend time in the Word of God. As women, sisters, wives, and daughters, our role in the spiritual development of the men around us is first to be women of faithful prayer, and then for us to be women who aim to live like Christ. My wise mom has frequently reminded me that I cannot be someone else’s Holy Spirit, and I have had to remember this in marriage! I can’t control my husband or make him love Jesus, but I can encourage him. I can pray fervently for him (I recommend this book!). I can live like Jesus has told me to and love my husband with the agape love of Christ. And this, friends, will not only change the men who are in our lives, it will change us. 

This week we are having a 20% off sale on the men’s Reflections Journal. You can purchase the quiet time journal that I co-designed with my husband here. Use the code LLBFATHERS to receive 20% off this quiet time journal. Below you will find an interview I did with my husband last year on the journal and how we can encourage the men in our lives to love Jesus more!

Give Them Jesus Mug + Reflections Journal

MEET MY HUSBAND, GREG, MY ENCOURAGER, MY BEST FRIEND, AND THE CREATOR OF THE MEN’S REFLECTIONS JOURNAL!

When did you start following Jesus?

I became a Christian in December of 2000. I grew up like most other church kids – spending their Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, and many after school hours roaming the halls and classrooms. Growing up in the church, you generally think that you’re doing okay. You probably know all the answers, have good friends, and generally avoid trouble. The problem is, that isn’t the Gospel. It wasn’t until I was 10 years old that I came to understand, best I could at the time, that following Jesus was more than knowing about Him. It was knowing Him. From that point, the Lord has been gracious in putting experiences and opportunities in my path where I’ve come to trust and know Him more, as well as people to spur me on toward Christ-likeness.

Why is it important for you to spend time in the Word each day?

Psalm 19:7-9 tells us that God’s Word revives our soul, gives us wisdom, enlightens our eyes, and endures forever. In this day and age, who doesn’t need that? With all noise and chaos in the world around us, God’s Word is the one thing that will be constant, and the one thing worth knowing above anything else. I want everything about my life to be grounded in the Word of God, and it’s impossible to do that without time in it. It’s also worth noting that, as believers, we should want to be in the Word (Psalm 19:10). If I ever feel like reading my Bible is a “have-to” thing, I immediately know that I need to check my heart for what I’m really trusting in and finding my joy in.

What does your time with the Lord look like each day?

For me, it happens each morning, either at my desk or in our living room chair. I was not blessed with the gift of being an early bird, so a cup of coffee is typically by my side. Also, depending on how our son slept, the sounds of his squeals and his Jumperoo may be the soundtrack to the morning. I’ll typically walk through a book of the Bible, and have a plan on how to get through it. If I don’t have an end goal (finish James by this date, for example), it’s tough for me to stay focused. This is also helpful because it doesn’t let you skip the hard passages.

How can women encourage the men in their lives to treasure God’s Word?

There’s so many directions I could take with this question, but the first thing that comes to mind is to simply to encourage him in the things he does well, and to give him grace in the areas he needs it. This could be His time spent in the Word, an act of service, a step of faith, or a family leadership decision. It may seem like each time you do this, it falls on deaf ears, but ultimately, it’s your faithfulness in supporting Him that will speak volumes. The other important aspect here is to treasure God’s Word yourself. Be enamored by the Word and the things of Christ, and let that overflow into your life and your marriage. Pray that God’s Word will be visible in your actions and words, and that it would spur on and encourage your husband in his love for Scripture.

May we be women who encourage the men in our lives simply through loving Jesus more!

your sister,

Gretchen