A
Widow’s Advice
to
Young
Wives
“…having been taken away from [me] for a short time
in presence, not in heart…” (1 Thessalonians 2:17)
Copyright © 2009 by Danna R. Shirley
Any use of this material is to be for personal devotion
or presented in a teaching or learning atmosphere.
Credit to be given to the Holy Spirit by way of the author.
Identity of persons mentioned other than family members
has been changed unless permission was granted by the individual.
Work other than the authors has been identified and credit given.
Danna Shirley Self-Published © 2009
DEDICATION
I affectionately dedicate this book to my amazing husband,
Ronald Kline Shirley
without whom none of these memories
would have been tenderly learned nor lovingly shared.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank GOD Who woke me one morning with the
inspiration for this book and helped me to put it down on paper. This is His
book, a source of encouragement to His sons and daughters to live in harmony as
husbands and wives.
I send sincere appreciation to my friend, Patricia Sanderson, who
supported me greatly as I shared with her how this book came to be birthed. She
gave me great encouragement as she sensed a deep touch in her spirit that this
would minister to you, the reader, as it did to her.
I also acknowledge with gratitude the feedback I received
from many of my Family and Friends who read this manuscript and
shared how it touched them deeply . . . some moved to tears.
INTRODUCTION
A Widow’s Advice to Young Wives
I was watching a video of my husband’s memorial service
late one evening, something I hadn’t done in a long while. It reminded me again
that he was such a fine and honorable man. Looking back, I knew if I had the
opportunity to live my life with him over again, I would regard him
differently, I would most assuredly do a better job as his help meet (Genesis
2:18 KJV).
The Lord
brought a scripture to mind:
“The older women likewise, that they be reverent in
behavior,
not slanderers, not given to much wine,
teachers of good things—
that they admonish the young women
to love their husbands,
to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers,
good,
obedient to their own husbands,
that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.”
(Titus 2:3-4 NKJV)
obedient to their own husbands,
that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.”
(Titus 2:3-4 NKJV)
My intention is not to tell you ‘how’ to have a happy
marriage – for there are numerous books that do that very well, although none
exceeds the Bible—buy them! study them! apply them!
Rather, I want to stress that you ‘seek’ after a
happy marriage with all your heart . . . before
it’s too late!
by Danna Shirley
LOVE—there are so many
kinds . . .
LOVE as a mother
for her children . . .
LOVE as a husband
for his wife . . .
LOVE for your
fellow man . . .
The sweet, innocent LOVE of a child . . .
LOVE for nature
and God’s creatures . . .
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, as from God for His creation man.
Sometimes our heart seems like it will burst
from dwelling fondly on a particular recollection . . .
Maybe it is that thought of spoken words of
LOVE and affection
from a spouse . . .
Maybe it’s that mother’s LOVE of pride and tenderness
when her child makes the first attempt at the “firsts” in
life,
especially those first steps in leaving to establish another home,
patterned after the LOVE known from mother.
And of course, there is LOVE for friends.
God brings them into our lives for a season and then they
are gone,
but oh, how much they were needed for
such a time as this.
Sometimes LOVE is painful.
Remember when you hurt for someone else because they hurt
and you could do nothing but weep and grieve with them?
You may have even asked God “Why?” but no answer came.
Why was God silent when you needed Him
to give you glowing words of comfort to speak?
Maybe the best words are those that are never spoken;
just the gentle hug of empathy and consolation for a
friend.
Then there is that LOVE betrayed; oh, why did it have to
happen?
There were vows of LOVE eternal but eternity was short-lived.
We are in need of LOVE unconditional . . .
LOVE that is blind
and deaf to our mistakes
and the mistakes of others . . .
LOVE that remembers
not the disappointments
and heartaches and sins in life.
We want and need them forgiven and remembered no more.
Where do we go to find this kind of forgetful LOVE?
GOD IS LOVE!!!
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