Weathering Life’s Storms With Your Husband

My family lives in the South, which means we are often preparing for possible tornadoes. We scramble and flock to the grocery store for milk and bread. We have flashlights and candles ready incase we lose power. Even with preparation, we are often still shaken when these storms hit hard.

Recently, my husband and I weathered a strong storm together, one that if I’m honest, felt a little too strong for me. 

A hard diagnosis almost swept me off my feet. 

With a few short words, our marriage entered a real season of “in sickness and in health.” With this diagnosis, life has changed. I’m not always able to complete things I used to. Tasks that were easy in the past often feel overwhelming now. 

Just like preparing for a tornado, we often prepare with anticipation it won’t actually hit. When it does, it’s devastating. Storms of life feel the same way. 

But we can’t prepare for life’s everyday storms by simply buying milk and bread and hiding out in our storm shelters. Life’s storms together are weathered best by years of small investments into your marriage.

So, how can we make these investments? How can we intentionally prepare our marriage and family for real-life seasons of difficult? 

Frequent Date Nights

Date nights do not have to be elaborate. However, they are so important and should happen regularly. When we invest in our spouse, we learn more about what’s in their hearts, their dreams, and their deepest desires. The more time we can spend sharing our life with our spouse, the better we can care for them.

Praying for One Another

Praying for our spouse is not only beneficial for them, it also does something within us. It can change our hearts toward difficult situations we might be facing together. It also reminds us that in God’s eyes, we are both His children. We are both loved beyond measure. 

Have Fun Together

When hard times hit, it’s not fun. Long seasons of hard circumstances become stressful to both spouses. Having memories of fun times together, and anticipated fun in the future, can bring life back to both of you.

Plan Something To Look Forward To

Difficult circumstances can make life feel weighty. We can often feel overcome with the stress of our current situation. We’ve found having something fun to look forward to together helps overcome daily stresses we feel. This can be a vacation away together, a date night, or a fun day trip with the entire family. Anything that’s life-giving to you both, that you can dream about and look forward to together. 

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

In this hard season, my husband and I are pulling from years of investments we’ve made. Investments into our marriage, our kids, and our extended family. Investments that took lots of work, time and sacrifice.

I often remind myself what we are in – a hard season.  A season of learning to adjust to a new normal. A season of readjusting. A season of learning together how to thrive as a family. A family where mom doesn’t always feel well. 

And that this season will look different than seasons past, and that together, we will weather it the best we can.

Wife Step: Are you weathering a tough storm in life? Which step can you take today with your husband to help you both overcome together

Kristin lives in Huntsville, AL (or Rocket City as the Huntsvillian’s call it) with her husband Tim and two daughters. Kristin and her husband helped start Epic Church in San Francisco, Ca., and are now the lead planters of Essential Church in Huntsville, Al.  

While living and working in San Francisco, Kristin and her husband felt God calling them to Huntsville to start a church for people in the South who no longer believed church was for them.  She’s been married to her best friend and biggest fan, Tim, for ten years. Together they have three beautiful girls.

Before motherhood, Kristin was a Mary Kay director and an aspiring business woman. After years of hard work launching and maintaining a successful career, it all fell apart upon moving across the country. For years after losing her career, Kristin struggled with understanding her value and self-worth. She sought value in other titles, such as being a pastor’s wife, and then eventually a mom. 

Kristin now understands our value doesn’t come from the titles or careers we have. Kristin is a stay-at-home mom who seeks to give her children an ordinary, happy childhood. She seeks to find her value in Jesus each day and teaches her kids to do the same by teaching them scripture and letting them see how God fills our shortcomings. She has found her family’s gifts come to the surface when there is space for simplicity. She loves running, reading, writing, being outdoors, and hiking with her family.