“Show me 10 struggling marriages and I’ll show you 9 husbands who aren’t on their spiritual game.”, a pastor-friend told me. You might pretend this stat is off, but it’s not far off. As your spiritual walk goes, so goes your wife. Ephesians 5:25 says, Husbands, Love your wives… (Eph. 5:25) No doubt you’ve heard/been the husband who says “Happy Wife, Happy Life.” Think about it. What you’re saying is that you want to make your wife happy SO THAT you can be happy. That’s not loving your wife, that’s selfishness. …as Christ loved the church… (Eph. 5:25) Not feeling “in love” with your wife at the moment? Arguin’, fussin’, and fightin’? Haven’t felt close since Bush was in office? The first Bush?! Doesn’t matter. Pursue your wife. You don’t always live as you should, yet God pursues you no matter what. …and gave himself up for her… (Eph. 5:25) I don’t hear a hint of selfishness in gave himself up for her. If I started a club, it’d be the “NSHWHLA” Club…The Never-Say-Happy-Wife-Happy-Life-Again Club. T-shirts would go on sale immediately. Your wife’s happiness isn’t about making you happy. God calls you to give yourself up for her. That’s it. It’s the struggling marriage that does the most score-keeping, tallying up what you did compared to what your wife doesn’t do. Forget all of the wrongs. Instead, keep a list of the right things your wife does. Keep serving without keeping score.

10 BIBLE VERSES ABOUT FINANCES: Money and finances are hot-button topics in many Christian settings. We know it’s a necessity in this world, but we’re really not sure how to deal with the resources God places in our hands. Thankfully, His Word has a lot to say about handling money from a biblical perspective. These Bible verses about finances provide a great starting point for digging deeper into learning and practicing God’s view on stewardship and money.

A BETTER LIFE WITH YOUR BETTER HALF: Aside from your walk with God, no relationship you’ll ever establish is more important than the one you share with your wife. But here’s something a lot of guys forget: You play a huge role in your wife’s spiritual and emotional development. You are partners, so her growth as a woman and as a wife is tied to the love, honor, and support that you provide. As we dig into the message of Proverbs 12, look for ways to leave selfishness on the shelf and focus on being a true servant-leader in your marriage.

“If we want to be happy in marriage we will accept that marriage is designed to make us holy, not happy. Happiness is a by product.” —Timothy Keller.

Holy over happy. Paul also said about marriage, This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Eph. 5:32). When you live to keep score, the scoresheet never adds up. When you live to serve, you show your wife that you follow God. That, and your marriage will more likely reflect Christ—because you do. Will you join the Never-Say-Happy-Wife-Happy-Life-Again Club? Your initiation into the club is this: Tell your wife she’s an excellent wife, mostly for putting up with you! ; ) Membership fees are due soon. Pay up.