Vulnerability Invites Romance

source

It has become second nature for women to defend themselves. For untold generations, women have been hurt, taken advantage of, and diminished in their value. With the advent of the Women’s Liberation Movement, women came out swinging against the injustices they’d endured and, in the process, they lost something of great value—their vulnerability.

There is something so inviting about vulnerability.

Vulnerability is armorless.

Vulnerability draws others in.

It invites others to look deep inside.

This invitation to look inside is exactly why so many avoid vulnerability at all cost.

It’s dangerous.

If you offer vulnerability to your husband, what will he do with it?

Hurt you?
Take advantage of you?
Think less of you?

These risks overshadow vulnerability’s beauty until you consider the consequences of a life lived defensively.

Living defensively is like living in a fortress—walls built up and weapons ready. The face behind the wall is tense, scanning for threat.

A life lived on the defense is a life spent without rest, joy, or freedom.

Many women dwell behind walls that inadvertently keep their husbands out, and they    wonder    why    they    do    not    feel    known.

Since true romance involves being known and desired, to invite your husband to romance you must take the risk of being vulnerable, tearing down your defensive walls.

For instance, when you get hurt, do you retaliate in anger, or are you vulnerable with your husband and admit your feelings?

**Vulnerability Invites Romance is courtesy of Amy Lathrop and LitFuse Publicity Group

Blessings,

Romance Blooms with Showers of Confidence

Men are highly sensitive to signals of doubt because doubt plagues them.
If you continually give off signals of doubt, you will confirm the fear of inadequacy that lurks deep within your husband.

If a man believes he doesn’t have what it takes to please you, there’s not much chance he’ll attempt romance.

“A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands” (Proverbs 14:1).

Doubting your husband and his abilities tears away at a man; conferring confidence builds him up.
A confident man is grateful to the one who believes in him.

Do you have confidence in your husband, or do you find yourself regularly second-guessing him?

Do you struggle with doubt when it comes to his abilities?
He needs to be supported by your confidence in him

• at home

• in the workplace

• and in his dream for the future.

At home, I wanted Tom involved with the discipline of our children but was rarely pleased with his methods. I thought he was too strict and should be more understanding. Instead of communicating clearly with Tom about my concerns, I undermined his authority by smoothing things over with the kids behind his back.

My actions conveyed a lack of confidence in my husband.

I sabotaged our parenting and our marriage.

• Our kids learned their parents weren’t always on the same team, so if they worked on the more lenient parent, they might get their way.

• Tom felt hurt and angry.

Doubting my husband didn’t open any doors to romance!

The media constantly broadcast fear and doubt concerning the future. Against this tidal wave of doom and gloom,

it’s difficult for a man to confidently believe that God has planned a hopeful future for him.

When my husband was going through a job transition a couple of years ago, it became apparent he was struggling with doubt over his ability to succeed in a new venture. He was really down one day when he commented, “Most men don’t make a job change at fifty.”

I asked,

“Who says?”
He rewarded me with a smile from ear to ear.

Tom’s words weren’t so much a statement of fact as they were a question—he was asking me if I believed he could successfully make a job change at fifty.

A wise wife counteracts the media’s message of fear with a daily dose of confidence.

Inspiring confidence in your husband is like pouring water on dry, thirsty ground.

What seeds of potential lie dormant within your husband, waiting for the showers of your confidence?

What does your husband dream of doing?

Let your husband know that you believe in him. 

If you don’t, who will?

Breathe words of confidence into your husband today and watch as he stands taller with every word spoken.

That said, pray about which ones to encourage. If your husband’s dreams take him in a direction that worries you, consider your concerns.
Are they rooted in selfishness or fear?

Turn to God and give Him your worries.
Conferring confidence invites your husband to romance.

Could your love-life benefit from showers of confidence? 

**Romance Blooms with Showers of Confidence is courtesy of Amy Lathrop and LitFuse Publicity Group

Blessings,