Small Group

We had small group last night and it brought about an interesting topic that I struggle with. First of all, let me give you some background on our group - we are a couples group working through the "Love and Respect" book and video. We got started last year, then had about a 2 month vacation around the holidays, and have just recently gotten back on track of weekly meetings. We started out learning about the Crazy Cycle and how to stay off of it - or how to get off of it! Those were chapters that both husband and wife read at the same time. We learned about God's direction for husbands to unconditionally love their wives and for wives to unconditionally respect their husbands and how they circle one another.

Last week we started the chapters on the Energize Cycle - which involves husband and wife reading different chapters. Well, last night we were discussing the Closeness chapter the husbands read and the Heirarchy chapter that we wives had to read and how God made the husband to be the head and how wives need to respect that. And then that word came up - submission. I despise that word! I have never been submissive and don't ever want to be. But what we learned - which is often not shared with women - is that allowing our husbands to take their God given place as the head isn't being submissive in the way we've been programmed to think of it. It's simply allowing him to feel respected as the head of the family - which in turn, allows him to return the love that we desire. A good-willed man will not abuse his position as head of the family. That puts a different perspective on it all together. Although, I still cringe when I hear the word submissive - or any form there of...guess that will just take a little longer to get over!