Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Farris:
Homeschooling requires you to sacrifice many things. But your marriage shouldn’t be one of them. We all want strong families, but it’s important to remember that the foundation of a healthy family is a healthy marriage. My wife Vickie once shocked a fellow homeschooling mom by telling her to put her marriage above her children, above her homemaking, and above her homeschooling. It’s that important.

The same principle applies to us dads. We must prioritize our relationships with our wives over everything other than our relationship with God. But what’s the best way to do this on a daily basis? It begins with the choices we make.

Choose to spend time with your wife. Commit to seeking out and meeting her needs. Work around inconveniences to pursue this goal. When I travel, I find that Vickie and I have some of the best conversations over the phone. Even though we can’t talk face-to-face, we take advantage of the opportunity to talk together without interruptions.

Evaluate your daily habits. Do you take time to verbally affirm your wife? Do you center your conversation on her day? Do you work to resolve conflicts? Early on in our marriage, Vickie and I agreed to never let the sun go down on our anger. We would always work through it to solve problems and that one commitment has been instrumental in maintaining a strong relationship.

Most importantly, pray with and for your wife. Pray for wisdom to strengthen and preserve a life-long friendship.

I’m Mike Farris.