Studying...Created to be His Help Meet

We are studying the book by Debi Pearl, Created to be His Help Meet. Through our study of this book, we are going to learn what it means to be a help meet and actually living the role that God created us as women to fill. I've read this book once before and applied many of the things that Mrs. Pearl spoke of, and it has transformed an already good marriage into nothing short of awesome!! I encourage you to purchase this book and follow along or at the very least, check out the Pearl's website at http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/
Any text taken directly from Mrs. Pearl's book will be highlighted in blue.

I realize that in studying Created to be His Help Meet at the rate of one chapter per week, we will be doing this study for approximately 24 weeks. We could go at this at a much faster rate, but I believe that if we truly want to change and fill our God given rolls as help meet to our husbands, then we need to take things slower and put into practice what we are learning. I hope you agree and stay the course with me as we become better help meets together.

Part 1: The Help Meet

Chapter 5: The Beginning of Wisdom

Consequences to our actions.

Whether a decision we make is good or bad, there will be a consequence to it. Obey the speed limit, meet Mr. Police and wave as you drive by. Exceed the speed limit and Mr. Police will pull you over to meet you personally and leave you with a rather expensive welcoming gift.

Eat too many helpings of dessert, before long you will be shopping for a new wardrobe. Eat in moderation, keep that wonderful figure and live a healthy life.

What prompts us to make the right decisions? What makes us go the speed limit or pass on that extra slice of cake?

Fear. Fear of a speeding ticket, fear of gaining weight and not fitting into our clothing or being sick.

So, as Mrs. Pearl points out, fear is the beginning of wisdom. Hey!! God said that too, didn't He?

"Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom."
Psalm 111:10, NLT

"Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom."
Proverbs 9:10, NLT

Mrs. Pearl points out that since we are called to be help meet to our husbands, then, if for no other wisdom, fear of the Lord will cause us to be faithful to that calling. Fear of standing before God and admitting that we were not the help meet He called us to be will cause us to search for and ask for wisdom. Wisdom from God, wisdom from godly older women.

She also challenges us to look up the word odious. I took the opportunity to do that and share it with you here,

odious--deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable. Highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting.

She asks us to learn to hate the idea of ever being guilty of this. Heaven forbid!!

Mrs. Pearl points out that as wives we are going to practice being thankful and merry or we are going to practice bitterness. Stop just a moment and reflect on your marriage, on your relationship with your husband. Would you say that you are thankful or bitter?

Take a few minutes with a pen and a sheet of paper. Write down the things you love about your husband, what attracts you to him, what wonderful traits he has. Tuck it away somewhere that it is easily accessible for you. Mrs. Pearl challenges us this week to pay attention to ourselves.

When we feel that old critical spirit creeping up on us, she encourages us to pray and think of something on our thankful list. Even go get that list and read over it....again and again if necessary.

This will be creating a new habit within yourself of laying aside bitterness and putting on peace and thankfulness.

Next week: Wisdom While There is Yet Hope