Praise God for cheerleading & truth-telling Spouses

Disclaimer: No idea who this is. But since my wife is neither old
nor a former cheerleader, I had to find an old-timey cheerleader.

As a man, I tend to bottle frustration, anxiety, doubt, and concern within and, if it wasn't for the elders in our church, the only person who would ever see those things exposed is my lovely wife, Katie. 

Over the past couple weeks Katie and I engaged in a weekend marriage seminar (ie. surgery) and celebrated our 12th anniversary. I am so grateful I get to spend my life with her. One of the reasons I am able to handle the adversity of disrespect, passive-aggressiveness, unexpected tasks from without is hearing her encouragement and cheerleading for Team Oelschlager (more ideas on cheerleading: Some great tips). And a reason I'm able to withstand and fight back against doubt, frustration, anxiety from within is her reminding me of what's really true.

I was reading this morning in Judges 13 about Manoah. Here's a guy whose wife is never mentioned by name even though she is first approached by an angel of God to deliver major news about a mighty son born to her and her husband who will defeat Israel's enemies, the Philistines (vv.3-5). When Manaoh prays for this angel to reappear, he again shows himself to his wife first (vv.9-10). Nevertheless, she remains conspicuously nameless. I like this because it more readily allows the reader, especially the male reader, consider his own spouse in her place.

Having encountered an angel, carried on a conversation with him, and mistaken him for God himself, Manoah begins to worry, doubt, even fear, which often occurs in a man's spirit once all the excitement dies down a little. But that is when his help-meet, his bride shines as she speaks truth into his life:

And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God." But his wife said to him, "If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt and grain offering from our hands or shown us all these things, or announced to us such things as these"  (Judges 13: 22-23).

Praise be to God for cheerleading & truth-telling spouses, who like Manaoh's wife, remind us that God is good, has shown He has good plans for our lives, & has announced to us very good news (ie. the gospel) that can always and at any time bring us great hope.