The young mother tucked her little boy in bed, turned off the lights, and walked out of his room. It was then she heard him cry out: “Mom, turn the lights back on; I’m scared of the dark.” The mother walked back into his room to reassure him. “Now, son, don’t be afraid, Jesus is here with you.” To which he replied: “I know Jesus is in here with me, but I want somebody with some skin on!”
Can we admit that we all have felt that way? “Yes, I know you are near Jesus, but, I really want someone to pray and study your word with me, someone to sit beside me in church, and most of all, Jesus, I want to talk to someone about I much I love YOU. That someone is my husband. Won’t you please tell him to come into the room with me? I am scared of being in this dark room alone.”
Thirty eight years have passed since the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior, and my husband still hasn’t shown up in that dark room with me. But, my goodness how God has blessed me by sending so many Jesus with “Skin On” people! They brought light into my dark and lonely room!
Allow me to introduce a few of them to you.
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Jackie: Always saved a seat for me in church so I wouldn’t have to sit alone.
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Gerry, Beth, Gloria: Spent hours cleaning their homes for the weekly bible study. Oh, yes, Beth Moore taught me much, but it was these ladies who made it possible by opening up their homes to me and all the other ladies.
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Sylvia, Irene, Susan: Prophets that God used to give me a prophetic word at times when I thought I couldn’t take another step.
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My Pastor: Preached sermons that I know he prepared just for me!
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Melba, my pastor’s wife: Gave me opportunities in ministry. Quite frankly, I had always thought that I couldn’t go into ministry with an unsaved husband. What do I have to offer if the head of my household is not serving the Lord?
I just know that these people will receive a special reward in heaven one day for being obedient to God, and being there for me.
But, I have to confess that when the journey stretches into years of being unequally yoked as it has for me, there is a tendency to grow weary. As the year 2010 was drawing to a close, I felt like I had reached my limits. “When is this man, my high school sweetheart, father of our two daughters, and grandfather of three going to fall down at the feet of Jesus?” I felt the lights being turned off in the room again.
And then one day in March, 2011, God showed up with a whole army of Jesus with “Skin On” people. It happened like this.
I stumbled upon the book, Winning Him Without Words by Lynn and Dineen. In all my many years of being unequally yoke, I had never read a book about the unequally yoked, nor had I been associated with anyone “like me.” But, God in his perfect timing introduced me to these two ladies, along with their community of women on their website, Spiritually Unequal Marriage. And then, He introduced me to you, my friends, at Girlfriends Coffee Hour.
I’m not alone in the dark room anymore. – -I’m hanging out with – – Jesus with “Skin On” people from all over the U.S. and world who are “just like me!”
As for my husband? “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” [Ecc. 3:11]
Let’s Pray:
Father God, I ask you in the name of your son, Jesus, that every lady taking this course be blessed with Jesus with “Skin On” people so that they will not sit in a dark room alone. We need each other to help us walk out our lives before our husbands according to 1 Peter 3. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Your Assignment:
Who are your Jesus with Skin On people? Take time today, not only to thank God for them, but call or send them a note expressing your appreciation for being with you on your journey. For starters, list them in the comment section.
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And now, as we come to the close of the first chapter of Winning Him Without Words, review this past week:
Monday: Know That You are not Alone: Beverly pointed to page 27 in our book that described her feelings of being alone: yearns for her husband to sit with her, feel his arm come around her shoulder, desires to have him look up Bible verses together, hold her hand after they found it. But, Beverly made a decision she has stuck with for 33 years.
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Stopped worrying about her husband, and left him in God’s hands.
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Kept going to church and serving God in areas that He led her into.
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Kept asking her hubby to come with her.
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Took her children with her so they could learn about Jesus.
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And thanks God that He is sitting with her in that pew, along with friends who support, embrace, and pray for her.
May we do likewise.
Tuesday: The Alone Factor: Jennifer pointed us to reality: we are alone by not having a spiritual connection with our husbands, and it hurts. But, she learned the real truth:
We live for a Savior who desires to do life with us. That actually gives me a sense of peace. I am truly not alone in this. Our Heavenly Father is walking right alongside us, infusing us with power and strength every single day. He knows the aching of our hearts. He knows our longings. He wants the same thing for our husbands and for our marriages. He will not leave us flailing. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20(b), NIV)
May we do likewise.
Wednesday: Is it Possible to Thrive in a Mismatched Marriage? Donna assures us that we can thrive in a mismatched marriage and this is how she learned to do it:
When I let God be in control he takes away the anxiety of my life. God meets me right where I am and meets hubby where he is too. My marriage can grow and THRIVE!! I can rest assured God has our backs in this marriage-After all he created marriage! All I need do is get off my “throne” and hand my scepter over to God, pray for my husband and let God work!
May we do likewise.
Thursday: Placing Christ On The Throne: Sarah makes a statement that all of us could probably admit to when she says: To surrender your power and control is a hard thing to do. Some may say impossible.
But, Sarah has made a commitment to start each day with the following prayer no matter how silly she may feel: Jesus, right now as I begin this new day, I surrender my place of authority over my life to You. I am placing You firmly on the throne of my life. Teach me to focus on Your desires for living. I give you my entire life this day. In Your powerful name Jesus. Amen
May we do likewise.
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For those who are reading this blog and would like to join the Bible study, we would love to invite you to join us! Click here and follow the instructions, (you can also click the SIGN-UP link in the menu bar above to be taken to the form). It’s that simple! We hope to see you soon!
Above all, if you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like to have someone pray with you, please email our Prayer Team Leader: Robin@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com, and one of our prayer team members will contact you.
Blessings to you,
Martha
About Martha Bush
love love love this!!!!! Such an awesome reminder of what each of us is called to do! <3
You are so right, we are all called to do this. It is a reminder to me also to give back what has been given to me.
I can apply this (and all of it) in my relationship w/ my SIL. Though not as direct a connection, it still has definite application. I need the understanding of sisters in the Lord re: the warfare w/ my SIL. Praise God!
Martha to Martha: I so agree with you that I need the understanding of sisters in the Lord. could have never made it without them.
Martha a couple of ladies came to my mind immediatley when you who are the Jesus with Skin On in our lives. But then my mind went quickly to….am I a person that someone can look at in that same light. Does people see me as Jesus with skin on? Oh I sure hope so…..thank you for the awesome post today! Loved it and it has given me so much to think about today!
Yes, Lannette. I pray that I give back what was so freely given to me. We need each other, that is for sure.
Martha, I loved your post. So beautifully written. Two ladies came to mind right away. One of them is our dear friend, Jennifer Bartos, one of our GCH memebers. 🙂 She has prayed for me, encouraged me & just been the best friend a girl could have! Love ya girl!
And another is a beautiful woman named Terry. She lives in Fl. & although we have never met in person, we have become close friends through email, text & FB. She is the one that started praying scripture and verse over me in all my times of need. She showed me that women can impower women by agreeing with Christ over a situation. She has blessed me in so many ways and made me want to be a woman others can turn to and see me as "Jesus with Skin On!"
Sarah, I believe that there is someone for each of us, and God knows just who that person is. He has blessed you, as He has me. Like you, I pray I will be there for others.
(as a motel chain tells us all the time) we are leavin' the light on for you! thanks, martha! i enjoyed reading about your ladies…there is much coziness in the glow of the light, yes? <3
I LOVED this blog thanks so much for how you shared today's lesson with us. I have already sent my messages to those on my Jett who are that example to me! WOW since early this morning GOd is Speaking to my heart and I am getting like some of those people Angus talked about I want to run laps to express how God is moving in me today! !thanks Martha
You are on the move already sending out messages. Believe me, you have made their day brighter.
I like how you said that, Coleen: There is much coziness in the glow of the light. That is beautiful.
I have several friends who have always been my Jesus with Skin-On…..I pray that others see me the same way, as well. Awesome blog today, Martha!!
Thanks, Christi. It took a turn around. I see every woman is also praying that they others see them in the same light. Funny, how God gives little snudges to us all.
Martha waht an awesome blog!! My jesus with skin on peeps are my best friendJulie who is there for me whenever I need an ear or prayer., I have my Pasotrs wife Lori, my good friend Patti and also I do have to say my huband , Ronald, who always lifts me up to the Lord when I can't do it myself! Thank you Martha, I needed to bring them to my attention and remember them with a note!
Donna, I think we are going to make a lot of people in our lives feel blessed today just by knowing that they were God's servants obeying His little nudges to us. I, along with others, pray I do the same.
Loved your blog today Martha!
Thanks for reading Christel. God’s blessings on your and your family.
This really made me realize how great I am for my skin family – Juanita prays with me & for me, Darlene my first Jesus friend even in her early dementia she ALWAYS asks me how she can pray for me and Oscar who taught me that patience & faith will win as he waited seven years for his marriage to be restored. He never grew weary. There are so many more but most of all Cyndi who lead me to the church were I became reacquainted with Jesus I am forever grateful.
Anne, I will say it again, God has someone for everyone, and knows just when to send them in our lives. Now, I encourage you, and I do myself, to go help others. Thanks for leaving a comment.
That is the desire of my heart to love on & encourage others.
I don’t have to think too hard to figure out the ‘skin on’ people in my life. I only have 2; my beautiful sister-in-law, Christi, and my ever-so-handsome brother, Gary. These people are the most important people in my ‘faith-building’ life.
Sounds like you got two winners in your corner, Mandi. I have just met Christi via internet recently, and I see how God is using her. She must be passing it around to her family, too.
I am in awe! Each comment is like-Yeah! That's how I feel! Then you blessed ladies kept turning my light brighter.Thank you Lord Jesus for Love! sharing Love, giving Love, Love aglow, we all need more Love. These feelings of aloneness must be cleaned out by the Spirit! Amen
Cheri, God is doing a work in all of us. I love watching the Holy Spirit move.
Wow what a blog! I know a am late but your blog was awesome! Several people come to mind as my Jesus with "skin-on" support people. Marie, Bev,Mary,Judy! I do not know what I would do had God not allowed for our lives to meet. Thank you for sharing!
And thank you for mentioning your skin-on people. I know you have blessed their day.
Love! I have felt alone for five years until finding this book and my dear friend Lea in a similar position. This week, I will attend my first ever, real live, honest to goodness woman's Bible study. I am nervous as I feel I am the last person worthy of attending. But, I have been praying for lady friends with skin on and am hoping this is it. 🙂
Nicole, Jesus bought the whole world to get a piece of the treausre. That treasure is you. Don't ever view yourself as unworthy to receive God's grace. So, glad you are joining a Bible study. I pray for special friends to meet you there.