One of the newest and most destructive trends in the U.S., eroding the foundations of marriage and the family, is couples who live together without being married. Between 2006 and 2010, nearly half of heterosexual women (48%) aged 15 to 44 said they were not married to their spouse or partner when they first lived with them. That is up from 43% in 2002, and 34% in 1995.

Nearly 75% of all women aged 30 or younger said they lived with a partner outside of marriage at some point in their lives. And sadly, the length of time people now live together before marriage has increased from 13 months in 1995 to 22 months in 2010.

As a result of living together before marriage: (a) Only 31% of women, today, are married as compared to 92% in 1920, which is basically a 60% drop in marriage over the last 100 years, (b) The average age for a woman to get married is at a record high of 27 years old, and last, (c) If the cohabitating couple ever do get married (only around 1 out of 5 actually do), they have an 80% higher rate of divorce than those who didn’t live together before marriage.

May God raise up godly women to stand for marriage and family once again!

EPHESIANS 5:21-6:4

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.

31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 & Mark 10:6-9) 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Exodus 20:12) 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

A GODY WIFE & MOTHER

Ephesians 5:21-24, “21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”

22 Attributes of a Proverbs 31 Woman

  1. VALUABLE: “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies,” v. 10.
  2. TRUSTWORTHY: “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value,” v. 11.
  3. HARDWORKING: “She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life,” v. 12.
  4. SELECTIVE: “She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands,” v. 13.
  5. SHREWD: “She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar,” v. 14.
  6. PROVIDER: “She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants,” v. 15.
  7. SAVVY: “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard,” v. 16.
  8. STRONG: “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks,” v. 17.
  9. DILIGENT: “She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night,” v. 18. 10.
  10. MULTI-TASKER: “In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers,” v. 19.
  11. COMPASSIONATE: “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy,” v. 20.
  12. CONFIDENT: “When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet,” v. 21.
  13. BEAUTIFUL: “She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple,” v. 22.
  14. RESPECTED HUSBAND: “Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land,” v. 23.
  15. PROSPEROUS: “She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes,” v. 24.
  16. DIGNIFIED: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come,” v. 25.
  17. WISE: “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue,” v. 26.
  18. INVOLVED: “She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness,” v. 27.
  19. BLESSED FAMILY: “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her,” v. 28.
  20. OVERACHIEVER: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all,” v. 29.
  21. GOD-FEARING: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised,” v. 30.
  22. HONORED: “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate,” v. 31.

Godly wives and mothers remind us of God’s love for His people (Isaiah 66:13) and Jesus’ willingness to lay down His life for the world (Matthew 23:37-39)!