What are you waiting for? Precious time is ticking away. Join me as I also try to daily redeem time in my marriage.

I am so excited about the opportunity to share my book, Redeeming the Time with My Husband with you. For the next several weeks we'll look at subjects such as communication, appreciation, blame, acceptance, intimacy, finances, praying for your husband, and commitment. f you're honest with yourself, you 'll probably join me in reluctantly admitting that you do have some regrets concerning your marriage.

There are many things you wish you had done or handled differently. "If I had only ." You know that feeling that gnaws at your heart and wearies your soul. Time and the best intentions have a way of slipping right through our fingers.

May I be very vulnerable for a moment and quickly share with you why marriage is so important to me? I wasn't raised in a Christian home. My father was an alcoholic, and my mother was a registered nurse who worked full time. Because my father, as a child, had been physically abused by my grandfather, he believed that physical and verbal abuse were the normal way of life. If things didn't go exactly as he wanted, he would become outraged, which always resulted in severe punishment. Punishment wasn't reserved for my brother, sister, and me, but our mother also suffered. My earliest memory of home is standing in the kitchen watching helplessly as my father tried (unsuccessfully) to break my mother's arm. Even as a small three-year-old, I tried desperately to make him stop. I never heard my father say, "I love you," nor did I know what it was like to go to bed at night unafraid. There was always the fear of being jerked up and punished. My sister and I took turns (we shared a bedroom) sleeping with our faces turned toward the door. Our little minds reasoned that we could warn each other, if Daddy came into the room, and we could hide. I learned to watch for Daddy's car. If he came in and had been drinking, I would go next-door and stay as long as I could.

Occasionally during those growing-up years, I did get to spend the night with different girlfriends. I would always try to arrange it so that it would be on a Saturday night, and I then would be able to go to church the next day. It really didn't matter which church. I was hungry for the peace, acceptance, comfort, and love I sensed in church. One time I heard about a Man who had been beaten, humiliated, and spat upon. And I identified with Him. Then I learned that He took it all because He loved me. That's the day that I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.

I want to make something very clear. God makes no mistakes! I'm not blaming Him for my childhood. Difficult as it was, He knew exactly what was best for me. He knew what it would take to shape the stubborn individual that I am into a child of the King. I only share these glimpses into my past praying that perhaps as you read this, you will be encouraged. If He can change me, He can change you!

When I got married (and was disowned by my earthly father), I desperately wanted a warm, loving home. But I didn't know which way to turn or even how to begin. All I had ever known was heartache and pain. I turned to One who unconditionally loved me. Patiently, step by step, inch by inch, He began to work on me. He slowly chipped away at the heartache, pain, rejection, sense of worthlessness, and ignorance. I went to every seminar on marriage, the home, and child-rearing that I learned of. I listened to tapes. I read every book on marriage that I could find - always cross-referencing my new information with the Bible.

Oh, how I struggled. I slipped and fell many times. But I learned the most wonderful verse in God's Word, 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I clung to that promise. Every time I made a mistake, slipped and fell flat on my face, I picked myself up, dusted myself off with 1 John 1:9, and started all over again. I admit to you it was and still is hard and humbling. But I praise God that He isn't finished with me yet. My heart's desire is that He will continue to work on me so that I might not be ashamed when I finally stand before Him.

It's my sincere desire that God will touch your heart as you read excerpts from this book. What I say isn't important, but what God reveals to your heart will count for eternity.

As you begin your journey in trying to redeem the time with your husband, I do believe the concepts set forth in my book, Redeeming the Time - Where Do I Begin? can be a great help and encouragement to you. I pray you will consider taking the time to read it also.

It won't be easy to redeem the time in your marriage, but you can do it! If I can do it, you can, too. What are you waiting for? Precious time is ticking away. Join me as I also try to daily redeem time in my marriage.

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About the Author:

Series courtesy of www.MainStreetMom.com in conjunction with Edwina Patterson.