Sally Ann Hassler
Sally Ann Hassler
Hassler International Evangelical Ministries, Office Manager
Ann Hassler with principal at a school in India 1994
Ann Hassler and a little girl at Crows Nest Japanese Christian Church Sydney, Australia
Ann Hassler with children in Colombia, South America 1993
Ann with her assistant in a school in India.
"Your spouse should be your best friend."
by Sally Ann Hassler
Published in Home Life Magazine, April 1990
IN MARRIAGE, TWO PEOPLE that are together 24 hours a day easily could become very selfish. From the beginning, guidelines must be drawn up in every home. In working together in a marriage relationship, the following guidelines taken from Great Church Fights by Leslie B. Flynn (Victor Books, 1976) could be useful:
1. Nobody act big.
2. Nobody act small.
3. Everybody act medium.
A successful marriage demands a willingness to work together. A successful marriage requires mutual compatibility. The oneness in a marriage relationship is stronger if there is complete honesty from the beginning of the marriage. Every person is different from anyone else in the world, and each has his or her own set of needs.
Honest communication between a married couple brings out mental, emotional and physical needs of which each partner should be aware. If a spouse feels free to discuss frankly even failures with the other spouse and knows there will be sympathy rather than scolding, each will be encouraged to share burdens.
Love needs to be both given and received. As each marriage partner gives up needs in order to meet the partner's needs, his or her needs are nearly always met. There is something really special about serving our mates within the bounds of marriage. It always pays off with extra love and attention on the one who is bestowing it. If you want your husband to treat you like a queen, then treat him like a king!
Spouses need to make each other their best friend. Ruth Senter, in her article "Intimacy: Don't Leave Home Without It" (Moody Monthly, June 1982), says "The mystery of marriage . . . is that two people, though separated by distance can be so close. The sadness of it all, that two individuals may be sitting side by side and yet be miles a part.
Two can cope with problems better than one. If many homes were examined, we would find that as many married couples set out to solve their problems together, prayer is the first direction they take. We sometimes can share burdens in prayer that we can share no other way.
Financial Guidelines Important. As a couple works together toward economic stability in their marriage, a budget, or certain guidelines are important. Each partner should view with respect the other person's views and ideas of handling money in the home. When couples refuse to work together in the area of finances within their marriage, many divorces come about. The root cause of this is selfishness in spending. Disagreement on money matters is the cause of much unhappiness in marriage.
Credit buying is another area where married couples fail to work together. When they have a wallet full of credit cards, much discipline must be used. Many couples keep a list of items needed for their home; and many times while out shopping, they find a sale for this item or items. It would be fine to use credit then, because both would have planned for the purchase when the bill came in later. It is so important for a married couple to provide for the future.
We are given a mind, and with our mind, the ability to make choices and plan for the future. Each home will have different needs, but as marriage partners consistently plan and pray together, they can and will come up with the right ideas for the future of their home.
The most important area that a couple can work on together in their marriage is spiritual stability. If this is decided upon from the beginning, a couple can direct their spiritual energies in the same direction. Both the husband and wife need Christ. If one has Christ and the partner does not, the marriage will be lacking the oneness that Christ wants it to have.
Much conflict could be avoided if marriage partners would decide together on one church affiliation. What is taught and learned in the church should be taken home with the married couple and applied in their home. Each partner should work together in seeing that they are doing their part to apply Christian teachings in all of their activities. Consistent Christian living is important. One need not be perfect to have the partner's respect, but being pious at church and the opposite at home will forfeit respect.
A successful marriage demands a willingness to work together.
© Home Life Magazine
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
