It’s that time of year again. The big season has begun and you’re a football widow, once more.
Whether you’re a wife who hoots and hollers alongside your man on Sundays or the gal who goes shopping at Kohl’s until the game’s over—there’s much we can learn about how to love our husband by his cherished game of football.
Coach. Be a coach. Every husband wants a successful marriage. He wants to be number one in your eyes. He’s competitive that way. Stop nagging and start encouraging. Even when he fumbles—he needs to hear positive input from you much more than the droning’s and complaining of a disappointed wife.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29
Teammate. Have his back….with the kids, with your parents, and even your friends. He needs to know he can rely on you, especially when the opposing team has the ball. Stand by him publicly, win or lose.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1Corinthians 13:7-8
Stick to the game plan. Be consistent. Don’t tell him one thing and do another. Refrain from parenting in new ways without bringing him up to speed first. If you agreed to a budget be faithful. Communication is vital to a thriving marriage—make time for it and stick to it.
But let your word ‘yes be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one. Matthew 5:37
Be his biggest fan. Do you cheer when he comes home? Do you encourage your kids to run and greet him with a squeal and a hug? Do you root for him to win at work, at church, at home? Your voice should be the one he hears above the crowd—make sure to choose your words wisely.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:12
Whether he fumbles over and over, or throws the game winning touchdown pass, it’s you he’s playing for. It’s you he desires at the end of the day—a winning marriage is what he wants and no super bowl ring is more important than that.
Love this Joanne! My husband is not a football fanatic, but he has his other loves … 🙂 This is awesome. Must be pinned!
Thanks Julie! I LOVE Pinterest…too much!
Hi Joanne,
For me my husband’s love of football (and all sports in fact) is like the other woman. He puts watching games, making time for them, making time for his friends to watch games with them or go to fantasy football/baseball events, his number one priority. His wife and children are truly second to these things. But he doesn’t see it this way. The fact that he gives us any attention at all should count, in his mind, for a lot. I don’t know if I can muster up the admiration and support you are talking about for a person who does this.
How do you admire and love a man that thinks it’s perfectly okay to ignore his family if the 49ers are playing? That thinks going to Hooters with his friends to watch a game is okay? Who will not stay home to watch your small children while you are sick with the flu because of a fantasy football meeting with his friends? And tells you that you’re selfish for even asking him to stay home, seeing how important sports are to him?
I pray about this constantly, realizing I have an issue with forgiveness that God wants to address and bring me healing. But it’s hard to forgive when the same thing keeps happening every weekend… or almost every day now that football is on almost every day of the week!
Any insights you can pass on would be so appreciated. I remember talking to you once before through email (before your move to TN, when we both went to Sun Hills), and you had some great, Godly advice for me then.
By the way, you were right about TN 🙂
Lorene – thanks for a different football-widow’s perspective. You’ve given me the desire to write from this side of things. I’ll post a better response to gals in your shoes, in the next few days.
Hang in there my friend…