Hey Ladies,
This is Curtis. I wanted to take an opportunity to let you know about a new resource for men at Living Proof. We have created an audio daily devotional called Drive Thru the Bible. It consists of fifteen 7-10 minute messages you can listen to on the way to work, dropping the kids off at school, or running your daily errands. This 2-CD set on the life of Elijah was designed with men in mind, but would make a nice resource for anyone who might have trouble finding daily time in God’s Word or who just wanted an extra helping during the day.
Since it can be difficult giving a loved one a spiritual gift they weren’t asking for, here are a few helpful hints.
How to Give a Bible Resource to Your Husband
1) Picture how you would want to receive a gift and do the opposite.
2) Don’t hold him accountable if he hasn’t asked you to hold him accountable.
-To a man this is like calling an offsides penalty in the middle of a baseball game. He won’t want to play by your rules if he hasn’t agreed to play your game. *If you did not understand the sports reference above, just see rule 1 again.
3) Try not to create a universal standard for godliness.
-His approach to God will probably look different because men are not wired the same as women. You can find a calculator and an alarm clock in the electronics department, but they won’t output the same information. I’m the only one in our family who has done all of Beth’s Bible studies (I’m on the last week of Esther right now), but sometimes I have to split one day into two because I can’t focus for that long. So, don’t expect your husband to join you in a 45 minute in-depth Bible study session right away. Jesus may be more than happy with 8 minutes with your husband.
4) Tape the gift to a Sears, Lowes, or Home Depot gift card.
-It may also help to tell him that for every day he does his daily devotional the amount increases by $5. I understand this is a bribe, but how do you think I’m training my son to go to the bathroom on the potty?
5) Do not nag! REPEAT: Do not nag!
-If you want to see if he’s using it, look in these 3 places:
a) Where you gave it to him.
b) Wherever he keeps the cash he’s been saving, but doesn’t want you to know
about (but you already know about and help yourself to while he’s at work). *Amanda would like to add that she didn’t know it was his birthday cash!
c) Check his car. He might surprise you.
6) Don’t give up.
-“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
*You can find Drive Thru the Bible: Elijah in the “new products” section of our LPM online store. You’ll see it if you click here and scroll down a little.
Tags: Curtis
Curtis thanks so much for providing such great resources and tips for us to understand/nurture our husbands just a little better than before! I need that reminder to not nag… 🙂
AND if Amanda was pregnant, she gets a get out of jail free card right? 🙂
Sounds like a great resource! Yes – giving it is the delicate part. I am constantly reminding myself that it’s not my job to convict my husband. That work belongs to the Holy Spirit. Thanks for the encouragement today, Curtis! 🙂 Gonna go check out the Drive-Thru Bible! 🙂
amazing insight, Curtis…. and yes, you nailed me on all points of what I do when I giv my hubby a Bible “anything”. Thanks for the testosterone perspective!!!!
Great entry!! I love number 4. Haha! Over the years I have given books and tapes, etc. to my dad who seems to be as un-interested in the things of God as anyone could posibly be. For a long time, I thought that I wasted my time. Thank you for posting this…after reading it, I realize that maybe he has looked at the books or listened to the tapes, even if I did see them thrown in the back of the car.(And by back, I mean the trunk of his SUV).
touche and smile. its nice to hear a male viewpt.
CAROL ALBUQUERQUE NM IS THIS FOR WOMEN ALSO I HAVE A HARD TIME BEING IN GOD WORD ALTHOUGH I AM DOING THE SEISTA MEMORY ON THE SCRIPTURE VERSE TWICE A MONTH I CANNOT TELL WHAT A BLESSING THAT HAS BEEN IN MY LIFE A BETH IS SUCH A GREAT MENTOR FOR ME SO WOULD THIS STUDY BE HELPFUL FOR WOMEN ALSO SINCE IA AM A SINGLE PERSON
CAROL ALBUQ.NM
Wow Curtis thanks so much for thinking of our men.. I for one will hop on over to LPM and get one. Will these be available anywhere else? By the way, secret stash of cash?? that we know about? I had no idea…*grin*
oh Curtis I can’t tell you how your post cracked me up and it came at just the right time. We woman sure what our men to be Godly, don’t we? Thank you for listing the things “not to do.” It was perfect for me today and gave me a great laugh. Thank you for your ministry!!! 🙂
Curtis,
Wow, this is right on target!
And HILARIOUS!
Thank you for the idea, and I know my hubby will love it.
Or at least, I think he will……
And your sports reference was loud and clear. There ARE women out here who do speak “baseball” ! hee hee
Thank you for letting us know about this, and THANK YOU for the tips. Since I am not married I considered giving this to my brother. Those tips will still come in handy. 😉
Thanks for your helpful tips and for sharing the resource with us. I really had to laugh when you said to think about how I’d like to recieve a gift, then do the opposite….how true! I’m not above bribes. I’m not immune to them, either. As long as they involve books, cheesecake and/or coffee.
Another tip: Leave the book in the bathroom, after clearing out all other reading material. My husband has actually ended up reading scrapbooking magazines and Today’s Christian Woman. I think he’s better for it.
HI Curtis. Would this be good for an unbelieving husband? I have been leaving scripture on his computer every morning for the past two weeks and he said he enjoys getting them and reading them. I don’t want to be too pushy!
Thanks-
Jennifer
I am SO GLAD to hear about this. My husband is NOT a reader, at all, and he is borderline dyslexic which isn’t all all encouraging to him. However, he drives A LOT for work. I’ve been working on burning some music to put in an CD organizer. Gonna have to shave room for this as well!
LORI
I love it Curtis! I need to order one for Colin!
Love it! In “Love and Respect,” Emerson Eggerichs says that a wife giving a husband a book on marriage has about the same effect as a husband giving a wife a book on dieting…I’d imagine giving a devotional book could have similar potential consequences. 🙂
This sounds like a WONDERFUL resource and the advice on giving it to the men in my life was great as well. The LPM team is very fortunate to have you.
In Christ,
Stephanie
Thanks for the helpful hints. My husband never likes it when I give him a devotional or anything like that cause he thinks I’m judging him. Amanda your funny, I loved your side note! I have to admit it seemed a little weird having a guy on the blog… LOL!
Oh Curtis! I’ve been waiting to hear from you! And boy…you did NOT disappoint! You had me laughing my socks off! 🙂
I think this is a great resource! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!
Rebecca
p.s. I can just see Amanda peering over your shoulder as you typed this blog post. hehehehe
Thank you for being so helpful ABOUT MEN! I’ve been married 38 yrs. and somtimes just can’t figure what in the world he’s thinking or where “THAT” came from.
Curtis, thank you so much for this devotional. My husband was asking for one, but when I started looking I couldn’t find anything I thought would work for him. This would be just perfect.
Curtis, you’re killing me.
Hey, next time I’m watching baseball with him I think I might just yell, “OFFSIDES!!!!!!!” really loud, just for fun 🙂
This is PERFECT for my man! Thanks so much for the tip and, well, the TIPS!!
Blessings,
Melinda
FUNNY FUNNY!!!!!
Good stuff man… good stuff..
-Sahsha’s Mummy
LOL! I loved this post!
And I love that idea…my preacher brother has a birthday coming up soon and I had no idea what to give him — thanks!!
Curtis thank you so much for the much needed laugh today. I will take your tips to heart!
Curtis- Thank you so much for providing a great resource!…and for the tips! Lissa
Great ideas, Curtis! I can’t wait to tuck this into my husband’s passenger seat (maybe under some work papers) and have him find it on God’s timing.
Thanks for all the work you put into this! It’s a AWESOME idea.
This is wonderful! Would love to get this for my hubby. Thanks for all the tips. Your comment about Amanda and the birthday cash made me LAUGH!
Take care and be blessed!!!
Thank you Curtis; You are already showing how valuable you are to Living Proof Ministries. How much better our lives would be as women if we OFTEN had “Curtis Clips” to remind us how to interact with our men! May God truly bless your trying to help us!
Amanda, from Missippippi
It’s so refreshing to get the male perspective. Thanks for that. May I pass this on to my married friends?
Thanks for the helpful guy tips. It’s always tricky to give those kinds of gifts to men! “Do the opposite” is a great lesson for most anything in marriage, lol.
I love this Curtis! Didn’t know you were so funny. Or so astute.. Men are definitely the direct opposite of us women. I have done all of Beth’s studies (in the process of Esther) except Patriarchs (which I got for Christmas) and Daniel (which I have too.)
Thanks for the insight.
Beth (not your mother-in-law)
Curtis–I am so with you on this–so I can tape some new devotional material- tape a Lowe’s gift card to it…along with a honey do list–AWESOME!! 🙂 Its a win/win situation for me!!! 🙂
Only kidding…I will tape it to a Dick’s Sporting Goods card and not complain when he golfs…
see? I am trying!! 🙂
Thanking God for my Bible loving man,
Jen
Oh, what fun to hear from you Curtis! Thank you for “meat” for our Miestas, too!!!
I am cracking up at the rules or how to give the gift to a man. I am not married but I would love to give this to my sons.
BTW..isn’t an offside penalty in football not baseball? 🙂
Thanks Curtis!
I love the way you presented your CD study with helpful hints for us women. I knew something was different when my husband decided to “do” Beth’s Breaking Free after I had such close encounters with the Lord while doing it. His idea of “doing” the study was to read through it. No answering questions. No open Bible. No looking up Scripture. I could’ve wrung his neck! (Spiritually speaking!) But at least he was getting some of God’s Word–The Daily Treasure–and seeing how wonderful Beth proved Scripture with Scripture. Men do indeed approach things differently.
Sounds wonderful! And I loved the hilarious tips! I’ll remember tip #1 although I laughed even louder at #2! Thanks for providing something like this for our wonderful husbands!
mk
I bought my husband a bible a few years ago. He literally asked “what am I supposed to do with this?” So, then, unexpectedly, a few months ago he started bringing it to church with him….Now he’s doing the Love Dare with me. God is amazing!
thanks for those great insights from a man’s perspective. they really helped me.
Hey Curtis. A fellow Willard-girl here. This is such a great idea…I told my husband about it and he said, “That’s actually a devotional that I might be able to get into.” He is working 2 jobs right now…mostly night-shift, so finding time to do long devotions is almost impossible. This will be perfect for him. I loved your tips for how to give spiritual gifts to our husbands. I read the list to him and he died laughing b/c you were dead on. Anyways, thanks! Looking forward to hearing it.
Amanda
for real curtis you are hilarious……love the wit
This is really great Curtis. And I love the vintage car on the front. Very Cool!
I appreciate your hardwork and obedience to God. What an inspiration for men everywhere.
Curtis,
This sounds really great, can we girls listen too. I have a daughter that is always saying she would love to do a Bible Study but does not have the time. Would love to hear more from you. Shalom
Oh Lord, bless Curtis – he needs help,he knows women too well.
You slay me brother! And, married to a baseball coach, I got it 🙂
Ya’ll, every one of you in the Moore clan, all ya’ll are just such a blessing: livin in reality, speaking the truth and tryin to do better daily and encouraging the rest of us to get back on track. Thank you for your honesty and trasnparency and humor. God love you all!
~Anne
LOL CURTIS!! I am ROTFLOL (not about the study, but the ‘tips’!!)
Curtis, Curtis, Curtis….
Keep it coming!
I live in a house filled with testosterone (3 of them are teenagers and the other would so love your advice).
I love the resource and the tips. Please visit again soon with advice for those of us trying to sow the seeds without losing the crop. Or better yet trying to coach a home run without calling a lateral (heehee~since you mixed your metaphors I thought I’d mix mine)…
It sounds like a great idea, but I’ll have to come up with some cool, nonthreatening way to give it. I think my attempts to sneak The Shack and The Hiding Place into his luggage recently have set me back a little in my efforts to influence his godliness. :)I know, I know, gotta love ’em where they’re at, right?
Do you think this would work for teenagers? Our son is 17 and he currently reads a devotion while sitting in his car in the parking lot before school. He might like something like this.
Curtis, This is great my husband was just praying about time to do more studying in the word. I will NOT nag. Thank you very much for this good work
So exciting! Love the helpful hints! Hysterical! : )
It’s so good to hear from a Miesta!