Say 'Yes' to the Wife

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As I read the theme for March, 'What is giving you life right now that you are saying yes to' or 'What is draining you that you are saying no to', I started thinking maybe I should write about my quiet time or discipleship or the time I spend with my family or the coffee date I try to have with my girl friends. I kept going down my list of topics thinking no, no, no, not any of those. And don't get me wrong, all that I had on my list was good and valid topics that have been life-giving or draining, but I decided to write about my work instead.

For the last 10 years of my life, I have predominantly been a stay-at-home mom. Before that, I was working with Commercial Sex Workers in Chennai, rescuing them from their trade and teaching them livelihood skills. But with all our transitions and travels, I put away my desire to go out and work. For those of you who know me, you know that I am extremely extroverted. So for a personality type like me to sit cooped up in the house was exhausting!

When we moved to Delhi, I volunteered with our church and helped out a little with their social outreach project but just when I was beginning to get adjusted to that routine, God moved us out of our comfort zone to yet another assignment. And so I took a break from work again. Added to that we were having our third child and moving our older two to a new school, so I thought it would be best if I stayed home. And I also thought, maybe I'm just meant to be a stay-at-home mom. But the desire to go out and work never left, never dwindled, never died.

Since this desire to work never found a form of fulfilment, it ended up in useless arguments with my husband about how he has a life and I just stay at home all day. After pointless argument, after pointless argument, on this subject for nearly six months he asked me one day, "When have I ever said no to work?" That's whne it struck me that I had been the one giving myself excuses.

So when the opportunity presented itself I sheepishly volunteered to go back to work. For me, that has been life-giving; the fact that my husband sacrifices and stays home with the kids while I go out and work is life-giving; the fact that I get to do my dream job of working at a livelihood project for people living with HIV/AIDS and teaching them crochet is life-giving. Above all, when I teach these women to trust Jesus and to have hope in him despite their hopeless situation -- that is life-giving.

And I am so glad the husband said 'yes' to the wife!

Photo Credit : Flickr

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Deepa David

Deepa David skillfully juggles her various roles as a wife and mother of three kids. Her biggest role is to support her husband in ministry, bringing stability into a demanding ministry environment. She has a heart for underprivileged women and has served with commercial sex workers and women in situations of exploitation and abuse. She is also theologically trained with an MA in Christianity from SAIACS. She is joyful all the time and never tires of hosting people in her home.

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