"Don’t Settle for Less Than God’s Best" By Pastor Charlie

Let’s be honest—waiting on the Lord can feel like standing in the slowest line at the grocery store while every other line is flying by. You watch other people get what they’ve prayed for. You scroll through pictures of their engagement rings, wedding days, and happy anniversaries. You hear about promotions, new homes, pregnancies, and answered prayers—and you feel like God forgot to call your number.

And when you’re tired of waiting, the temptation is to take matters into your own hands. To lower the bar. To settle for “good enough” instead of God’s best.

But here’s the truth you don’t want to hear—settling isn’t just a bad choice. It’s a faith problem.

The Lie That Fuels Settling

At the root of impatience is a whispered lie:
“If I wait on God, I’ll end up empty. He’ll forget me. I need to make something happen for myself.”

That’s not just doubt—it’s rebellion wrapped in fear. It’s saying with your choices what you’d never dare say out loud:
“God, I don’t trust You to write my story.”

Whether it’s the single woman who dates the man she knows isn’t pursuing Jesus…
Or the married woman who gives her heart away to fantasy because her husband feels distant…
Or the businesswoman who cuts corners because God’s timing on provision feels too slow…
Or the widow who fears life has passed her by…

The problem underneath is the same: we stop believing that God is good, and we start grasping for control.

The Kitchen Table Stories

Louise and I have sat at our kitchen table more times than I can count, listening to women tell us through tears that they took matters into their own hands. They settled for less than God’s best—only to realize years later that not only was it a mistake, but now they’re in deep pain.

Some have told us, “I thought I could make it work. I thought God was taking too long. I thought I knew better.” And now the consequences feel crushing.

We have watched this send women into depression, and sometimes even despair. And oh, how the enemy loves to rush into that mess! He whispers, “You blew it. You ruined your life. God won’t use you now.” He’s a liar, but in those moments, his accusations feel loud and believable.

The Dangerous Trade

When you settle, you trade eternal joy for temporary relief. You silence the ache for a moment, but you set yourself up for deeper pain later. And here’s the thing—God loves you too much to bless what you’ve grabbed for in impatience.

You might think you’re “moving forward,” but outside His will, you’re just walking in circles in the desert.

Isaiah 30:18 says:
“Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.”

God isn’t late. He isn’t distracted. He’s never forgotten you. He is waiting—not because He’s cruel—but because He’s working for your good in ways you can’t see yet.

The Glory in the Waiting

Waiting is never wasted when your eyes are fixed on Christ.
It’s in the waiting that He cuts away idols.
It’s in the waiting that He strengthens your faith.
It’s in the waiting that He protects you from what you would have run into if He said “yes” too soon.

Sometimes, the greatest mercy God gives you is a “not yet.”

A Better Way Forward

If you’re tempted to settle, hear this:
- Your life is not on pause. Waiting on God is not wasting time—it’s preparing your heart for the blessing He will give or the grace He will sustain you with if the blessing looks different than you imagined.
- Your worth is not tied to your relationship status, job title, bank account, or children. Your worth is anchored in Christ—unchanging, secure, eternal.
- Your obedience matters now. The decisions you make today will shape the life you live tomorrow.

The Gospel Hope

You can wait well because Jesus already secured your future. At the cross, He proved He will never withhold what you need most—Himself. If He has already given you His life, you can trust Him with your timeline.

And when you blow it—and we all do—there is grace. Grace that forgives your grasping. Grace that restores your weary heart. Grace that sets your feet back on the path of trust.

So, sister—don’t settle for the man who talks spiritual but doesn’t walk spiritual. Don’t settle for less integrity because the promotion is shiny. Don’t settle for less purity because you think you’re running out of time. Don’t settle for less faith because fear feels easier.

The One who bled for you is writing your story. Trust Him enough to wait for His best.

I love you, sister,
Pastor Charlie


“Faith or Feelings” By Pastor Charlie

Feelings are wonderful servants, but they make terrible masters.

Yet so many women—maybe even you—let feelings drive the car while faith is locked in the trunk. You know it’s true. One day you “feel” loved by God, the next day you’re not so sure. One morning you “feel” like forgiving her, the next you feed the grudge like a pet you’ve secretly grown attached to. You tell yourself, I’ll obey when I feel it. But that’s not obedience. That’s delayed rebellion.

Let’s be honest: the danger isn’t just that feelings are inconsistent—it’s that they lie. They whisper half-truths and full-on distortions until you start doubting what God has made crystal clear in His Word.

God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), but you feel abandoned.

God says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), but you feel unworthy and unforgiven.

God says, “Forgive as I have forgiven you” (Colossians 3:13), but you feel justified in withholding grace.

This is spiritual quicksand. You sink deeper the more you trust your emotions to tell you the truth about God.

Faith Is Not a Feeling

Faith is an act of war. It’s planting your feet on God’s promises even when every nerve in your body screams the opposite. It’s refusing to let the clouds in your mind tell you the sun has stopped shining. It’s believing God’s Word more than your own heart—because Scripture says our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).

Faith is saying: “I don’t feel like forgiving, but God commands it, and His ways are good. I will obey, and trust Him to bring my feelings into line.”

Faith is saying: “I feel condemned, but God says I’m clean in Christ. My feelings don’t get the final word—Jesus does.”

Faith is saying: “I feel unloved, but the cross proves otherwise. The blood of Christ shouts louder than my emotions ever could.”

I know this isn’t easy. Before we were married, both Louise and I faced different situations—deeply painful, completely outside our control—that left wounds we carried into our life together. It made certain parts of the journey harder than God would have wanted. But we learned—sometimes slowly—to forgive. We learned that forgiveness wasn’t pretending it didn’t hurt, and it wasn’t the same as trusting again. Forgiveness is a gospel choice you make so you can move forward in the race God has called you to run. Louise has finished her race. I’m still running mine, and I long to finish well like she did.

Feelings Will Follow Obedience

So many wait for the feeling before they act. But in the Kingdom of God, obedience often comes first—and the feelings follow later. Forgiveness doesn’t start in your emotions; it starts at the foot of the cross. Assurance doesn’t come from emotional highs; it comes from taking God at His Word. Joy doesn’t wait for your mood to change; it’s born when you choose gratitude in the middle of the storm.

The Call

Sister, stop letting your feelings hold the steering wheel. Trust them, and you’ll drift. Stand on God’s Word, and you’ll stand when the storm hits.

It’s time to stop asking, “How do I feel?” and start asking, “What is true?” The answer will not always match your emotions—but it will always set you free.

Anchor yourself to the promises of God. Obey even when your feelings kick and scream. And watch how He slowly, surely, begins to reshape your heart.

Faith over feelings. Every time.

I’m standing with you in this fight for faith. I believe God’s Word is enough for you. I believe His promises are stronger than your emotions. Don’t quit. Don’t drift. Keep clinging to Him.

I love you, sister. I’m pulling for you.

Pastor Charlie


"When Anger Rules a Man: Why Wives Can’t Stay Silent" By Pastor Charlie

Some marriages don’t feel like marriages at all.
They feel like battlefields.
Not because the wife is hard to live with — but because anger has moved into her husband’s heart and made itself at home.

Anger that explodes—throwing objects, slamming doors, screaming until the walls shake.
Anger that simmers—cutting with sarcasm, humiliating with words, punishing with silence.
Anger that, at times, even turns physical.

And yet, far too many women stay silent. Why?

Because “he didn’t hit me this time”—as if the only line God cares about is whether his fist connects.
Because “he didn’t call me those names this week”—even though his words still crushed my spirit.
Because “he didn’t throw anything this time”—but he still punished me with silence and intimidation.
Because “he said he was sorry”—and I’m too worn down to fight anymore.

Many of you have been worn thin by years of false repentance. Your husband says the right words, maybe even cries, but nothing changes. He wants forgiveness without transformation. You’re exhausted, and in that exhaustion you start believing dangerous lies:

“God would never want me to separate.”
“If I just pray harder, it will stop.”
“This isn’t really abuse because he hasn’t hit me lately.”

Sister—those are deceptions that will keep you trapped in harm’s way.

Does the Bible Allow Separation?

The short answer is yes — in certain cases, separation is not only permissible, it can be wise and even necessary. God does not delight in marital separation, but He also does not call His daughters to stay in harm’s way or to allow unrepentant sin to thrive unchallenged.

Malachi 2:16 tells us that God hates divorce — but that statement is often misused to keep women in unsafe homes. The same God who hates divorce also hates violence (Malachi 2:16b). The Hebrew word translated “violence” (ḥāmās) includes not only physical assault but any form of destructive, injurious treatment.

Paul addresses separation directly in 1 Corinthians 7:10–11:

“To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband)…”

This is key: Paul doesn’t ignore the reality that a wife may need to separate. He simply gives boundaries for that separation — remaining unmarried or seeking reconciliation if genuine repentance occurs. The very fact that Scripture includes this instruction shows that separation is sometimes necessary and not rebellion against God.

Biblical counseling leaders agree:

  • Ed Welch (CCEF) warns that abuse, whether physical or non-physical, is a form of oppression, and “God hates oppression. He is the Defender of the oppressed, and He calls His people to act like Him.”

  • ACBC (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors) affirms that in cases of persistent, unrepentant sin that endangers a spouse physically, emotionally, or spiritually, separation can be a merciful act — both protecting the victim and confronting the sinner with the seriousness of their sin.

  • CCEF resources emphasize that Proverbs repeatedly calls the wise to avoid violent or hot-tempered people (Proverbs 22:24–25; 29:22). This principle applies in marriage too.

Separation, in this light, is not abandoning your marriage — it’s refusing to enable destruction. It’s creating space for safety, healing, and the possibility of genuine change. In fact, separation can be a God-given tool for repentance:

  • It removes the victim from danger.

  • It forces the abuser to face consequences.

  • It gives the church opportunity to step in with discipline and restoration (Matthew 18:15–17).

If your husband is unrepentantly breaking the marriage covenant through ongoing abuse—whether physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, or spiritual—then seeking safety is not a sin. It is walking in the wisdom of your Shepherd, who leads you beside still waters, not into the mouth of wolves (Psalm 23:1–3).

What Anger Really Is

The Bible doesn’t treat anger as a “personality quirk” or a “bad day.”
It calls it what it is—sin.

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage…” (Galatians 5:19–20)

Paul doesn’t say these are mistakes. He says they are obvious works of the flesh—the natural outflow of a life not ruled by the Spirit. And then comes the sobering warning in verse 21:

“…those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

If a man’s life is marked by fits of rage, hostility, and self-centered control—not occasional failings but a pattern—then Scripture warns that he may not be a believer at all. A saved man can stumble into anger, but he will not make his home there. The Spirit of God will convict, bring him to repentance, and produce change.

So if your husband’s anger is entrenched, ongoing, and without repentance, you are not just facing a marriage problem—you may be dealing with a man whose soul is in grave danger.

Abuse Is More Than Physical

Being hit is not the only qualification for abuse or separation.
Abuse wears many faces, and all of them are deadly to the heart and soul.

  • Verbal Abuse: cutting sarcasm, belittling, humiliation, name-calling.

  • Emotional Abuse: manipulating with guilt, controlling your friendships, isolating you from family.

  • Spiritual Abuse: twisting Scripture to keep you quiet or submissive while he sins, using “God’s will” as a weapon to control you.

  • Psychological Abuse: gaslighting—making you doubt your own memory, perception, or sanity.

  • Sexual Abuse: coercing or forcing intimacy, even within marriage.

God sees all of this. And He calls it wicked. Psalm 11:5 says, “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” Violence is not just in fists—it can be in words, tone, control, and intimidation.

If you are being made to live in fear, constantly walking on eggshells, or silenced by the threat of his reaction—that is abuse. And God does not call His daughters to quietly endure it.

False Repentance vs. True Repentance

False repentance says, “I’m sorry,” but changes nothing.
It minimizes sin, blames circumstances, or flips the guilt back on you.

True repentance takes ownership. It doesn’t just apologize—it changes. It bears fruit (Luke 3:8). It doesn’t just seek your forgiveness—it seeks God’s cleansing.

If your husband keeps repeating the same patterns with no lasting change, you are not “unforgiving” for refusing to pretend things are better. You are being wise.

What You Can—and Must—Do

  • Call it what it is. Stop downplaying abuse because it’s “not as bad as it could be.”

  • Tell someone. A pastor, a counselor, a trusted friend.

  • Call the police if you are being threatened, intimidated, or harmed.

  • Insist on accountability. Your husband needs help, and he’s unlikely to get it if no one forces the issue.

  • Consider separation if you are unsafe. This is not giving up on your marriage—it may be the only way to save it and possibly save his soul. If you or your children are unsafe, you must take immediate steps to protect yourselves. This includes sheltering children from any form of abuse — verbal, physical, emotional, or otherwise. Your safety, and theirs, must take priority over keeping the peace or avoiding difficult conversations. Call the police if necessary. Make your situation known to trusted friends, family, or church leaders who will truly hold your husband accountable. Document the abuse. And understand this: safety is not optional. God’s call for you to endure hardship does not mean He calls you to remain in harm’s way. 

Why Silence Helps No One

I know the fear:
“What if I lose my marriage?”
“What will people think?”
“What if he gets worse?”

But here’s the truth—silence doesn’t protect you, and it doesn’t change him. It just allows the sin to deepen.

Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is force a man to face the cost of his abuse. That confrontation may be the very thing God uses to bring him to repentance. It may save your marriage. It may save his soul.

The Contrast: Flesh vs. Spirit

Galatians 5 doesn’t just warn us about the works of the flesh—it gives us the fruit of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22–23)

Look at that list. If your husband is consistently marked by fits of rage, hostility, and selfishness, then the Spirit is not ruling his heart—anger is.

The Spirit produces gentleness, not intimidation.
Self-control, not outbursts.
Peace, not fear.

Final Word

Sister, hear me — you are not crazy. You are not weak. You are not faithless for wanting to be safe.

Your safety matters to God.
Your voice matters to God.
Your husband’s repentance matters to God.

Covering sin is not loving your husband — exposing it is. True love does not enable destruction; it fights for restoration.

You can be compassionate and courageous at the same time.
You can hope for reconciliation while demanding accountability.
And you can trust the One who is both your Shepherd and your Defender to walk with you every step of the way.

So, don’t let fear write the next chapter of your story. Let truth, courage, and the Word of God lead you into the safety and hope that your Father promises.

With Love,

Pastor Charlie

"When Your Husband is in Bondage to Sexual Sin" A Pastoral Word for the Wounded Wife By Pastor Charlie

This is written in love, truth, and urgency for the woman whose husband is enslaved to sexual sin. This is not a call to quick divorce. It is a call to clarity, to safety, to biblical help, and to real repentance—not the cheap, cosmetic kind that withers in a week.
 

1. Sexual Sin is Not “Just a Struggle” – It’s Slavery

If your husband is enslaved to pornography, infidelity, or other forms of sexual sin, you are not imagining the destruction it is causing. The Bible does not minimize this—it calls it bondage.

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.’” (John 8:34)

A man in bondage will lie to keep his sin alive. He will excuse it, hide it, or blame you for it. This is not about “boys being boys” or “just looking.” This is about a heart that refuses to submit to Christ’s lordship in the most intimate areas of life.
 

2. This is First a Worship Problem, Not a Marriage Problem

Sexual sin is not fundamentally about lust, boredom, or unmet needs. It’s about idolatry. Your husband is bowing before the false god of self-gratification. He is worshiping pleasure over Christ. That’s why lectures, guilt trips, or more sexual availability won’t fix him—because the root is in his heart, not in your body.

Until he fears God more than he craves sin, nothing will change.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)
 

3. Cheap Apologies Aren’t Repentance

A man in sexual bondage may weep and swear he’s done, only to return to the same sin days later. God’s Word draws a line between worldly sorrow (sorry he got caught) and godly sorrow (hatred of the sin itself).

True repentance will show up in radical measures:

  • Full confession without minimizing or blaming.

  • Complete exposure—no hidden devices, no secret accounts.

  • Willingness to invite trusted men into his life for accountability.

  • Humility to pursue professional biblical counseling.

If he won’t take radical steps, he’s not repenting—he’s stalling.

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8)
 

4. You Need Safety and Support

You are not called to silently absorb the blow after blow of betrayal. You are called to live in the light, walk in truth, and guard your heart. This may mean setting boundaries, seeking help from your church leaders, or in some cases, separating for a time to allow for genuine repentance and safety.

Your silence will not save your marriage—truth and light might.

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)
 

5. Don’t Carry the Guilt of His Sin

One of the cruelest lies a wife in your position can believe is, “If I were prettier, more sexual, or more available, he wouldn’t be doing this.” That is a lie from the pit of hell. His sin is not because you are lacking—it’s because his heart is wayward. You can’t seduce a man into holiness. Only the Spirit of God can do that.

“Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” (James 1:14)
 

6. Anchor Your Soul in Christ, Not in His Change

Your hope cannot be tethered to his progress reports, tears, or promises. Your hope must be rooted in the One who has never lied to you, never betrayed you, never looked away from you—Jesus Christ.

Yes, pray for your husband’s repentance. Yes, fight for truth. But you must also protect your own walk with God. Feed your soul with His Word. Surround yourself with wise, godly women who will speak life and truth over you.

 


Final Word:

Sister, you are not crazy. You are not overreacting. You are standing in the rubble of a covenant he has vandalized with his sin. The way forward is not easy. But it must be true. Let the light of Christ flood every corner of this situation. Expose the darkness. Call sin what it is. Refuse to live in a false peace. And hold on to the One who will never be unfaithful to you.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
 

With love,

Pastor Charlie 

"When Your Husband Won’t Lead Spiritually: Hope for a Disappointed Wife" By Pastor Charlie

Let’s be honest—this is the conversation no one likes to have in church. It’s easier to nod politely in the hallway, talk about schedules and recipes, and pretend the marriage is fine. But you’ve been carrying a silent ache for years. You watch other husbands lead their wives, pray over their kids, open the Bible at home, and you wonder—Why won’t mine?

You’ve prayed. You’ve asked. You’ve reminded. You’ve invited him to men’s breakfast, couples’ Bible studies, and church events. You’ve even asked me to “have a talk” with him—as if one conversation might light a permanent fire in his heart.

But deep down, you know the truth: If he doesn’t have a hunger for God, no pastor’s invitation, no event, and no clever speaker is going to change that.

I’ve been doing this long enough to say it plainly: This is not a scheduling problem—it’s a spiritual problem.

 

The Heart of the Problem

Your husband’s lack of spiritual leadership is not primarily about being “busy,” “tired,” or “not into that sort of thing.”
It’s about the heart.

Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). The way a man spends his time, the way he engages (or doesn’t engage) spiritually, reveals where his heart truly is.

If he knows Christ but isn’t leading, he’s either disobeying or spiritually immature. If he doesn’t know Christ, his disinterest makes sense—he’s spiritually dead. Either way, this is not about finding the right event or giving the right pep talk. It’s about God transforming him from the inside out.

 

Why You Can’t Carry His Role

Ephesians 5 doesn’t give husbands a suggestion—it gives them a command: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (v.25). That means sacrificial, intentional, spiritual leadership.

But I’ve seen too many wives, out of love and frustration, try to become their husband’s personal Holy Spirit—nagging, coaxing, strategizing. It’s exhausting, it’s soul-crushing, and it rarely works. Only God can take a cold, distracted heart and set it ablaze.

 

When Provision Replaces Obedience

Many men justify their spiritual absence by pointing to their paycheck. “I work hard. I provide. Isn’t that enough?”
But the Bible says otherwise:

  • Live with your wife in an understanding way (1 Peter 3:7)

  • Bring your children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4)

  • Be an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12)

A man can pay every bill, mow the lawn every week, and still fail as a husband if he neglects his God-given role to lead spiritually.

 

What You Can Do

  1. Pray for His Heart, Not Just His Habits  
    Ask God to awaken him—not just to attend more, but to love Christ more.

  2. Entrust Him to the Lord
    1 Peter 3:1–2 shows that a wife’s respectful and pure conduct can speak volumes, even without words.

  3. Guard Against Bitterness
    Hebrews 12:15 warns that bitterness will rot your own soul if left unchecked.

  4. Find Your Strength in Christ
    Your spiritual life doesn’t have to be paralyzed by his inaction.

  5. Model What You Hope to See
    Live a faith worth imitating—not to manipulate, but because Jesus is worthy.

 

The Hope That Anchors You

Here’s the truth you might not want to hear:
Your husband might never change.
But Jesus will never stop leading you.

He is your Shepherd (John 10:11). He is your Bridegroom (Ephesians 5:32). He will never neglect, abandon, or ignore you (Hebrews 13:5).

So yes—pray for your husband. Yes—long for his obedience. But anchor your hope in Christ’s faithfulness, not your husband’s transformation.

And here’s the raw reality: You can’t save him, fix him, or force him to lead. But you can refuse to let his disobedience rob you of your joy in Christ.

Sister, keep walking with Jesus. Keep your hands open in prayer. Keep your eyes fixed on the One who loves you perfectly. Your husband may never step up— but Jesus already has.