Encourage Your Spouse: August 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

Encouraging Couples - Gail and Michael Hyatt

There's a couple I've been researching and "following" on Twitter - Gail and Michael Hyatt. They appear to have a marriage where encouragement has had an impact.

Michael Hyatt's Twitter bio reads: "CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, avid blogger, husband to @GailHyatt, father of five daughters." He also is a deliberate leader. He writes in his blog:

"...“You and I both know that people today crave leadership. They are dying for role models. They want to see what good leadership looks like—as it is lived out in the challenges of everyday life.”

I continued, “If you are living your life on-purpose, like I know you are, then by Twittering, you are modeling something worth emulating. This is unquestionably the most powerful way to lead.” "

http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/07/twitter-as-a-leadership-tool.html

Gail Hyatt has supported and encouraged her husband in his activities for over 30 years while raising their daughters.

She states in her Twitter profile she is "married to @michaelhyatt, mother to 5 M's, grandmommy to 4, Christ follower, Orthodox Christian".

Gail often travels with her husband and refers to him in her "tweets". She advocates for World Vision, is active in her church activities, spends time helping and adding value to friends & family and writes thought provoking blog posts. (I'm sure there are many other activities not made public - she's someone I'd love to meet!)

Last Valentines Day, Michael Hyatt wrote a post about the top ten things he loves about his wife. http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/02/what-i-love-about-my-wife.html It's a wonderfully affirming list and sketches a three-dimentional picture of a unique woman.

Gail Hyatt responded by writing her own post about her "super-human" husband and her ideas of what her relationship with her husband can hold. Toward the middle of the post, she wrote:

"Early on I asked myself what will be my unique contribution? How can I balance this out? Lots of things came to mind, but THE most important thing I chose to cultivate was a heart of appreciation and the practice of encouragement. It’s proven to be the best gift I could possibly give to Mike and to my family as well."

http://gailbhyatt.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/a-super-human-husband

Here are two people building a marriage over the last 30 years. Through their public, written words and actions they show they value each other.

What 10 attributes do you value most about your spouse? In what way have they made a difference in your life?

Monday, August 3, 2009

Encouraging Couples - John & Margaret Maxwell

I've been searching for couples, living in the public eye, who value the encouragement their spouse provides. Because I don't know them personally, the only way I can gauge their appreciation is by their outward, public behavior and written words.

Robert and I have been reading John Maxwell's books for almost 10 years and have attended a couple of his conferences. We find his leadership books, both secular and faith-based, valuable. John often refers to his wife, Margaret and her role in his life.

In one of his latest books, Put Your Dream to the Test, he both dedicates his book to Margaret but also tells a very moving story of how she made him feel empowered in his dream to be a great leader.

On page 115-116 he tells how, shortly after finishing college and getting married, his first church in rural Indiana could only offer him a small $80 a week salary. And even though it was a part-time salary, Margaret supported him in giving all his energy to the church.

She declared his dream verbally to the church leaders and followed through with her encouragement by working three jobs so he could feel empowered to pursue his dream to be a great leader.

John Maxwell concludes his story by saying, "None of my dreams would have come true without her".

Margaret Maxwell's encouragement and support of her spouse has definitely made difference in the world! She is a great example.