How do you feel when your husband comes to you with a new idea?

Nervous? Excited? Do you wonder what it will mean for your family, what kind of change is coming down the road? How much time will it take? How much will it cost us? 

Kyle and Kara live a busy life. They homeschool their four girls, he works full time in civil engineering, and they help lead a ministry for young couples at church. So when Kyle started tinkering with cars 5 years ago, it seemed they hardly had time for much else. 

But as Kara watched, she was amazed at what he was learning and who he was able to help with his new, self-taught skills. 

She saw right away that God could use that.

This couple looks for any opportunity to share the gospel, and that circle got increased. This was a new way to help their church family, neighbors, and others in need.  

For Kyle, what started out as just wanting to change his own oil, turned into a hobby he loved. Almost by accident, he discovered he could help others with his newfound passion when he helped repair a local farm truck. What they thought would be an expensive repair turned out to be a loose bolt! 

Kyle was already connected with many of the young men at church, but now he had found a way to connect on a relational level, spend good hangout time together, and really open the door for spiritual conversations.  

Admittedly, he relates that if Kara was not supportive, he probably wouldn’t do it. The couple has made it their family ministry, even involving their children. But Kara is more than supportive, she’s excited! 

“It’s very good for our marriage. I’m so proud of him . . . he enjoys it, and he knows I’m there emotionally supporting and encouraging and spiritually praying. We celebrate together when we see God work something out. We do it together.” 

It hasn’t come overnight, but Kara has learned some great tips for other wives who might see their husbands moving towards a new adventure. 

1. Pray. 

Everything they do is washed in prayer. She laughingly jokes that “I pray for cars more than my kids!” They often pray together in the garage, and Kyle prays with each person he helps. 

2. Prioritize. 

Kara challenges us to ask, “What is the eternal value of what I am doing?” They’ve made their decisions accordingly, choosing to limit kids’ activities, TV time, or other less critical plans. Kyle has made sure to keep family a priority. He spends many Saturdays in the garage, but he makes time for family nights and couple time. He knows when to quit, and they’ve learned to maximize the time they have together, often sharing quality time together in the morning. 

3. Plan. 

Communicate – a lot. 

“There’s a learning curve when you use your talents that will affect your family and your family’s time.” Kara admits they made some mistakes in the beginning, and that’s ok. They learned to plan together to create realistic expectations, and she likes to stay flexible for when those plans might need to change. 

Do you find it challenging sometimes to support your husband when he’s feeling called to a new adventure? Or is it possible that new adventure could be a call from the Lord? 

It doesn’t happen overnight, but couples can learn to work together to turn their hobbies and passions into Kingdom work. 

Kyle and Kara’s investment in the Kingdom is a family decision, a family ministry. I can relate. When Stacy and I began this adventure for Christ that became Noble Warriors, we had more questions than answers. But we knew God had placed this calling on our lives, and despite our uncertainty, Stacy has been in my corner every step of the way. I can’t tell you what that means to me personally, but I also believe that God truly blesses unity in this as well. 

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