Atheist Wife Maybe?

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Dad_of_Ten

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Hello
Looking for help for me to teach my wife or get her to believe all about Jesus.( nothing i can say or read to her will change her mind)
Wife of 21 years we have 10 healthy kids who im trying on my own to keep them in the faith. Ages 1-19 older ones i struggle with since confirmation ended
I’m always learning.

I’m catholic and she was raise non catholic

She does all the catholic things like church or CCD for kids just for me.

What she is i think is a doubting Thomas and wants to believe but needs proof cause she always says until someone comes back from the dead to tell her she thinks when we die that’s it.
I’ve been praying for years for Jesus to intercede and come into her hart.

Any susgestions im struggling

Mike
 
Hmm, next time she talks about someone rising from the dead say to her something like this “Someone indeed already has, He Is called Jesus Son of the Living God!”
 
Dad_of_Ten said:
Hello
Looking for help for me to teach my wife or get her to believe all about Jesus.( nothing i can say or read to her will change her mind)
Wife of 21 years we have 10 healthy kids who im trying on my own to keep them in the faith. Ages 1-19 older ones i struggle with since confirmation ended
I’m always learning.

I’m catholic and she was raise non catholic

She does all the catholic things like church or CCD for kids just for me.

What she is i think is a doubting Thomas and wants to believe but needs proof cause she always says until someone comes back from the dead to tell her she thinks when we die that’s it.
I’ve been praying for years for Jesus to intercede and come into her hart.

Any susgestions im struggling

Mike
Click to expand...
you can lead a horse to water but can’t make them drink. If she is participating in bringing the children to CCD and Church and lets you go, then there is probably not much else you can do or say but keep praying for her. St. Monica prayed 30 years for her son who wed know know as St. Augustine. I also want to point out something else, not for you but for others. It is important to marry someone that has your faith and commitment to it. For you OP, that is 21 years ago. Now I think you are seeing that the older children want to following in their mother’s foot steps. That is the risk of not marrying someone in the faith, the long term consequences with children seeing two beliefs or here non-belief.
 
Dad_of_Ten said:
Hello
Looking for help for me to teach my wife or get her to believe all about Jesus.( nothing i can say or read to her will change her mind)
Wife of 21 years we have 10 healthy kids who im trying on my own to keep them in the faith. Ages 1-19 older ones i struggle with since confirmation ended
I’m always learning.

I’m catholic and she was raise non catholic

She does all the catholic things like church or CCD for kids just for me.

What she is i think is a doubting Thomas and wants to believe but needs proof cause she always says until someone comes back from the dead to tell her she thinks when we die that’s it.
I’ve been praying for years for Jesus to intercede and come into her hart.

Any susgestions im struggling

Mike
Click to expand...
My wife and I were you in reverse. I was very much an unbeliever for most of my life. Her faith never wavered. She lived it out in the open in front of me. She never drew battle lines and forced me to confront the issue. Her faith allowed her to see that God would make it happen in His own time, if I wanted it to happen. No doubt her prayers for me were answered.

I am a believer. Thanks first to the Holy Spirit coming into my life. But thanks also to my wife-for her prayers and for her own commitment to faith. I don’t know if I would have been open to the Holy Spirit if she had drawn those battle lines. It is hard advice to take, I’m sure, but patience and trust in God will see it through. I know for me, my wife’s patience and faith played a very large role in my faith journey.
 
My husband is a lot like your wife and over the years I have tried everything to get him to have a change of heart. He supported my efforts to raise kids Catholic like your wife and he continues to support our grandchildren who are being raised Catholic. I have come to realize that my personal faith in God’s ability to handle this is where I need to focus and I have been trying to model myself after the inspirational life of St. Monica. God is in charge of this and I am waiting on His answer to my prayers as patiently as possible. Praying for you also.
 
Thank you all for your thoughts. I will leave it it gods hands with fast and prayer for her.

I am trying to learn about my faith more than ever now and this site and EWTN radio are big helps.

Thanks God Bless
Mike
 
Dad_of_Ten said:
Hello
Looking for help for me to teach my wife or get her to believe all about Jesus.( nothing i can say or read to her will change her mind)
Wife of 21 years we have 10 healthy kids who im trying on my own to keep them in the faith. Ages 1-19 older ones i struggle with since confirmation ended
I’m always learning.

I’m catholic and she was raise non catholic

She does all the catholic things like church or CCD for kids just for me.

What she is i think is a doubting Thomas and wants to believe but needs proof cause she always says until someone comes back from the dead to tell her she thinks when we die that’s it.
I’ve been praying for years for Jesus to intercede and come into her hart.

Any susgestions im struggling

Mike
Click to expand...
Yes. Be the best, most loving father to your children and husband to her you can be. Be patient and kind and loving and compassionate.

Also, even with so many children, make time for just the two of you. Plan an activity for the two of you of something she would really enjoy (whether it be at home or out).

There is nothing you can say or do to “make her believe.”

Blessings to you.
 
Children from families where the father is religious and the mother is not are more likely to stay in their religion as adults than are children where the mother is religious and the father is not.

So in terms of what you have control over, you’re doing well. Your wife is doing her best to back you up, and that too is good. Increase your prayers for her: fast, mortify yourself, and give alms. Attend daily Mass when you have a chance. Engage in mental prayer. Leave the rest between God and her.
 
Dad_of_Ten said:
Hello
Looking for help for me to teach my wife or get her to believe all about Jesus.( nothing i can say or read to her will change her mind)
Wife of 21 years we have 10 healthy kids who im trying on my own to keep them in the faith. Ages 1-19 older ones i struggle with since confirmation ended
I’m always learning.

I’m catholic and she was raise non catholic

She does all the catholic things like church or CCD for kids just for me.

What she is i think is a doubting Thomas and wants to believe but needs proof cause she always says until someone comes back from the dead to tell her she thinks when we die that’s it.
I’ve been praying for years for Jesus to intercede and come into her hart.

Any susgestions im struggling

Mike
Click to expand...
Your wife sounds amazing! If she’s doing all this “Catholic stuff” just for you, then she must love you very much. You’ve been married 21 years and have ten children–I can’t imagine doing that without faith. Therefore, I suspect either your prayers have already resulted in incredible success and/or she has more faith than you realize. If she’s busy raising 10 children over 21 years with the youngest being 1, she’s spent an awful lot of time pregnant, managing toddlers and more. We have eight children and although it’s not ten I do understand a bit about raising a family and having an active faith and prayer life. An active faith live takes time and energy. She’s devoting her time and energy to you and her family, perhaps not for the glory of God but at a minimal it’s out of love for her husband.

Treat her well. She may not have the faith in Jesus that you’d like her to have, but she seems to be demonstrating remarkable faith in* you.* As it should be with all spousal relationships, you get to be Jesus for her.
 
Dad_of_Ten said:
Thank you all for your thoughts. I will leave it it gods hands with fast and prayer for her.

I am trying to learn about my faith more than ever now and this site and EWTN radio are big helps.

Thanks God Bless
Mike
Click to expand...
👍
 
Dad_of_Ten said:
Hello
Looking for help for me to teach my wife or get her to believe all about Jesus.( nothing i can say or read to her will change her mind)
Wife of 21 years we have 10 healthy kids who im trying on my own to keep them in the faith. Ages 1-19 older ones i struggle with since confirmation ended
I’m always learning.

I’m catholic and she was raise non catholic

She does all the catholic things like church or CCD for kids just for me.

What she is i think is a doubting Thomas and wants to believe but needs proof cause she always says until someone comes back from the dead to tell her she thinks when we die that’s it.
I’ve been praying for years for Jesus to intercede and come into her hart.

Any susgestions im struggling

Mike
Click to expand...
Studying miracles helps my faith they are very tangible, our lady of Guadalupe and the Eucharistic miracle of seinna are my favorates
 
Some are just stubborn and do not want to try to understand because they want to keep their stubborness , a sort of pride. But maybe your wife is just putting a front , maybe she has been thinking about it on her own.

Try doing movie nights of saints. I recommend to start with Miracle Man (Padre Pio), it is a 4 hours movie.
 
Hi and while I’m sure you weren’t expecting to hear from someone on my side of the belief spectrum I would just like to recommend that you not try to change her as the mentality of “fixing” a spouse(and while this may not be how you see it but it is certainly a way she might feel about this) can put unnecessary stain on a relationship and moreover it’s entirely disrespectful to your wife’s beliefs. In my opinion you should not pray or try to convert her but just be happy that your differing viewpoints did not prevent you from having a successful and happy marriage.
 
Lighthouse Catholic Media has a lot of fantastic and cheap CDs, downloads, etc. They have helped with a lot of conversions because they are so non-confrontational. Maybe just buy a few CDs you think your family will like and listen to them, then just have them available in the house. Don’t push them, just have them there. Other family members may pick them up and listen to them in private, and sometimes that is the best way to plant a seed.
 
My friend is also an Atheist… I know now what to tell her based on the suggestion on this forum.
 
Faith is a gift from God. He gives it (or takes it) at His pleasure. Makes me think of the sowing of seeds parable; not all ground is fertile ground for the seeds of faith to take root. And, we are reminded that nothing is impossible with God.
 
Your wife had ten children and raising them with you is saying a lot for your wife. One may not believe, but love covers a multitude of things that even some believers do not do, or have. trust God who sees all of this. Faith in Christ is a gift, if you witness about Christ to her you plant the seed. All we can do is point the way, and trust the Lord who loves you, your wife and your children. Keep living the Christian life, it will bear fruit in God’s time. God bless you and your family.
 
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