My husband and I could not wait to get married. Our hearts were anxious to fully express our love for each other and we looked forward to the day we would be united as one.
Our expectations of married life were shattered as we faced our first hardship as husband and wife on our wedding night. As we pursued sexual intimacy, pain inflamed my body. We tried to laugh off the disappointment, as if we needed time to figure out what we were trying to do and do it right. We both thought it might take a few days to get use to.
However, weeks turned into years, and we were still struggling. Our lack of sexual intimacy became a catalyst for bad attitudes, intensifying other marital stressors.
Over three years time my marriage broke down and we were on the verge of divorce. But God was not willing to abandon us! He saved our marriage from ruin and He showed us something quite incredible, something I believe everyone should be aware of.
One day my husband was inspired to think about the environment. A conversation with a friend of ours about a woman with PCOS sparked the investigation which you can read HERE. My husband wondered if there was something in the environment that was affecting my body and causing the pain I experienced during sex.
Sure enough my husband came across ingredients he found in my face wash - which I had been using for about five years - that were called “parabens” and after some internet research found them to be endocrine disruptors. He urged me to stop using this product and any other personal care products that had parabens, and within a weeks time my body was healed, our sexlife was healed!
I know this might sound crazy, but this discovery has radically impacted my life in a positive way. I cannot help but wonder how many other issues married couples are facing that can be attributed to the environment.
God built our bodies with an intelligent design. We have so many different parts working together to help us function properly. The enemy on the other hand, is working tirelessly to destroy what God has created. I believe over the years, he has used people to taint the environment in such a way, parts of it are affecting us in negative ways.
If you, your husband or even your children seem to be suffering because of a dysfunction in the body, and no one knows why, I urge you to take a closer look at the environment. Investigate what ingredients you are exposed to through putting something on your skin or what you are putting in your mouth. Pay attention to the details and consider how your body may be sensitive to certain ingredients.
I think it is extremely important for every person to understand how our bodies can be affected by our environment. You will be your greatest advocate!
I shared about this topic a few Mondays ago in an online marriage retreat that I would love to invite you to check out! If you are interested visit Embrace Your Marriage!
- Jennifer Smith
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