Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Can your marriage withstand the flames?


A lot of you have emailed or commented to ask if Chris and I are still reading The Love Dare and how it was going.

The Love Dare Challenge, a journey we are still traveling, encountered some sharp turns and steep hills but we are becoming more knowledgeable about the air bags of unconditional love. I am starting to realize I can’t just follow my heart, I need to lead it.

We have both learned to be more thoughtful, a characteristic that a woman longs for her man to have. When a woman speaks a wise man listens right?

Realizing that life is like a marathon, not a sprint. Meaning that I have to prioritize, balance and pace myself.

One day that really caught my attention was about good 1st impressions.
Simply greeting your spouse in the morning, when arriving home from work, or on the phone carries a surprising significance. How do you greet your friends, coworkers, or neighbors? How about acquaintances or those you meet in public? When someone communicates that they are glad to see you, your personal self worth increases. You instantly feel more loved and valued.

I always knew marriages ended but never did I think it would be a couple we new and loved. In the last year alone we have witnessed close couples separate, even divorce and have affairs. Every couple goes through storms but not every couple survives them. Please don’t think reading this book or living out these “dares” will drive all conflict from your marriage. Great marriages are not created by people who never hurt each other but by people who choose to keep “no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5)

A wonderful “challenge” to all of you is to call your spouse at work today without any other agenda but to ask how he/she is doing and if there is anything you can do for them.

I stress that if you have not gone out to get this book DO IT! I have not written in our copy and hope to pass it on to another couple. I will hold a giveaway once we complete it. Order the book now for as little as $8.79!

If two lie down together they keep warm ,but how can one be warm alone? - Ecclesiastes 4:11


Kristen

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like sucha great book. I only wish my husband would take part in it. Maybe I can bring it up to him and give it to him for father's day???
    I am going to try to call him at work today and see his reaction.
    Thanks for sharring your journey with all of us.

    Looking forward to reading more.

    Mellissa

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  2. I love this!!! Thank you for posting this....... We all need to be reminded of things that we seem to foget due to stress or being annoyed.......

    I'll have to get to Borders to pick up that book!!

    Blessings,

    Alyson

    http://wellensfamily.blogspot.com

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  3. I just ordered my book after the 1st post...we started it yesterdy.
    Thanks for the great idea.

    ~Wallace Family

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  4. That's great inspiration! I also did a post not too long ago about how to greet your spouse...why is it so hard some days to just stop what we're doing and acknowledge they're home? ;) I compared the greeting to the way our dog greets us...because he's always happy to see us and makes me feel so good! I try to remember that...although some days are still hard with little ones to attend to!

    Great post! And I do not call my husband at work because he is so busy...but sometimes I leave him little notes in the morning, so he can see them on his way out the door!

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  5. Carrie,
    Good example about the way our dogs greet us. So true. I know I try not call Chris either at work unless it is really important. I have done the note thing. Once even on the shower wall with an old lip liner. It just said "today is your lucky day!" He was so upset when I washed it off.
    Take care and thanks for the comment. I will have to go over and read your post.

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  6. Great post and it is so true that we just don't greet people nice enough these days.

    God Bless You!

    Janice

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  7. Hee hee, love the lipliner idea ;) I bet he really loved seeing that! I usually leave notes on his wallet, because I know he's going to grab that on his way out ;)

    If you have an urge to read that post when you get a chance...the post is titled "Always Faithful" from April 7th. Wish I could be more like Skipper {our dog} more often, LOL! He's a good boy :)

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  8. Great post. Our marriage has been on a 28 year roller coaster ride, but the thing that keeps us going is always a morning kiss, have a great day and a hug good-bye. A call to each other at least once during the day and he always calls before coming home to see if I need him to pick up anything. At least once a week there is a surprise for each other...an ICEE for me, chocolate cake for him, a note left on his truck windshield, etc. I would greet him at the door, but then I would be run over by 3 exuberant kids who greet him enthusiastically everyday, I wait until they are done. Life isn't about the thorns in the roses, it about watching the buds open up!

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  9. I can't wait to see/read this book and am excited for you that you and your hubby are taking the Love Dare challenge. That's impressive. They did it at my church ~ but we never got on the bandwagon. I'll be curious to see how God works in your lives! (more than he already is)

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  10. This sounds like a great book! I think I'll order it. I especially love that line, "Great marriages are not created by people who never hurt each other but by people who choose to keep “no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5) I'm determined to remember that! Thanks!

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