day 16 the love dare

The last challenge from day 15 was to do something to honor your spouse. I tried to do a few things. I fervently attempted to help him pack for a trip. Im not talking a suitcase or two but a green duffel the size of a couch and a hard box the size of a small fridge. All the goodies had to be labelled and listed and I helped every way i could with a smile :) even helping with lifting mr.giantfridgebox into the beast. I wasn't all that much help but I'm still working on it trying to make it a smooth process. I have not mentioned once how irritating it is that a giant green monster has thrown up all over my living room lol.

I also tried to be a better listener too :)

Day 16

Beloved I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers  3 John 2

You cannot change your spouse. A simple statement, and even though most of us know this to be true, occasionally even without intention, we try. For a long time i really wanted a churchgoing hubby. One who would pray with me , do bible study with me and even occasionally miss a Sunday morning football game. No amount of nagging could have produced this , if anything it had the opposite effect. At some point i started leading by example and simply praying to see these changes. I could have never done anything to make this happen but God could and all the sudden I looked around at my husband who had been teaching Sunday school for 3 years, praying, studying , growing, DVRing football games and remembered those prays from years ago. I remembered how I thought they would never ever come true and I realized that God can do anything and only he can change anyone....after all, He is the potter and we are just the clay :)

"A farmer cannot make a seed grow. He cannot argue, manipulate, or demand it to bear fruit. But he can plant it, give it water,soil, nutrients , protection and turn it over to God"

Get the weeds out of your marriage. Selfishness, Bitterness, Anger, Resentment.....Nurture the soil of your spouses heart with kind words and actions. With prayer and praise :)

"Have you ever wondered why God would give you endless insight into all your spouses faults? Do you really think it is for endless nagging? No, its for effective kneeling. No one knows better how to pray for your mate than you do"

Its time to turn our complaints into prayers. You don't have to be a churchgoer or even a believer simply take a quiet moment to pray silently instead of letting your spouse know what flaw you are currently aware of. Prayer doesn't have to be done for hours, or at bedtime, it can be just a second any time of day. Prayer works, give it a shot!

Today's dare

Begin praying for your spouse's heart. Pray for 3 specific areas where you desire God to work in your spouse's life and in your marriage!