<3 Weekly Marriage Challenge <3

Psalm 139:17-18 

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
   they would outnumber the grains of sand—
   when I awake, I am still with you.

God has really been laying on my heart this week LOVE and how much He loves us and how He created our spouses to love us in that same way.  Sometimes we just need to change our focus.  I often take for granted how much my husband adores me and what an incredible man he is. I have asked God to change my vision. I decided to refocused on loving, nurturing and encouraging my husband instead of focusing on 1 or 2 little things that may annoy me when he really have more than a million things about him that are incredible to me.

Last week I challenged you to go to bed 30 minutes earlier with your beloved.  I really enjoyed the extra time spent with my husband.  It keeps us connected and the enemy out!

For this weeks challenge all you need is paper, pen and about 15 minutes.  Write out 7 things you love about your beloved.  Each morning place them in a different spot for them to find.

Day 1: I am so thankful for…

Day 2:  You make my laugh when…

Day 3:  I love it when you do…

Day 4:  You have the best…

Day 5:  Thankyou for always…

Day 6:  When you ________ it makes me __________

Day 7:  When you get home I am going to__________

Those are just a few ideas to help you out if you are stuck but I am sure you will have tons of your own ideas.

I pray that God would bless your marriages this week, that love would be like a wild fire between the two of you.  That your faith and foundation would be strengthened and that your days would be filled with blessings that surpass all understanding.  In Jesus Mighty Name I pray! Amen!!

xoxo

Laurie

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Love Language }{Acts Of Service}{

}{ A  C  T  S  of  S  E  R  V  I  C  E }{

I recently learned that my main love Language is Acts Of Service after visiting http://www.5lovelanguages.com/.  The definition of my love language is:

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

This pretty much describes me perfectly.  So if you are married to someone who speaks the same language as me here are few things you can do to tell your beloved that you LOVE and ADORE them!

• Husbands, make the bed for your wife
• Wives, take your husband’s car to the car wash for him
• Husbands, tell you wife to take the night off and make her dinner
• Wives, make your husband his favorite food and bring it to work for him.

Those are just a few things you can do. I am going to start posting great ideas regularly so stay tuned!

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<3 Weekly Marriage Challenge <3

Ok friends, I have decided to start a weekly marriage challenge! This weeks challenge is to go to bed 30 minutes earlier than you normally would. If you have small ones, put them to bed early or turn on a movie. Tell them that mommy and daddy need a time out!
If you have work to do plan ahead to make sure you are using the best use of your time or just simply leave the work for later!
There is nothing more important to God then to be connecting with your spouse!

30 minutes that’s all I ask. You will be pleasingly surprised with the results.

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Waiting doesn’t mean no [great:read]

I was recently asked my a dear friend of mine if it was ok to use my name in a book she was writing.  At first I thought “uh oh, will it be a bad story about me?”, but then God reminded me that with Him my story turns into my testimony and so I said yes of course!  She sent me a copy to read.

The Author Lekia Stewart and I were great friends before we were ever saved.  This book was so refreshing to me. It is her testimony of life, love, Jesus and all the amazing surprises God has in store for us.

I would encourage many different people to read it:

 If you are single and struggling in your walk with the Lord. 

If you are just single and plain sick of it.

If you are a single mother.

If you are a new Christian.

This is a very real, hold nothing back kind of book. I am honored that I am mentioned in the book but even more I am so proud of my friend who is sharing her testimony to reach others for the kingdom of God.

Check out her blog at:  

http://www.bewithhim.blogspot.com/

Order your book NOW!!!

be_withim_ministries@bwithim.com

Add her on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000807953636&sk=info

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New Beginnings :: A Marriage Post

Hebrews 10:24 (New Living Translation)

²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

As wives we often are so busy taking care of everyone else that we tend to forget to take care of ourselves.  One way we need to be taking care of ourselves is by surrounding ourselves with other Godly woman.

For quite sometime now I have been praying that God would bring a married woman into my life to befriend.  Someone I could be real with, to be transparent with and to encourage.  God {{finally}} in His perfect timing has brought that person to me. In meeting with my new friend I was reminded how important it  truly is to have a good, Godly friend in your life.  One that can pray for you, encourage you and hold you accountable.  

I seem to have so many walls built up in my life, it is time for them to come down.  God has been provided  spiritually strong people in my life to help me with that. She might just be the one who is going to break that first brick!   I am realizing how important vulnerability is.  In vulnerability you find Grace, Hope and Restoration but first you have to conquer being vulnerable.  This is what I am working on.

If you find yourself craving that type of friend I would encourage you to pray about.  God already has that gift for you and once you as He will give you that divine appointment.

 

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Valentines IT’S NOT TO LATE last minute idea

Candle Light Dinner at home!

Ok people it’s a little after 5 on VALENTINES day, still don’t have what you’re going to do?? Pick up take out, light some candles and put on some nice music! Quick and Easy! 

LOVE LETTER

Don’t have time to pick up take out. Get a piece of paper and a pen and pour your heart out to your beloved.  This is an awesome gift in the day of text messaging and email. It’s almost vintage and who doesn’t love vintage?

TIE

Married Women ONLY!

Ladies this will surely win your husbands heart! If you have kids, send them off to grandmas or the babysitters.  If you can go buy your husband a new tie or put on one of his and take everything else off and greet him at the front door. He will never forget this Valentines Day and he might just forget about the dinner you didn’t make!

Whatever you, sharing your true feelings with that special person is what really counts. Showing love and appreciation!

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My Secret Valentine

Happy Valentines Day!

It is here that dreaded holiday that fills the hearts of men with anxiety and the hearts of women with anxiousness.  I am reminded today of one year that I received a valentine from a secret admirer.  I was single then and when I received the valentine in the mail I was so excited. My mind was racing with whom might have sent it.  I had hoped it was sent from many people.  My whole day was made by that simple little card that said I love you, Happy Valentines Day.  I pranced around the house holding my card and dying from anticipation.  My Valentines high was quickly over when my mother finally told me it was from her.  She meant it as a sweet gesture but to me in the immaturity and selfishness I thought it was a mean joke.  I wanted to badly to be loved and cherished by a man, that I did not even notice how sweet it was of my mother to do that for me. 

Now that I am married I sometimes get caught up in the romance of Valentines Day and forget that love is  not just  about husband and wife but about family.  My mother is no longer with us, and how I wish so dearly that I could receive a secret valentine from her now.  So this year Vince and I have agreed to make someone elses Valentines Day special and to share our love with them.

If you are single, don’t feel bad about Valentines Day go out and do good for others, show love. If you are married, don’t get so upset if your husband doesn’t do everything you hoped he would, instead just Love on him, tell him how much you love and respect him. 

The most important thing to do on Valentines I believe is simply LOVE! Love those who you already love and love those you don’t.

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Dating Don’ts!

Dating Don’ts with yours truly!

One of the true blessings that God gives me is the opportunity to work with High School students and with my husband.  This is a video our student leaders put together for the month of LOVE february. My amazing super talented husband edited it.

Enjoy!

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Valentines Ideas 101 – Mix it up!

Bring the love!

Still trying to figure out what to do for Valentines Day? Want to do something special but don’t have alot of cash?? Well I am here to tell you take a view minutes to create your queen a mix tape. Trust me fellas women love that kind of stuff.  I know that most people do not even own a tape player anymore so you will either have to make a CD or a playlist. 

::I D E A S::

Songs that you and your Queen share. 

Slow Jams from your high school days

Anything by Maxwell (lol)

You can make the CD and create a fun romantic label to go on it.  You can wrap the CD or better yet put the CD in her car with a little note that says  (—>PRESS PLAY<—-)  She will be pleasingly surprised. 

This is a GREAT Valentines Idea and what is even greater is that she can listen to it all year-long.

H A P P Y : V A L E N T I N E S !

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Valentines Ideas 101 – Scavenger Hunt

I love LOve LOVE Scavenger hunts! The build up and anticipation with the challenge of figuring everything out! LOVE IT!  There are so many different ways you can use a scavenger hunt for your husband or wife.

Last year I did a scavenger hunt for my husband. It started out with a note in his car that led to another note on the front door which lead to another note on our bedroom door.  Once he reached our bedroom there was a note instructing him to go to the “spa” which was our bathroom in which I decorated in all white.  Waiting for him in the bathroom was bubble bath and a bath pillow, next to that was a note to play the Valentines Day playlist I put together for him on the Ipod. This consisted of songs that were special to us. I wanted him to relax after a long hard day at work.  His next note instructed him to the closet where I purchase two different outfits for him and told him to choose one and to meet me at a local restaurant at a certain time.  When he showed up he was pleasingly surprised when  he saw me sitting at the restaurant poolside with a table decorated for the two of us for Valentines Day.

If that kind of scavenger hunt is too much for you, you can simply hide things around the house and have your spouse find them.  Any scavenger hunt is a good scavenger hunt to me! 

If you want to do a scavenger hunt for your spouse but want some ideas PLEASE email me I have alot of great ideas for you.  Especially for the married couples!

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