<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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{Photography} me & betsy lunch date

South Pasadena CA : Lunch Break : Beautiful Day

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:23

Support your man.

 

Proverbs 31:23 (New Living Translation)

 ²³ Her husband is well known at the city gates,
      where he sits with the other civic leaders.

————–

Great verse and very tender to my heart.  As I have been growing in my relationship with God and in my relationship with my husband I have found this overwhelming desire to support my husband and to encourage him to reach for his dreams.  It isn’t about the paycheck he could bring home but more about assisting him in reaching his potential and becoming the Leader he was made to be.

As much as I desire to support him I often fall short and become tire and weary and suddenly my focus turns to myself and I become selfish with my time, with my thoughts and with our relationship. 

My dream and goal is to one day not have to work and be able to stay home and just support and love my husband and family. 

Until then my strength will come from the Lord.  I will continue to plan ahead, to think what I can do for my husband to make the things he needs to do a bit easier. Like having meals ready for him or confirming appointments, making sure we are on schedule.  Most importantly Praying for my husband and lifting him up in the Lord.

Ladies, we should always be setting our man up for success!

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:22

 

 

Proverbs 31:22 (New International Version, ©2010)

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
   she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

—————

Ladies, here you have it an explanation to all of our husbands why we spend so much time and energy making our beds look fabulous with gorgeous comforters, pillows, pillows and more pillows! 

“She makes coverings for herself”.

Apparently these were coverings which she made for her bed. I have learned that  the only other place in the Old Testament where this Hebrew word “coverings” is found is in Proverbs 7:16 where it is clearly referring to coverings for a bed:  “I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry.”  The virtuous woman took time to decorate and adorn her bedroom with beautiful bedspreads and coverings. So there you have it ladies, now lets talk our other weakness.. CLOTHES!

 

  The proverbs 31 woman did not dress in a shabby manner. Yes ladies it is true!   She was able to purchase the finest materials because of her thriftiness and wisdom that she exuded in the previous verses, and with her own hands make the finest of garments.  She did not consider it a mark of spirituality to go around looking like a hot mess, wearing her pj’s to the store, or going out of the house with out hair and make up done.  Material prosperity was a sign of God’s blessing, and was not to be despised.  She wore expensive clothing, royal clothing, to match her regal and godly character. (LOVE IT)  Her outward fabulousness matched  her inner beauty. “The proverbs 31 wife is covered in what flatters her true character and dignity”. Just because a micro mini is in style doesn’t mean it is for us! She was not vain or arrogant and she knew that external beauty fades (as we will see in verse 30). She was not stuck up in the way she dressed. She understood that the most important clothing was the adorning of the inner man: “strength and honor are her clothing.”  

So let’s recap! Husbands having a million pillows on the bed is biblical and fashion is fabulous for the Proverbs 31 wife! Hooray, Thank you Jesus!  

Ladies enjoy your day and remember is doesn’t matter if you do not have the cash for the most expensive clothes, us what you got and your natural inner beauty will be the perfect accessory!

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Project 31- Proverbs 31:21

Proverbs 31:21 (New King James Version)

²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
      For all her household is clothed with scarlet.

—————

The virtuous woman, always concerned about the welfare of her family, is not afraid of the snow.  Snow is here a symbol of the cold that accompanies it. She is not afraid of the cold because she has made preparations ahead of time to dress her family in warm clothing. 

God’s word is always on time as we as a family and as youth leaders prepare ourselves and our hearts for High School Winter Camp next weekend.  Praying that chains would be broken and lives would be saved. That our youth would be set on fire for God. That all the weights of the world that have been piling up on their shoulders would be taken away. That they would be set free in the presence of the Lord.

As I prepare for my family to make sure that they have all the necessary clothing to go up to the mountains and play in the snow, would you help by praying for our youth, the next generation of young people sold out for God. That this camp would be powerful  beyond all expectations.

 

 

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:20

How will you help? 

Proverbs 31:20 (New Living Translation)

 ²⁰ She extends a helping hand to the poor
      and opens her arms to the needy.

 —————

With everything we have going on, kids, husbands, schedules, work, church, grocery shopping, serving etc. we should be mindful that we are called to help the poor and the needy.  This is one of my personal prayers this year. To have the eyes to see those in need and to stop, meet them where they are at and to do something. Not to just feel sad for them but to talk to them and to do what I can to show Gods love to them and to let them know that they are not forgotten.  I pray that God gives me the discernment to know and to see, to not be selfish.  I pray that God would give me desires and ideas to uniquely help those who are poor and needy. To find my own niche’ in a world so forgotten.

How do you extend a helping hand to the poor and needy? Please share.

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:19

 

Proverbs 31:19 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁹ Her hands are busy spinning thread,
      her fingers twisting fiber.

————

If a woman’s hands are idle and if she is not engaged in worthwhile, constructive pursuits, then watch out!    “Idle hands are the devil’s tools” and “If the devil can catch a man (or woman) idle, he’ll set him (or her) to work.”

The more I pray and seek God the more He is giving me opportunities to become a Proverbs 31 woman.  Just this weekend I was busier than I had been in a very long time.  Groceries, cleaning, family over, meeting with clients, Church, meeting with church peeps, breakfast, lunch & dinner and I completed everything successfully because my eyes and heart was focused on God.  If I had been focusing anywhere else I would have failed miserably or complained the whole time how I do EVERYTHING! God really showed me something new, I was serving my family and friends but ultimately I was doing Gods work and there was no room for the enemy to creep in.

Sisters, I know we often get exhausted but remember your strength is in the Lord and He put us here to do a good work in Him. Lean on God when you have nothing left and you will soon find that you will be doing more than you ever tought possible.

 

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:18

 

Proverbs 31:18 (New King James Version)

¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
      And her lamp does not go out by night.

———–

The godly woman purchased a field, planted a vineyard, and gave herself to this ambitious endeavor with great strength (verses 16-17).  In verse 18 she is experiencing the rewards of her labor. She finds how profitable her industry is as she experiences the sale of its product.  She sees that her trading is profitable.  She is reaping what she sowed by her diligent industry, and she is finding it to be a good harvest. She is seeing the results of the labors of her hands.  She learns that success results from her labors and she reaps the fruits of hard work.

Her merchandise is known to be good, and brings a ready market and a good price; and her knowledge of this is a sufficient reward of itself for her toils; for when the lazy are perpetually uneasy by their reflections on their own conduct, the consciousness of having done her duty, and the prospect of the advantages arising from it, are a constant source of satisfaction and cheerfulness to the virtuous woman (George Lawson, Commentary on Proverbs, p. 564).

Right now I am relating very much to this verse, dedicating myself to my husband and to provide for him in any way possible while he works hard on alot of projects for our business.   I am basking in God’s glory, it is so good (even when it’s hard) to see God working in your life! 

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:17

 

 

Proverbs 31:17 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁷She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.

 ——–

The virtuous woman has a reservoir of inner strength which is able to energize her and enable her to accomplish physical tasks which require a great amount of physical strength.  She is not weakened by laziness but she is a wonderful example of diligence and industry.  George Lawson describes her in this way:

As rust gathers on metals that are seldom used, so sluggishness of disposition contracts a rust on the powers of the body and mind; and idle persons by degrees realize those excuses for their conduct which were at first mere shams. The virtuous woman is of a very different temper. She declines not any part of her duty through aversion to toil; and by exerting her strength with a cheerful mind she improves it. Her labors give her health and vigor, and alacrity for new labors; so that she can with great ease and tranquility go through those duties which appear impossibilities to other women [Commentary on Proverbs, p. 564].

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Project 31 – Proverbs 31:16

 

Proverbs 31:16 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁶ She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
      with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

—————

The godly woman considers a field (a plot of land in open country).  She doesn’t do this  on a sudden impulse, but she has gives very careful thought to it. She has a plan for her family and she carefully thinks about what they need.  She decides that a prosperous vineyard would be beneficial to all, and so she decides upon a field that would be suitable.

“She buys it.”  The fact that she buys a field indicates that the godly woman was involved in financial decisions relating to the family and involved in financial transactions.  From what we know about this godly woman, she did not act independently of her husband.  We know that the heart of her husband  safely trusted in her, which would not be the case if his wife were running around purchasing all kinds of things without his knowledge   The godly wife, under the headship of her husband, can play a significant role in managing family finances.  Some wives are very good at keeping a checkbook and managing the family budget, and it would be to the advantage of the family for the husband to delegate this responsibility to her.

How many women buy all kinds of things on the spur of the moment without giving the matter careful thought and deliberation?  As she races out to the shopping mall with her friends, can her husband safely trust in her?  

My prayer today is that with everything we do as wives, that we can take a step back and look at our current routines and see how we can improve them for the betterment of our families.  Maybe we really don’t need that new pair of shoes! 

Be encouraged sisters, God has such an amazing plan for us! 

 

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