<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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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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THIS ONES FOR THE {married}LADIES

This one is for all my fabulous wives out there!

Ladies I have a challenge for you!  Being that is february & the month of

~L  O  V  E~

My dear sisters I know how hard you work, some of you not only have your hands full at home but some of you are juggling house work, kids, husband and a full-time job! You are all AMAZING and God made you who you are because He believes in you.  How many of you fabulous women are guilty of wearing sweats, over sized T-Shirts or just plain un flattering PJ’s to bed? How many of you would like some more romance in your marriage?? I would have to raise my hand to both of those questions.  I often feel like after a long day I just want to “plop” down in bed and go to sleep, but how does this benefit my marriage or my husband?  I want to challenge all of the wives out there including myself to take an extra few minutes and put on something sexy for your husband.  It doesn’t mean that “something” has to happen every night (unless you want it to :)) but I challenge you for the rest of the month to give it a try to to see how your husbands reacts. One thing I am learning the longer I am married is that it takes time and effort to develop a happy marriage. You must notice and take their interests into consideration.

So ladies, lets step up the game a little bit and see what our men have in store for us!

Happy month of LOVE!

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{PrayerRequest} preparing <3 's for camp

Break my heart for what breaks yours…

Camp is tomorrow and I already have some anxiety, excitement and a little fear.  What will God do?  Who will God use?  The least of these, that will be the answer.   Last night at High School Service I was given the opportunity to pray with some of our young people.  It always humbles me that these young people never come up with petty request and it breaks my heart for what they are requesting.  Abuse at home, drugs, alcohol, feelings of abandonment, young people looking for direction. Looking for something to change their lives.  The young people in my Youth Group  are not as much worried about what clothes they are wearing or what the newest item out is, they are worried about real life things.  Horrible, life draining things.  These are the least. These are the ones that God is going to use to change the world.  I feel with every ounce of me movement in this generation.  I feel Gods presence and will in their lives.  Camp is going to be amazing no doubt, but please pray for us as we go up the Mountain this weekend.  I have a listed a few things to be praying for and would love if you could partner with me this weekend in prayer.

1. For chains to be broken. [addictions, lust, sin etc]

2. For unity amongst the students  and the leaders. 

3. Openness. that the students would feel open to share what they are facing .

4. Courage. the courage to let it go, to let God take control of their lives

5. Leadership. For the Pastors and Leaders to be guided not by their own will but by the will of God.

6. Breakthrough. Lives drastically changed by God.

That in every conversation, every meeting, every thought the Holy Spirit would be present and that these young people would experience God on a whole other level and that it would be just the beginning of the amazing  journey they will experience the rest of their lives.

 

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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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