Good morning! I apologize for not updating the Love Dare each day. I assure you that Zane and I are doing them each day; however, I have become lazy in my blogging. At some point tonight, you will receive an update on at least one love dare.
My devotional today in "Praying God's Word" reflected scripture that I dwelled on the day Zane and I spun out on I-285. Every time I read scripture from Psalm 138, I am reminded of God's presence in my life, as well as my deep need for Him...the need to be abiding in Him and in constant prayer. I want to share with you the whole devotional (remember, they are very short) and am hoping you will be blessed by it. That you will be encouraged to fall on your knees before the King of Kings.
"The path to peace is paved with kneeprints. Bend the knee to His trustworthy authority.
Lord God, I desire to bow down to You in worship. I want to kneel before the Lord my Maker; for You are my God, and I am among the sheep of Your pasture, the flock under Your care (Ps. 95:6-7).
Though You, Lord, are on high, You look upon the lowly, but the proud You know from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes, with Your right hand You save me.
You, Lord, will fulfill Your purpose for me; Your love endures forever--do not abandon the works of Your hands (Ps. 138: 6-8)."
It is such a blessing pray each morning God's very word. To pray the promises He has lavished upon us. He is the only one trustworthy and faithful to never go back on His word. And what a relief to know that He will fulfill His purpose for me. His love endures forever. Praise Jesus!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Dare 15
"Live with your wives in an understanding way...and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life." --1 Peter 3:7
Love is honorable. When I first read that title, I knew immediately I need to work on this. I know I've said that before, but showing honor to my husband is something I lack when I don't get my way. While reading this book, I have become more and more aware of how selfish I am...and how blessed I am to have a husband that loves me despite my never-ending flaws. Oh, how I love Zane...I need to learn to show it!
"To honor someone means to give them respect and high esteem, to treat them as being special and of great worth...be courteous and polite...honoring your mate means giving him or her full attention, not talking to them from behind a newspaper or with one eye on the television...Your spouse matters--and because of the way you treat them, they should know it."
While Zane and I were reading this I stopped him right there, and asked if he knew that I honored him. That I respected him. He said yes...but I know deep down I can do a better job! I just pray that God will work in my heart and make me more and more selfless each day so that I can show my love for my husband more...so that our love can grow!
Something interesting about this particular love dare is learning to view our spouse as holy. I know, I re-read that, thinking only God is holy. But in actuality, God is calling us to holiness as His children. Let me paraphrase: holiness doesn't mean that Zane is perfect, or that he views me as perfect. It means that we are set apart in each other's eyes for a higher purpose--no longer common or everyday but special and unique. We have a place in each other's heart that no one can rival. We honor, praise, and defend each other. Just like a bride takes special care of her gown, setting it aside for her big day, handling it with care, feeling beautiful in it and seeing it as beautiful...Zane and I should treat each other the same.
Even though it may be hard to always honor each other, it is not about doing so when it is easy. True love loves regardless of circumstances, changes, and feelings. It chooses to love. "Love honors even when it's rejected. Love treats its beloved as special and sacred even when an ungrateful attitude is all you get in return...love dares to say 'of all the relationships I have, I will value ours the most. Of all the things I'm willing to sacrifice, I will sacrifice the most for you. With all your failures, sins, mistakes, and faults--past and present--I still choose to love and honor you.' That's how you create an atmosphere for love to be rekindled. That's how you lead your heart to truly love your mate again. And that's the beauty of honor."
Dare 15: Choose a way to show honor and respect that is above your normal routine. Okay, this may seem silly to you, but Zane and I did so by going to Waffle House with one another. We fell in love with each other during 'study groups' at IHop and Waffle House. We thought a great way to show our love and how much we esteem our relationship would be by 'dating' like we once did, and rekindling the romance from the beginning. Haha..you may say Waffle House isn't romantic, but it holds a very special place in our hearts.
Dare 14: Delight in each other.
Dare 13: Fight fair.
Dare 12: Let the other win.
Dare 11: Cherish each other.
Dare 10: Love unconditionally.
Dare 9: Greet well.
Dare 8: Don't be jealous.
Dare 7: Believe the best.
Dare 6: Don't be irritable.
Dare 5: Don't be rude.
Dare 4: Be thoughtful.
Dare 3: Be selfless.
Dare 2: Be kind.
Dare 1: Be patient.
--Inspired by "The Love Dare."
Love is honorable. When I first read that title, I knew immediately I need to work on this. I know I've said that before, but showing honor to my husband is something I lack when I don't get my way. While reading this book, I have become more and more aware of how selfish I am...and how blessed I am to have a husband that loves me despite my never-ending flaws. Oh, how I love Zane...I need to learn to show it!
"To honor someone means to give them respect and high esteem, to treat them as being special and of great worth...be courteous and polite...honoring your mate means giving him or her full attention, not talking to them from behind a newspaper or with one eye on the television...Your spouse matters--and because of the way you treat them, they should know it."
While Zane and I were reading this I stopped him right there, and asked if he knew that I honored him. That I respected him. He said yes...but I know deep down I can do a better job! I just pray that God will work in my heart and make me more and more selfless each day so that I can show my love for my husband more...so that our love can grow!
Something interesting about this particular love dare is learning to view our spouse as holy. I know, I re-read that, thinking only God is holy. But in actuality, God is calling us to holiness as His children. Let me paraphrase: holiness doesn't mean that Zane is perfect, or that he views me as perfect. It means that we are set apart in each other's eyes for a higher purpose--no longer common or everyday but special and unique. We have a place in each other's heart that no one can rival. We honor, praise, and defend each other. Just like a bride takes special care of her gown, setting it aside for her big day, handling it with care, feeling beautiful in it and seeing it as beautiful...Zane and I should treat each other the same.
Even though it may be hard to always honor each other, it is not about doing so when it is easy. True love loves regardless of circumstances, changes, and feelings. It chooses to love. "Love honors even when it's rejected. Love treats its beloved as special and sacred even when an ungrateful attitude is all you get in return...love dares to say 'of all the relationships I have, I will value ours the most. Of all the things I'm willing to sacrifice, I will sacrifice the most for you. With all your failures, sins, mistakes, and faults--past and present--I still choose to love and honor you.' That's how you create an atmosphere for love to be rekindled. That's how you lead your heart to truly love your mate again. And that's the beauty of honor."
Dare 15: Choose a way to show honor and respect that is above your normal routine. Okay, this may seem silly to you, but Zane and I did so by going to Waffle House with one another. We fell in love with each other during 'study groups' at IHop and Waffle House. We thought a great way to show our love and how much we esteem our relationship would be by 'dating' like we once did, and rekindling the romance from the beginning. Haha..you may say Waffle House isn't romantic, but it holds a very special place in our hearts.
Dare 14: Delight in each other.
Dare 13: Fight fair.
Dare 12: Let the other win.
Dare 11: Cherish each other.
Dare 10: Love unconditionally.
Dare 9: Greet well.
Dare 8: Don't be jealous.
Dare 7: Believe the best.
Dare 6: Don't be irritable.
Dare 5: Don't be rude.
Dare 4: Be thoughtful.
Dare 3: Be selfless.
Dare 2: Be kind.
Dare 1: Be patient.
--Inspired by "The Love Dare."
Monday, August 2, 2010
Dare 14
"Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life." --Ecclesiastes 9:9
This dare is all about taking delight in your spouse. Leading your heart, not following it. By taking on the previous dares: being selfless, greeting with a smile on my face, being thoughtful, etc. it will help Zane to see how much I delight in him.
"There is something just as powerful as fresh, new love (newly wed love--being excited to call your spouse your own...taking delight in that). It comes from the decision to delight in your spouse and to love him or her no matter how long you've been married. In other words, love that chooses to love is just as powerful as love that feels like loving. In many ways, it's a truer love because it has its eyes wide open" (Kendrick).
Remember why you once fell in love. For me, Zane sought me. He fought for me. He loved me unconditionally...and something very important--he wanted to be friends with my friends and build relationships with my family. He loved Jesus. He prayed for me. He prayed for our relationship. It is easy to remember why I once fell in love with Zane. He is still all those things, and more.
The responsibility is mine to love the one I promised to love forever...to do so delightfully. And as I delight in him, our marriage, and our love, will only grow more and more powerful.
Dare 14: Purposefully neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse. So, Zane and I spent the evening, after our commute from Atlanta, eating together, playing with the dogs, and watching a movie. We did everything together, and did so while laughing and delighting in one another.
Dare 13: Fight fair.
Dare 12: Let the other win.
Dare 11: Cherish each other.
Dare 10: Love unconditionally.
Dare 9: Greet well.
Dare 8: Don't be jealous.
Dare 7: Believe the best.
Dare 6: Don't be irritable.
Dare 5: Don't be rude.
Dare 4: Be thoughtful.
Dare 3: Be selfless.
Dare 2: Be kind.
Dare 1: Be patient.
--Inspired by "The Love Dare."
This dare is all about taking delight in your spouse. Leading your heart, not following it. By taking on the previous dares: being selfless, greeting with a smile on my face, being thoughtful, etc. it will help Zane to see how much I delight in him.
"There is something just as powerful as fresh, new love (newly wed love--being excited to call your spouse your own...taking delight in that). It comes from the decision to delight in your spouse and to love him or her no matter how long you've been married. In other words, love that chooses to love is just as powerful as love that feels like loving. In many ways, it's a truer love because it has its eyes wide open" (Kendrick).
Remember why you once fell in love. For me, Zane sought me. He fought for me. He loved me unconditionally...and something very important--he wanted to be friends with my friends and build relationships with my family. He loved Jesus. He prayed for me. He prayed for our relationship. It is easy to remember why I once fell in love with Zane. He is still all those things, and more.
The responsibility is mine to love the one I promised to love forever...to do so delightfully. And as I delight in him, our marriage, and our love, will only grow more and more powerful.
Dare 14: Purposefully neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse. So, Zane and I spent the evening, after our commute from Atlanta, eating together, playing with the dogs, and watching a movie. We did everything together, and did so while laughing and delighting in one another.
Dare 13: Fight fair.
Dare 12: Let the other win.
Dare 11: Cherish each other.
Dare 10: Love unconditionally.
Dare 9: Greet well.
Dare 8: Don't be jealous.
Dare 7: Believe the best.
Dare 6: Don't be irritable.
Dare 5: Don't be rude.
Dare 4: Be thoughtful.
Dare 3: Be selfless.
Dare 2: Be kind.
Dare 1: Be patient.
--Inspired by "The Love Dare."
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