Tuesday, July 15, 2014

5 Checkpoints to Refresh Your Marriage ~ Part 2 & Wednesday's LinkUp Party!


Last time, I gave you a list of 5 daily checkpoints that I use to refresh my own marriage. I don't go over them everyday, but I do go over them quite regularly. I first learned them from Anne Ortlund, wife of Ray Ortlund, but have since tweaked them just a bit. This time I will give you the last five tips. They are excellent reminders to help you and me keep the main thing the main thing in our marriages. If you missed the first five tips, you can get them here

6.  I will make some comment today which points to God's wonderful tomorrow. Build hope ~ God is in charge. Remember Jeremiah 29:11: God plans to give you hope and a future. Encourage your husband by pointing to God's wonderful tomorrow!

7.  I will seek to bring laughter into my husband's life today. Have a good time together! A cheerful heart is good medicine. Laugh and have fun together. Ask yourself: am I fun to live with? Psalm 126 tells us the mouths of God's people were filled with laughter! What helps you to do that? Is it telling stories? Looking at photos? Playing games? The noise of laughter is healthy. Enjoy one another. Note: Parents of young children: it can be a tense time, like the early days of a hard, green tomato. Red tomatoes are ahead! God will build in more laughter. Your children will not be little for long. The days will pass quickly.

8.  I will give my husband some little gift today, whether a tangible one or just a word or deed. Proverbs 21:14:"A gift given in secret soothes anger." ... a note on the pillow, orange juice in bed,  thoughtfulness.

9.  I will not end this day angry with my husband. "Don't let the sun go down on your anger." {Ephesians 4:25}  Say, "I'm sorry, it was my fault."

10.  I will pray for my husband before the day ends. End each day praying aloud. Thank God for each other. You cannot be critical and angry and at the same time pray together!

Little acts of love can act like a balm after a stressful day of irritating business concerns. Do all you can to make your husband's life as pleasant and as easy as you can (I'm talking to myself too, dear readers, in fact—more than you know! I need these reminders to prevent me from going off and just living life according to my own likes and dislikes!) As Christians, we should live our lives totally differently from how the world lives. 

Try to see life from your husband's perspective. What he has been through? What difficulties does he face? Is he weary? He needs to come home to a place of peace and rest and loving attention. Only a wife with a loving heart could see these things.

"That was the secret of her heavenly power. The one who will be found in trial capable of great acts of love, is ever the one who is always doing considerate small ones." -F.W. Robertson
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It's time for 
Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party!

Each Wednesday I like to offer to pray for your non-confidential prayer request or praise in the comment section below. Please enter a prayer if you would like me to pray for you (and pray for one another!) and I will be reading your prayer and lifting up your request as I read it, or if you just have a comment (click the word "COMMENT" located below my signature below, under the colorful social media 
sharing squares:-)


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If you're a Christian blogger, we all would love to see what you've been writing! Enter your blog link below to join the party! For readers, enjoy the blog party below!
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I'd love to connect with you on your favorite spot:

You may follow my blog here or on Bloglovin'. 

It is my delight to pray for you! 
Remember, God desires us not only to be a believers, but to be wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ! May we listen to Him daily through His word, and obey Him!

Walk by faith,




10 comments:

  1. I love hearing from you. What can I pray for you or your family this week?

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  2. Little Miss Libby had an EEG yesterday, and an MRI of her brain today. They will get the results from the Neurologist tomorrow. Please pray for God's Will to be done. No matter what the outcome, she will be loved. Praises for the strength & growth that we have seen in our son during this time and that there have been some positive steps made in our relationship. Also praises that Miss Libby may be going home at the end of this week!
    Prayers for my sister as she is in a very difficult time right now.

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    1. Results will not be until tomorrow.

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    2. Oh Jana, your prayer request took me back to when my Mary was born and we had to wait for the results of an MRI. Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the good that Libby's life has already brought out. We thank you for the positive steps in Jana's relationship with her son. We praise you for LIbby's life, and we know that you made her to bring You glory. We lift up her brain to you Lord, and for your perfect will to be done. We ask for normal brain development Lord. We also pray for the needs that lie with Jana's sister, May she trust You completely. In the precious name of our Savior, Lord Jesus, Amen.

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  3. Thank you for sharing your marriage tips, Juana. Many of these can be applied to the other relationships we maintain in our lives. I felt #6 is especially applicable - fostering hope around us. We must remind those in our paths that His hope is real and is for us. I really enjoy your blog. You are an encouragement to many!

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    1. I see your name Kelly, and know I'm going to be encouraged, and once again, I am. Thank you so much for your dear note! How true what you said about spreading the hope we have in the Lord, not only with our husbands, but with others. Love to you, Kelly!

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  4. Thank you for offering this linky for prayer. I linked my post from last week. My family especially my daughter and 6 year old grandson need prayer. Long story his father is no longer in his life. Which is a good thing but a mixed blessing. We are happy and grateful that even though it took a scary ordeal that he is safe with his mother. My grandson is learning to adjust. Please pray for them. I am following you and I'll be reading the other prayer requests.
    Hugs to everyone,
    Sherry

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    1. Dear Sherry, so thankful that you linked your post, and that you made us aware of your grandson's need. Loving Lord, we lift Sherry's 6 year old grandson to you. Oh, Lord, how we know You love the little children. Lord, You see his heart and know his hurts. Help him to know he is loved by his grandmother and his mother, just like you let Timothy in the Bible be so loved and influenced by his grandmother and mother. We entrust him to your care. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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  5. It is good to have a spiritual mentor and your kind friend has offered excellent challenges to help make a marriage complete. Thank you for your link up

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    1. Hi Hazel. I'm so delighted you read the marriage tips. I am so glad you joined the linkup. Thank you! Love, Juana

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