Light, Love, Hope

You probably knew this one was coming, didn’t you?  With getting our relationships in shape and our spiritual walk with God, have you given any thought to remodeling the “temple?” Your body is the temple of God. We have to take care of it!

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

When you asked your spouse out on your very first date, how did you look?  Did you labor over your appearance before picking her up?  I bet you did!  I can imagine you showering, shaving, and possibly getting your hair cut, or at the very least brushing it so that not a single hair was out of place.  I imagine that you picked out your finest attire, polished your shoes, and sprayed your best smelling cologne on.  You wanted to do everything within your power so that she would notice you.  The same goes for your mate.  I know that I made sure I looked irresistible prior to him arriving at my door.

As time goes by in relationships and marriages, we don’t take as good of care of ourselves as we once did.  As we age, we find unwanted pounds gather around our waistlines.  We have to work harder at resisting the temptation of sweets.  We have to discipline ourselves in what we eat and drink.  A basket of fries is not our friend, ladies.  Can I get an Amen on that one?  We have to lay off of the fast food and eat healthier foods.  Likewise, men can’t guzzle the beer either or else they’ll have a nice beer gut!

We truly do have to take care of ourselves.

My husband and I have exercised together in the past.  My children like to get in on this as well, especially when I throw in a Gilad workout video.  Gilad will kick your butt with his moves!  He used to be on Fit TV on satellite, and I recorded so many of his shows to have to work out to later.  Then we went to working out with Leslie Sansone doing Walk Away The Pounds in our living room.  This is something low impact that we can do together as a family.  My husband and children join in, and we laugh and do the moves together.  Now, though, we get exercise by walking our horses around the yard.  That sounds odd, I know, but now that we are losing daylight as the days are shorter here in the mist of Fall, my daughters will still want to ride their horses.  If they aren’t comfortable riding alone, we will put a lead rope on them and walk in front of the horses while our daughters are on the horse.  They get to enjoy the ride and feel of the horse while we enjoy getting a little bit of exercise as we walk together around our property leading the horses.  It makes a difference just doing this little bit of exercise together in the evening.

What are ways that you can incorporate exercise or eating better into your lives?  Ask your spouse to join you on this part of the journey, whether you’re trying to eat healthier or if you’re looking to begin an exercise routine, why not do it together?  It will make a difference, and you’re more likely to stick with it if you do it together!  You have an accountability partner right their in your spouse!  It can work.  Give it some thought and then put it into action!

Join us tomorrow for … Having A Mission.

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Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection

It’s important to grow together spiritually, but one simply cannot rush their spouse or try to make them into something that they aren’t. Each person has to be pursuing personal growth themselves at their own pace.  My walk will not look like my husband’s walk, and that is okay.  If we are both seeking to grow spiritually as individuals, we will end up meeting and coming alongside each other on our journey toward personal growth and a spiritual relationship with God.

We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may … please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Colossians 1:9-10 NASB

My husband has just recently told me that he feels he needs to read the bible more.  He feels this very strongly and is beginning to go deeper with his relationship with God.  Up to this point, we have read, studied, and even prayed separately, with the exception of blessing the meal before we eat as a family.  Not wishing to intrude, I have just presented that if he would like, we can start reading the bible together as well as praying together.  He hesitated initially, but then he seemed to like the idea.  So, we are going to begin tonight in doing just that.

In the past, we have each been involved in small groups at church. He was in a men’s small group while I was in a women’s small group.  We met once a week, and it seemed to be what we needed at that season in our lives.  At another point, though, when we first started going to this one church in particular, we went together to a couple’s small group.  We have enjoyed both aspects involved in these small groups that we were a part of.

We have also gone out with other couples to enjoy each other’s company, but you have to be careful here.  The reason I say that is because if you and this other couple are not on the same page spiritually, one could cause the other to stumble along the way.  It is true in that it matters who you associate with because while you could help bring someone up, they have the potential to bring you down, too.  That is something that you do not need individually or as a couple.  Guard your hearts, minds, and your marriages!

Another way that we have grown together as well as individually is by reading books.  My husband and I are big into “self help” type books.  We enjoy reading relationship books, thus the reason we chose this particular book to write as our #write31days series for the month of October.  But, we also enjoy reading books to help each of us on our personal journey toward greatness!  We strive to improve and continue growing.

What are some ways that you can grow together and as individuals?

Join us tomorrow for … Remodeling the “Temple.”

For all posts in this series, click here.

Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection

It’s wonderful when a married couple are similar in their ways.  However, it can be quite difficult when your differences come out. Yet, respecting each other’s uniqueness is what is required for a happy marriage.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14

My husband and I are a lot alike in a lot of ways.  We do have some very different qualities that make us who we are as unique individuals as well.  Together, we feel that we complement each other nicely.

I am the accountant of the family, and I believe in saving!  My husband, on the other hand, cannot be let loose with the debit card!  He jokingly says that if there is money to be spent, he’s going to spend it!  That is why I guard that debit card and keep it in my possession!  I am not being controlling by doing that.  Instead, I am being realistic.  I know that he isn’t going to be as good with money as I am, and so the card stays with me.  In this way, though, we realize his weakness with spending money and my strong point in saving it!  We balance each other out nicely.  I’d hate to think of what it would look like if we both were burning up that debit card, so it’s a good thing that we’re different in this unique way.

There are other ways that we are different that doesn’t cause us problems but instead enhances our relationship.  But, when both of us are in the same “take charge” mode, we can have problems.  If we are both Type A personalities, we will lock horns at some point or another.  Thankfully, we aren’t always like this.  We do have our moments, though, where we are both extremely strong willed individuals that want what we want right when we want it. That can spell … conflict … if we aren’t careful.  It is at times like these that one has to give a little more than the other to make it work, or one has to be a little bit more patient and forgiving than the other for us not to rub each other the wrong way.  It can be a balancing act at times.  You truly have to work together with the big goal in mind, and that is of living happily ever after and making the marriage work!

Two are better than one … just as it says in the bible:

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.  But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.  Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm.  But how can one be warm alone?  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.  Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

How can you start appreciating, respecting, and celebrating your uniqueness in your marriage?

Next up … Pursuing Personal Growth.

For all posts in this series, click here.

Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection