Category Archives: Marriage

A Praying Marriage

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Do you want the best possible relationship you can have with your spouse? Try praying for and with them.  So, how do you do that?

Set aside part of your daily prayer time to intercede.  To know and name his/her struggles you’re going to have to communicate those to one another.  Talk about what your goals are as individuals and as a couple.  Find out what challenges they’re experiencing.

In your prayer thank God for them. Thank God for the person they are, for their provision, for their love.

Ask God to show Himself in and through them.  Support them in their daily walk.

Be willing to change so that they can grow.  If you’re part of a problem they’re having give it to God.  Humble yourself!

So, what happens when you pray for your spouse?  It connects both of you with and to  God.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

 

 

 

 

 

5 Thoughts On Developing A Lasting Marriage

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June is the month of weddings and I wanted to give a little advice.  Here are my five thoughts on developing a long-lasting marriage.

  • Don’t expect your spouse to be the same year after year.  We all grow and change.  I’ve been married to the same man for over 40 years.  Neither of us is the same as we were then.  It’s been rather fun to meet a new person, who shares my bed and house, every few years.
  • Never stop talking, laughing and crying, together!  Life is tough.  There’s no way around that. Weathering the storms and celebrating the high points is all part of it.
  • Always (!!!) support one another.  Let no one say anything about your spouse that is demeaning, degrading or discrediting.  Stand up for one another!
  • Marriage is not a game!  Scorekeeping is unacceptable.  If you’re feeling that your spouse is not keeping up their end of the bargain.  Tell them.  Talk it out.  None of us have billboards on our foreheads that tell the other what we’re thinking.  Most of the time all you have to do is ask.  Try it!
  • Be kind, thoughtful, forgiving and loving.  Long marriages sometimes evolve into taking advantage of the love you have for one another.  We’re all going to do and say dumb things from time to time.  Get over it and get on with it.

Here’s a then and now picture.  Enjoy!

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Recently, this post was sent to me on my FB page.  It is so true of our marriage and I hope of yours, too!

For all of you so eager to call it quits and throw in the towel on your relationships because everything isn’t “perfect”…here is some food for thought. Lifelong commitment is not what most people think it is. It’s not waking up every morning to make breakfast and eat together. It’s not cuddling in bed until both of you fall asleep, peacefully, at night. It’s not a clean home filled with laughter and lovemaking, every day. It’s someone who steals all the covers (and snores!). It’s slammed doors and a few harsh words, at times. It’s stubbornly disagreeing and giving each other the silent treatment until your hearts heal…and, then…FORGIVENESS! It’s coming home to the same person, every day, that you know LOVES and CARES about you in spite of (and because of) who you are. It’s laughing about the one time you accidentally did something stupid. It’s about dirty laundry and unmade beds WITHOUT finger pointing. It’s about helping each other with the hard work of life! It’s about swallowing the nagging words instead of saying them out loud. It’s about eating the cheapest and easiest meal you can make and sitting down together late to eat because you both had a crazy day. It’s when you have an emotional breakdown and your Love lays with you and holds you and tells you everything is going to be okay…and you BELIEVE them. It’s about still loving someone even though, sometimes, you make them absolutely insane. Living with the person you love is not perfect
…sometimes it’s hard, but it’s amazing and comforting and one of the BEST things you’ll ever experience!

(This article is from Hopewell Baptist Church page on Facebook.)

 

 

Anger Can Be Profitable

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There once was a man and a woman who had been married for more than 60 years. They talked about everything. They kept no secrets from each other… except that the old woman had a shoebox in the top of her closet that she cautioned her husband never to open it or ask her about it.

For all these years he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would never recover. In trying to sort out their affairs the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife’s bedside. She agreed it was the time that he should know what was in the box.

When he opened it, he found 2 beautifully crocheted doilies and a stack of money totaling over $25,000. He asked her about the unusual contents.

“When we were married,” she said, ” my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doily.”

The little old man was so moved, he had to fight back tears. Only two precious doilies were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with joy and happiness.

“Sweetheart,” he said… “that explains the doilies, but what about all this money? Where did it all come from?”

Oh,” she said, ” that’s the money I made from selling the doilies.”

-Unknown.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Living A Long, Strong Marriage

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A couple of weeks ago our niece married her long-awaited prince in shining armor.  The one God had chosen for her before time began.  It was a beautiful wedding.  I thought back on it today as Ray and I celebrate our anniversary.

Being married is not the easiest thing you’ll attempt in life.  When you determine to walk with our Jesus during the years it makes the triumphs and the struggles much easier.  At the start of our marriage, though I truly believed in God, I hadn’t made Jesus my Personal Savior yet.  God’s plan was for Ray to lead me to this crucial decision.  Almost a year after we married I gave my life to Him.  I’ve never looked back.  He has led us through some amazing times both as a couple and as individuals.

With that thought in mind, I wanted them to know what I think leads to a long marriage.  Here are my words to them…

Abby and tyler

They chose these words to be read as part of the ceremony.

 

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.

Interesting choice, don’t you think?  I’m not sure why.  Perhaps, because they wanted to remind themselves that there really is a world out there that will mock and think up all kinds of wicked things…I don’t know.  Without question, though, if they are honoring our LORD and his law (word) their marriage will be a great one.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Pleasing Who? Pt. 2

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Sometimes the things I write have a way of going full circle.  At Tuesday morning’s Bible Study a friend came to me with a piece of paper and said if I was really serious about my comments in Part 1 here is how I could follow through.  On this paper was the address of the prison closest to us.  He explained how to use their website to find those from our area.  Now I can write them notes of encouragement and I am excited about doing that.  Thank you friend!!!

The next way to please God is Hebrews 13:3b.  It tells us to remember those who are suffering.  Not just in our thoughts but as though we were right there with them going through what they are.  I think the reason for the admonition is we have a tendency to say things like, ‘I know what you’re going through’ or ‘a friend had the same thing happen’ or …  Friends I don’t care if the exact thing happened to me it doesn’t make it easier for the one suffering.  I’ve found that my presence, a hug, words that say I love you, I care about you, tell me what I can do, are much more supportive.

I think I could do a year’s worth of blogs on this next one.  MARRIAGE IS TO BE HONORED BY ALL.  Faithfulness to our spouse shows the world who and whose we are.  Immorality and adultery will be judged by God.  40 years of marriage to one person has taught me a lot.  Ray is my lover, my counselor, my confidant, my helper, my supporter, my friend…and I am his.  We are man and woman together and that’s how God intended it to be.  We honor God by not only honoring one another but honoring the marriages of those around us.

Do not love money!!!  Be satisfied with what you have!  God is not saying we can’t be rich or not have possessions.  He is saying anytime, anything becomes more important to you than HIM it becomes your god.  You can have no other gods.  We are to be satisfied with Him, in Him, and through Him.

Ah, Lord, God, mighty and powerful, You are my One and Only!  Thank You for the privilege of teaching Your word.  Help us desire above all to be more and more like You.  Let our words, our lives, our actions be pleasing to You.  I lift this prayer in the Precious Name of my Jesus.  Make it so!