If you are just joining us for this series, you popped in just in time! It's the final day of our 10 day series. I introduced a book that takes you through a 30 day time period of encouraging your husband. Using the publication below from "Revive Our Hearts Ministries", I am chronicling my progress for you. It's kind of like you're reading my diary as I go through each day!
Check out my results for days 1 - 27 here:
Today I will be sharing my results for days 28-30.
If you decide that this is something worthwhile for you and your man, go through these 30 days as a kind of experiment to see what happens in your relationship.
It is online for free!
(The link is simply all 30 challenges in one place. An easy thing to print off and hide in your own journal while you go through it)!
Day 28
Challenge:
Sometimes, when we just "know" we are right and our husbands are wrong, it takes great humility to honor them. It is difficult to speak well of our husbands when our own hearts are puffed up with pride.
As part of your Encouragement Challenge today, pray that you will respond to the Lord in faith and humility before you react to your husband. Speak wisely and well, and leave the results to God.
The humility that comes from a right relationship with God—the humility that comes when a man is willing to listen to God and be taught from His Word—is indeed a beautiful quality. Jesus was an example of this kind of humility when he was willing to submit to His Father's will (John 6:38; Matt. 26:39).
Does your husband have that kind of humility? Is he willing to learn from and submit to direction from the Lord? Let your husband know how precious this is to your marriage relationship.
Action: I confess, I did not do anything overt for this challenge today. I did, however, tell Jesse that I thought he was awesome. Does that count?
Results: Sorry to let you down right from the get go! Let's move on.
Day 29
Challenge:
As you near the end of your Encouragement Challenge, take time to think about your husband's responses to the wickedness of the culture, the media, etc. Does your husband recognize and avoid evil? Does he regularly turn his back on pornography, sexual temptations, and the urge to lie and cheat?
This is a valuable character trait. Like Joseph in the Old Testament, who fled from the wicked advances of Potiphar's wife, this takes an understanding that these kinds of sins are first and foremost, sins against God (Gen. 39:9).
Praise your husband when he recognizes and turns his back on wickedness. If you can think of a circumstance where your husband stood for righteousness, remind him of that today-and express your gratitude.
Action: I have seen Jesse be a mentor of sorts to other men, particularly husbands. I have been around him while he's had conversations with people, reminding them of what the Bible says and why putting into action what it says WILL serve you better. He is convinced that what is said in the scriptures really are true and the best standard by which to live. People consistently come to him asking his advice because they know that he will steer them towards what is right. I mentioned to him that the counsel I've seen him give others is not only right on, but also invaluable to so many.
Results: Jesse continues to thrive in the role he has as "biblical counselor", and he gets to see my pride in him increase more and more on the sidelines.
Day 30
Challenge:
Friends can be completely honest with each other, but friendships are strained when truth is not spoken in love. How are you speaking to your beloved? Are you so "used" to him that you don't appreciate the wonder of his friendship? That is your challenge today. Is your sweetheart your best friend? Does he know this? Have you told him, or do you assume he "just knows"?
Friendship is something that is cultivated through the good times and the bad. Friends can share their hearts, but they don't step on each other's hearts. The way to have and be a good friend is to cultivate and celebrate the relationship. As you end this "30-Day Encouragement Challenge," celebrate your friendship with your husband. Get alone and reflect on your beloved friend. Write him a letter, listing the qualities you admire and appreciate about him. If you are creative with words, write and frame a poem about him.
Perhaps you can prepare a special meal, just for the two of you, and read the letter or poem to him. Ask if you can pray for him, and if he is willing, thank God for your love and friendship, asking for His blessing on your home.
Action: Today was Valentine's Day, and, after making a nice Italian dinner with wine and family and Valentines Day cookies, Jesse and I were able to focus on each other. I took a lighthearted and fun approach to Valentines Day this year, buying a funny and irreverent card, and even creating a game for Jesse. We laughed and had fun with all I had planned, and I expressed to him in the card how much he meant to me. As I said yesterday, this challenge has brought up so many aspects of my husband that I am grateful for that I have no trouble coming up with things to say to express my love and appreciation to this man.
Results: He loved his Valentines Day game, card, and hoopla. It was kind of a celebration of the intimacy we've been building in all the areas of our relationship over these last 30 days.
As I said yesterday, doing and saying the things laid out in these challenges is becoming second nature. I guess they say that after 14 days of doing something, it becomes a habit! I suppose the 30 days was to make doubly sure that we would really get used to this!
As you may have guessed from the fact that the last day of my notes on the challenge was Valentine's Day, it has been some time since I've completed the 30 day challenge.
Tomorrow I will share with you how things have been since then, recommendations for you if you decide to try the challenge, and even how Jesse reacted when he found out that I did this challenge AND blogged about it! Stay tuned for that!
As I said yesterday, doing and saying the things laid out in these challenges is becoming second nature. I guess they say that after 14 days of doing something, it becomes a habit! I suppose the 30 days was to make doubly sure that we would really get used to this!
As you may have guessed from the fact that the last day of my notes on the challenge was Valentine's Day, it has been some time since I've completed the 30 day challenge.
Tomorrow I will share with you how things have been since then, recommendations for you if you decide to try the challenge, and even how Jesse reacted when he found out that I did this challenge AND blogged about it! Stay tuned for that!
You did a great job!!!
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