18 WAYS TO EXPERIENCE BLESSING IN YOUR MARRIAGE (THOUGHTS FROM OUR 18TH ANNIVERSARY)
Amber and I just celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary! Though we have had plenty of highs and lows, we wanted to share some thoughts that could bless others in their journey through marriage.
To give you a little backdrop to understand where we are coming from (AND to spare you from the idea that life has been simple, easy or like something you would see on an instagram influencers page...), these 18 years have included: three kids, 9 moves, 4 dogs, the joy and the journey of foster care, navigating Type 1 Diabetes (Tyler) and a rare vocal cord diagnosis (Amber), multiple half marathons, beautiful moments of ministry and church leadership, painful and heartbreaking moments of ministry and church leadership, moments of "how are we going to make it through this...", and a whole lot of coffee.
Here are 18 ways to experience blessing in your marriage as we reflect on our past 18 years.
ONE
GIVE WHAT YOU WANT TO RECEIVE
TWO
SAY THANK YOU
THREE
MAKE EACH OTHER FEEL SPECIAL
FOUR
DO WHAT BUILDS TRUST INSTEAD OF WHAT DEPLETES IT
FIVE
LAUGH TOGETHER EVERY DAY
SIX
DON'T GO TO BED MAD
SEVEN
REGULARLY DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL TOGETHER (FEEL FREE TO READ THAT HOWEVER YOU WANT)
EIGHT
CREATE MOMENTS -- BECAUSE MOMENTS MAKE MEMORIES
NINE
OUT-SERVE AND OUT-BLESS ONE ANOTHER
TEN
"SPEAK LIFE" TO EACH OTHER AND ABOUT EACH OTHER
ELEVEN
CHEER LOUDER FOR YOUR SPOUSE THAN THEIR FANS OR THEIR CRITICS
TWELVE
BE WILLING TO BE "INCONVENIENCED" -- JUST DON'T ACT LIKE YOU ARE
THIRTEEN
INVEST IN YOUR FAITH INDIVIDUALLY AND TOGETHER
FOURTEEN
GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND FIGHT TO STAY THERE (CHURCH, FINANCES, TIME, GOALS, KIDS, ETC.)
FIFTEEN
INVITE TRUSTED VOICES TO SPEAK INTO YOUR RELATIONSHIP (NOT JUST WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT NEED TO HEAR)
SIXTEEN
DREAM TOGETHER AND SET GOALS TOGETHER
SEVENTEEN
KEEP DATING (YOU CAN DO THIS EVEN WITHOUT A LOT -- WE WERE YOUTH PASTORS WITH 3 KIDS 3 YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER...)
EIGHTEEN
FIGHT NICE (KEEP READING AND GROWING IN YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS -- AND REMEMBER THE GOAL ISN'T TO WIN, BECAUSE YOU CAN "WIN" AN ARGUMENT AND STILL LOSE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP)
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! WHAT OTHER IDEAS AND THOUGHTS WOULD YOU ADD TO THIS LIST TO EXPERIENCE BLESSING IN MARRIAGE?
ADD YOUR COMMENTS IN THE SECTION BELOW!
