Love either grows forward, or it goes backwards. We’re hoping you will grow your love, and also take that step forward to show your spouse an extra portion of love. But don’t stop there. Take the next step and the next to find ways to show love to your spouse that will grow your love. Don’t allow your love relationship with your spouse to suffer from neglect.
Steve and I have made it our mission to show each other every single day that we love and care for each other. We are intentional in showing that we’re on the same team. We know this is God’s calling upon our lives together. And beyond a shadow of doubt we know that this is the reason why our marriage is as terrific as it is. We don’t take each other for granted. Please make it a point to be pro-active in showing love to your spouse.
Taking that Extra Step Forward
We have some great friends, Tom and Debi Walter, from Theromanticvineyard.com. They sense this same mission in their marriage. And just like us, God has called them to go even further in ministering to other marriages. As I’m writing this, they’re speaking at a church. They’re sharing their hearts concerning “marriage and romance.” As Debi wrote in a recent blog,
“In this season of life we are compelled to say YES to whatever opportunities God sends our way to bless and encourage marriages. And this is just the first step, which feels more like a giant leap for us!
“We are not professionals. And we don’t have accolades of testimonies recommending our books or our stories. We are just two people with a passion to see marriage succeed for the good of their families and most importantly for the glory of God. Our culture needs to see marriages that work for all the right reasons. And our children are depending on us to endure all the challenges of marriage to give them a right perspective on what it takes to make a marriage work. It’s not easy–but it is good!”
Reveal and Reflect the Heart of Christ
The reason we’re sharing this with you is we’re hoping you will join Tom and Debi, Steve and me, along with a host of other married couples in carrying out this same mission. Work with us to reveal and reflect the heart of Christ within your marriage. And then inspire and help others in theirs, as well. Ask God to show you how to do that.
Determine to be a living testimony to those around you. Show them what God can do when two people say “yes” after they say, “I do” to their wedding vows.
The wedding is a great start. But don’t stop there. Grow your love relationship. And don’t think just because you’ve been married for a long time that you can’t do a “restart” on growing your marriage. You can. Today can be a new beginning.
Keep in mind something David and Vera Mace wrote:
“A wedding is not a marriage. A wedding is only the beginning of an undertaking that develops into a marriage. What the couple have on their wedding day is not the key to a beautiful garden, but just a vacant lot and a few gardening tools.”
Get together, and talk. Commit to take that step forward to pick up the tools you need to grow your marriage to a higher level than it is today. We have A LOT of helpful tools and info posted on our web site to help you in this mission.
Make it your mission to reveal and reflect the heart of Christ within your marriage. Become an inspiration to others (including children), so that they will see you “endure all the challenges of marriage,” which will “give them a right perspective on what it takes to make a marriage work.” They will then see that “it’s not easy–but it IS GOOD!”
“Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
May the Lord bless your marriage as you look to Him as your Guide, and take that step forward.
Cindy and Steve Wright
Filed under: Grow Your Marriage