The Marriage Report

What happens when you have been married for more than a year, you don’t feel like newlyweds anymore, and the reality of living the married life has kicked in? Don't you know that your Children, career, ministry, family, in-laws, education and self all affect how you interact with your spouses? This is the person you have committed to spend the remainder of your life with until death due you apart. You both work; have individual interests, have family commitments and then you need time for each other. How do you balance it all out?

We love each other very much and know we are each others soulmate. We both know that we have our individual interests, but we also have each other. We know that it was a part of the awesome plan of God for us to remain faithfully married and continue to work towards inspiring other marriages to succeed. In order for us to do this, we had to come up with a plan to ensure that things outside of our marriage, did not affect the productivity of our marriage.

Here is what we did:

** Daily Prayer- We pray together daily for our marriage, family and time together. We start our day putting God first and then we can focus on the things that He desires for us to accomplish in our marriage.

** Daily Talks- We talk everyday about everything and anything. Whether its related to bills, children, spending time together, cracking jokes or talking seriously. It doesn't matter if we talk in person or on the phone, we just know how important it is to commmunicate with each other every day.

** Daily Physical Contact- This gets kind of tricky because all contact does not have to be sexual. We ensure that we don't leave the house without kissing each other. We do the same thing when we return home. We might grab each others hand in passing, a tap on the shoulder, a shoulder rub, a scalp massage or a lower back rub. Its important to have that contact with your mate.

** Daily care and concern- Nothing is worse than your spouse telling you something important to them and for you to show a lack of concern. When you are communicating with your spouse, its important to give them your full attention, so they will know that you have genuine concern regarding what they are telling you.

** Daily Honesty- Make it a point to be honest with each other. Work through your issues but be honest. Even if it is uncomfortable talking about certain things, pray and seek God in guidance on how to deliver your message.

** Daily Love- Telling someone you love them is one thing, but your action will tell them otherwise. Make it a point to show your love for your spouse everyday. Call them, text them, send them an email, write them a letter, send them an e-card, fix dinner, take them to lunch, buy a rose, buy cologne, buy dinner, buy chocolates or take them to a movie. How ever you show love where your spouse will know it, SHOW IT!!!

God wants us to have marriages that will last and be a blessing to other couples that might be struggling in their marriage. Glorify God by glorifying your marriage in all situations.

Blessedly Yours- James & Dawgelene