The enemy wants to discourage you. He wants to destroy you and your relationships. We know from scripture that the thief does not come except to steal, to kill and to destroy, but Jesus came to bring life and that we may have it more abundantly. This verse carries both a warning and a promise. The warning is you have a very real enemy. He seeks to steal, and to kill and destroy.
The enemy attacks during those times of stress when life is overwhelming, but Jesus promises abundant life. Just like Jesus went to the cross and came out the winner so can you.
Be Encouraged Every Day!
To find out more about Sue Detweiler, her books and radio ministry click here
I’ll be posting discussion questions from my new book, 9 Traits of a Life-Giving Marriage, and Lindsey Hartz will be posting giveaway opportunities every 15 minutes. Make sure you are on the lookout for those posts and the entry requirements for each one!
You can also share this event on Facebook by selecting the “Invite” button on the top right. You can then “Share” the event page on Facebook and “Invite” specific friends on your Facebook list!
9 Traits of a Life-Giving Marriage will help you and them:
Heal the broken places in your marriage
Strengthen your relationship with your spouse
Understand God’s plan for your marriage
Revive your relationship with God’s transformative power
A Copy of the Book + The Pre-Order Gifts which include: 5 FREE Gifts: Printables of 9 Traits
Printables of Prayers
MP3 of Healing Rain
PDF copy of 9 Traits of a Life Giving Mom
$50 Voucher Towards the 2016 Marriage Conference in Dallas, TX
A copy of the Book + Pre-Order Gifts & a Skype Q&A Call for Your Community, Bible Study Group or Book Club with the Author!
Many relationships begin with positive, life-giving time spent together. What were some of your favorite things to do when you were first forming a relationship with your spouse? Do you remember how those activities and the time spent together drew you closer? You likely felt affirmed, appreciated, and encouraged. You enjoyed each other’s company and spent time laughing while you got to know each other better. Your affection drew you together, and your passion seemed unquenchable.
1. Accept Who Your Spouse Is…
Acceptance often get’s a bad rap. We think that to accept our spouse, that we are excusing all of their bad behavior. No, accepting your spouse is appreciating who they are as a person.
Marriage relationships often start in a whirlwind of romance and pleasure. The expectation is that those feelings of love and friendship will bloom and continue to grow. But in too many marriages, the opposite occurs. Instead of spending more time together, external factors take precedence. As life’s demands pull at our attention and energy, we grow apart and those happy honeymoon days turn into a distant memory. You need to focus freshly on who your spouse is and appreciate their uniqueness (rather than criticize their weakness).
Though we were wildly in love when we were dating, the rose-colored glasses came off before we got married. We fought throughout our engagement, not because we were at odds with each other, but because of the fears each of us was carrying down the aisle. Having seen my parents struggle in their relationship, I knew what I didn’t want for my own marriage. So, in a naïve attempt to make our marriage perfect, I focused on both of our weaknesses and tried to fix our young relationship. I wanted to make sure we dealt with all our “stuff ” before the big day. It didn’t work very well.
As certain as I was that God had brought Wayne and me together, I prayed weekly (sometimes daily) that we would be able to work out our differences before we said “I do.” Even from the early days of our relationship, it was clear to me that Wayne is a strong man. Certainly, he wants my best, but there are some areas—areas that I believed needed “fixing”—in which he was (and is) immovable. For that, I am thankful. Because, really, I wouldn’t want to change my husband. Remember, he is who God made him to be. Not only that, but since I couldn’t change him, I had to learn to trust God and realize that it isn’t my role to act like the Holy Spirit in Wayne’s life.
It wasn’t until we got married that I embraced the fact that he was mine for life. What a relief! God had not only brought us together; He would keep us in His care. I relaxed into one of the most enjoyable times of our relationship, and life was good.
2. Have Fun Together
As newlyweds, we lived in a tiny trailer. I attended college, Wayne was in seminary, and we were poor and very happy. Wayne and I loved playing tennis at the nearby courts. (We would go from trailer to trailer knocking on the doors of our young married neigh- bors, until we found a couple willing to play doubles.) In our tennis shorts and shoes, we strengthened the bond of our friendship. In between studies, we played and enjoyed those honeymoon years. We went to the movies. We attended concerts. We hiked and went on picnics. And when bad weather cancelled our outdoor plans, we made love to the sound of the rain hitting the tin roof.
Take time to evaluate how you spend time together. Are you creating experiences of fun? If not, be intentional about spending time together making new memories.
3. Pray Together
When you pray together, you are sharing intimately about your deepest needs, wants and desires. Creating that place of safety and intimacy will be glue that holds you together as a couple. Friendships that are deep go deeper than the surface level.
Praying together as a couple can help you be on the same page. If you listen to your spouses heart in prayer, you are able to understand the deepest motives of the heart. Even if one of you feels uncomfortable praying outloud, you can create moments where you hold hands and pray in silence or read written prayer. Prayer is very intimate. Let prayer be a glue that holds your friendship together and invites the presence of the Holy Spirit into your life.
5 FREE Gifts: 1. Printables of 9 Traits
2. Printables of Prayers
3. MP3 of Healing Rain
4. PDF copy of 9 Traits of a Life Giving Mom
5. $50 Voucher Towards the 2016 Marriage Conference in Dallas, TX
Friendship is one of the things that I talk about in this interview I did at LeSea Broadcasting. You can watch this interview that I did about 9 Traits of a Life-Giving Marriage on The Harvest Show.
I hope you can be a part of the #MarriageRocks Launch Team. CLICK HERE to apply.
Do you want to…
• Heal the broken places in your marriage
• Strengthen your relationship with your spouse
• Understand God’s plan for your marriage
• Revive your relationship with God’s transformative power
If we are honest, we all need help in our marriages…
As part of the team, you are agreeing that you are willing and able to:
-Share provided shareable images and pre-made tweets
-Have FUN and receive encouragement as you interact with other launch team members discussing themes from the book(s)! Sue will drop in every once in a while as well!
-If you have a blog or website, you will also have the opportunity to sign up to write a blog post related to themes / topics we will provide found in the book.
In exchange for your help spreading the word about the book via blogging, social media and within your local circle of friends and family through October 30, 2015, we’ll provide you with 2 chapters of the book each week of the campaign to read and share material from. We’ll also have the opportunity to win some exclusive weekly giveaways during the launch campaign. Active participants in the launch team will receive the full PDF of the book at the end of the campaign and will also be eligible to receive an autographed, physical copy of the book after the campaign period is over!
HOW DO I JOIN?
CLICK HERE to apply. If chosen, you’ll receive an email and we’ll start the party!
I’m excited to have you join my team!
9 Traits of a Life Giving Marriage is available for pre-order here!
Here’s a Short Video Invitation…
HOW DO I JOIN?
CLICK HERE to apply. If chosen, you’ll receive an email and we’ll start the party!
I’m excited to have you join my team!
9 Traits of a Life Giving Marriage is available for pre-order here!
“We take our lead from Christ, 
