Hello! I’m so glad you are here with me for this first day of 28 Days, 28 Ways: Investing in Your Marriage. This month is going to be awesome, I just know it! Every day I’ll share one way you can invest in your marriage. I’ve tried to create lots of different ideas and each of them will give you the freedom to express your love in a way comfortable to your personality and your marriage.
One thing I’ve learned after almost 19 years of marriage — it’s not a sprint! Building a solid marriage is a marathon and some seasons are easier than others. Whether you are just starting out as a newlywed or, like my grandparents, have celebrated 60 years of being together, there is one simple truth we all need to accept: Marriage is hard work.
Becoming “one flesh” isn’t easy. Submitting to one another doesn’t come naturally. Loving someone else more than you love yourself day in and day out is demanding. And, if we’re honest, some days we just don’t want to do the work. There are times when we can be overwhelmed by the reality of giving ourselves to one another … and some days it really seems like it would be much easier to walk away. That’s the thing, it would be. It would be easier to give up, to walk away.
But easier isn’t better.
Today, your investment is simply this: Commit.
Take time to write down your decision to stay, to dig deep, to push through. Make a declaration for yourself that this isn’t a short-term investment, it’s for life. And when the days come when you wonder if it’s worth it {because they will!}, you can go back to what you’ve written.
For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, ’til death do us part.
Powerful words that are far to easily spoken in the glitter and gleam of a wedding day … but when the grime settles in and the hard days come, remind yourself of this: I am committed to this marriage and to the God who brought us together. I choose this relationship and I choose to stay. I choose to love. Even when it’s hard. ‘Til death do us part.
Index to all 28 Days, 28 Ways posts:
- Commit {That’s this one!}
- Pray for His Wife
- How Can I Help?
- Speak Kind Words
- Fix a Favorite
- Make Small Sacrifices
- Listen
- Work Through It
- Pray for His Mind
- Laugh Together
- Write a Love Note
- Try Something New
- Accept His Compliments
- Be Available
- Do Something Together
- Pray for His Heart
- Celebrate His Role as Dad
- Do Something He Usually Does
- Send Him a Selfie
- Wear His Favorite Color
- Take a Walk Together
- Dream Together
- Scripture-Based Prayers for Your Husband
- Kiss {a lot}
- Snap a Photo
- Surprise Him!
- Choose Him Again
- Celebrate! {with free printable!!}
Related Content:
31 Verses to Pray for Your Marriage (Old Testament)
31 Verses to Pray for Your Marriage (New Testament)
Much wisdom here, Teri. I celebrated my 30th wedding anniversary in 2013…not easy by any means, but the decision to commit is the first step. Love these ideas. And I subscribed to your blog via e-mail…where have I been for the last few years? Also, loved your post on 10 steps for a great quiet time.
Oh Mary! Thank you for your kind words!!
I commit! This year we will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary and there have been times that I just wanted to walk away, but the promise I made kept me from doing that. We have come a long way and now I look forward to growing old with him.
We’ll be celebrating our 18th anniversary this year too, Melissa! 🙂 Thank you for joining in!!
I committed to my best friend over 35 years ago and have never given it another thought!!! I am completely and totally head over hills in love with my man… More now than then! I am looking forward to some new ways to show him my love!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for joining us! I look forward to reading your wisdom in the comments of this series … 35 years is a beautiful testimony!!