WHY PRAY TOGETHER?

My husband and I pray together most mornings. It has always been a great time to ask God about things that concern us both.

Here are some helpful reminders: 

Care deeply for one another. And learn to see things from the other's point of view.
Remember that marriage isn’t a competition! When you disagree, collaborate to find a solution that is the best for both of you.

Have fun! Don’t let your relationship become stale. 
Forgive one another, because we aren’t perfect. 
PRAY with and for one another. (And don’t pray that God will change your spouse, but that God will bless your spouse!) Prayer smooths out life’s bumps, turns conflict into resolution, and brings back that “loving feeling!”
When you pray for your spouse: You think about him/her more throughout your day.
If as a couple you are struggling, your heart will soften towards your spouse.
(James 5:16 – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.)

When you pray together:

• You’re on the same level before a Holy God.
• Prayer unlocks communication between the two of you. If you can unlock the deepest parts of your heart to God, you’re free to do the same with your spouse.

FOLLOW ME on TWITTER :  @RitaSGalieh

A Different Kind of Romance

Amanda Deed is an author with a fresh touch. I reviewed her book on Goodreads:

An unusual story which I enjoyed because of the way it changed my feelings for the main protagonist. Yes, it was Henry's story all throughout...never mind what others were doing. A fellow who I would never be attracted to in the least and yet...why was he like this? Amanda Deed convincingly slips in the reasons, chapter by chapter. It's a clever plot and I didn't want to like this fellow. Even so sympathy is a strong emotion and you'd have to be cold not to see what happened then to a child is happening all too often today. Ah, but love is an even stronger emotion and that's what overcame his daily battles of self-loathing to win against all the odds.

 Some of Amanda's thoughts on the Bible book of I Corinthians:

 I was thinking about this passage last night, and a whole new level of depth opened up for me. It specifically mentions a few areas where love is important – communication, knowledge, faith and generosity. If we have all these things perfect, but don’t act in love, they are useless.

The thing is, this spreads to every area of life really. I mean, how many times do we hear on those reality cooking competitions ‘there is no love in this food’? Even if they used the right techniques and skills and it looked great, sometimes there is just not that extra wow that comes with love.

And again, when you listen to a skilled musician or watch a graceful dancer — without the love, it all becomes mechanical and doesn’t have the same impact.

It’s like love is the invisible foundation beneath all of life and without it, the world is colourless and meaningless. A world without love is no world at all.

Of course, when you think that GOD IS LOVE, it all makes sense. He’s in everything and He’s everywhere. That love — HIM — underpins all of life. So then, without Him, there is no life. When everything else is gone, love still remains. I’d say He’s a good thing to hold onto then.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 
 [1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV]

COMMUNICATION

THREE 'L's. It sounds simple, but maybe there's more to it. So what are these three 'Ls'?

1. Listening:
Really listen to your other. Take in what's being said to you. So often we want to cut in and tell what we want them to hear before they have even finished what they are saying.

2. Laughter:
This is so important.It's widely known that laughter releases endorphins which in turn give a sense of well-being. That's something we could all do with, isn't it?

3. Love:
Don't forget those very important three little words...'I love you.'  Some people, usually men, have trouble with this. He loves his wife, but believes she already knows it. Ah, but those words mean a lot to a woman. Yes, love can be shown in many ways, but that piece of verbal communication is important. Conversely, those words without actions can be very empty. It's so much like faith. You can say you believe Jesus is the Son of God who died to save you from your sins, but if you don't follow through with reading His Word, the Bible and living a life that would please Him, then it doesn't mean much.

As with commitment. If a man says he loves a woman but doesn't want the commitment of marriage it's sad. The marriage vows sum up his love for her in this practical way. It's far more than signing a piece of paper, as the popular excuse goes, it's saying "I will love, honour and cherish you for better or for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live." That is proving one's love.

Another huge plus for a true committed marriage is forgiveness. Such a willingness to forgive each other is a sign of maturity. Arguments happen, feelings are hurt And there can be wrongs on each side. But when one says they are sorry, and the hurt person says they are willing to forgive AND forget. This is a great step forward. Remember, God is willing to forgive our sins when we turn to Him, so why shouldn't we?

RELATIONSHIPS

A few tips to keep that special relationship healthy.

* Money is key contributor to relationship failure with many couples.   Why?  Money is the most difficult conversation for people to have.  People are afraid of talking about money, about budgets, about financial planning, etc.  For the relationship to work, you must learn how to get comfortable with talking about money and spending.  You should meet at least once a month to review your outgoing expenses and income as a couple for the long term health of your relationship. 

  *  Communication is vital to all healthy relationships. Listen to each other – hear each other out without interrupting. Talking things over can help you to both have a deeper understanding of each other.

  * Maintain a balance of dependence and independence with each other.  Do not depend on your partner 100% of the time because that can be suffocating to your partner.  On the other hand, don’t allow your partner to think you don’t need them, by going or doing things without them. Do your best to keep a healthy balance between the two.  Again, communication is key.  You both should know what is stifling to each other and areas where you both want to depend on each other versus areas in which you both need independence.  Balance between the two is important and the best way to find balance is to share and discuss what works and does not work for both of you.

 *  Another vital tip that has worked in many couple's lives is this:  
Those who pray together, stay together.  Holding hands and praying to God about what most  affects you in your daily life cements a relationship.