Stephen and Alex Kendrick
LOVE is Not IRRITABLE
Day 55
Love is Not Irritable: Some people are like lemons: when life squeezes them, they pour out a sour response. Some are more like peaches: when the pressure is on, the result is still sweet.
Day 56
Love is Not Irritable: Some people have the motto, "Never pass up an opportunity to get upset with your spouse." When something goes wrong, they quickly take full advantage of it by expressing how hurt or frustrated they are about it. But this is the opposite reaction of love.
Day 57
Love is Not Irritable: Everyone has unresolved issues, hurts, and personal baggage. We have all sinned. But we have this unfortunate tendency to downplay our own negative attributes while putting our partner's failures under a magnifying glass.
Day 58
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. - Proverbs 16:32
Day 59
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. - Proverbs 16:32
Day 60
Love does not get angry or hurt unless there is a legitimate and just reason in the sight of God.
Day 61
If you are walking under the influence of love, you will be a joy, not a jerk. Ask yourself, "Am I a calming breeze, or a storm waiting to happen?"
Day 62
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. This means you must balance, prioritize, and pace yourself.
Day 63
Is your home a place where failure can be forgiven? Is your heart willing to overlook some things that were never intended to hurt you?
Day 64
The Bible can help you avoid unhealthy stress. It teaches you to let love guide your relationships so you aren't caught up in unnecessary arguments (see Colossians 3:12-14).
Day 65
Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34 NKJV).
Day 66
Being easily angered is an indicator that a hidden area of selfishness or insecurity is present where love is supposed to rule.
Day 67
When love enters your heart, it calms you down and inspires you to quit focusing on yourself. It loosens your grasp and helps you let go of unnecessary things.
Day 68
Love will lead you to forgive instead of holding a grudge. To be grateful instead of greedy. To be content rather than rushing into more debt. Love encourages you to be happy when someone else succeeds rather than lying awake at night in envy.
Day 69
I always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men. - Acts 24:16
LOVE BELIEVES THE BEST
Day 70
[Love] believes all things, hopes all things. - 1 Corinthians 13:7
Day 71
Love chooses to believe the best about people. It gives them the benefit of the doubt. It refuses to fill in the unknowns with negative assumptions. And when our worst hopes are proven to be true, love makes every effort to deal with them and move forward. As much as possible, love focuses on the positive.
Day 72
Your spouse is a living, breathing, endless book to be read. Dreams and hopes have yet to be realized. Talents and abilities may be discovered like hidden treasure. But the choice to explore them starts with a decision by you.
Day 73
Develop the habit of reining in your negative thoughts and focusing on the positive attributes of your mate. This is a crucial step as you learn to lead your heart to truly love your spouse. It is a decision that you make, whether they deserve it or not.
Day 74
If there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. - Philippians 4:8
LOVE is NOT JEALOUS
Day 75
Love is Not Jealous: Jealousy is sparked when someone else upstages you and gets something you want. This can be very painful depending upon how selfish you are. Instead of congratulating them, you fume in anger and think ill of them.
Day 76
Jealousy is a common struggle. If you're not careful, jealousy slithers like a viper into your heart and strikes your motivations and relationships. It can poison you from living the life of love God intended. The Bible says that envy leads to fighting, quarreling, and every evil thing (James 3:16, 4:1-2).
Day 77
When you were married, you were given the role of becoming your spouse's biggest cheerleader and the captain of his or her fan club. Both of you became one and were to share in the enjoyment of the other. But if selfishness rules, any good thing happening to only one of you can be a catalyst for envy rather than congratulations.
Day 78
A loving wife will be the first to cheer for her man when he wins. She does not compare her weaknesses to his strengths. She throws a celebration, not a pity party.
Day 79
A loving wife will be the first to cheer for her man when he wins. She does not compare her weaknesses to his strengths. She throws a celebration, not a pity party.
Day 80
It is time to let love, humility, and gratefulness destroy any jealousy that springs up in your heart. It's time to let your mate's successes draw you closer together and give you greater opportunities to show genuine love.
Day 81
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. - Romans 12:15
LOVE MAKES GOOD IMPRESSIONS
Day 82
Greet one another with a kiss of love. - 1 Peter 5:14
Day 83
You can tell a lot about the state of a couple's relationship from the way they greet one another. You can see it in their expression and countenance, as well as how they speak to each other.
Day 84
A good greeting sets the stage for positive and healthy interaction. Like love, it puts wind in your sails.
Day 85
Think back to the story Jesus told of the prodigal son. Of all the scenarios this young man had played out in his mind, this was likely the last one he expected. But how do you think it made him feel to receive his father's embrace and hear his thankful tone? He no doubt felt loved and treasured once again. What do you think it did in their relationship? What kind of greetings would make your mate feel like that? (see Luke 15:11-32)
Day 86
Think of the opportunities you have to greet each other on a regular basis. When coming through the door. When meeting for lunch. When saying good-night. When talking on the phone.
Day 87
Your greeting and expressions of love don't have to be bold and dramatic every time. But adding warmth and enthusiasm gives you the chance to touch your mate's heart in subtle, unspoken ways.
Day 88
Love is a choice. Choose to love.
Day 89
Think about your greeting. Do you use it well? Does your spouse feel valued and appreciated? Do they feel loved? Even when you're not getting along, you can lessen the tension and give them value by the way you greet them.
LOVE is UNCONDITIONAL
Day 90
If a man says to his wife, "I have fallen out of love with you," he is actually saying, "I never loved you unconditionally to begin with." His love was based on feelings or circumstances rather than commitment.
Day 91
God doesn't love us because we are so lovable. He loves us because He is so loving.(Romans 5:8)
Day 92
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
Day 93
The only way love can last a lifetime is if it's unconditional. The truth is this: love is not determined by the one being loved but rather by the one choosing to love.
Day 94
Unconditional love is "in sickness and health" love, "for richer or poorer" love, "for better or worse" love. It is the only kind of love that is true love.
Day 95
The Bible says, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). If He insisted that we prove ourselves worthy of His love, we would fail miserably.
Day 96
Unconditional love will not be swayed by time or circumstance.
Day 97
When your enjoyment of each other as best friends and lovers is based on unwavering commitment, you will experience an intimacy that cannot be achieved any other way.
Day 98
Love that "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:7) does not come from within. It can only come from God.
Day 99
The Scriptures say that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). This is God's kind of love. And thankfully - by your choice - it can become your kind of love. But first you must receive it and share it.
Day 100
He who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him. - Psalm 32:10
LOVE CHERISHES
Day 101
"Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies" (Ephesians 5:28). When you show love to your spouse, you are showing love to yourself as well.
Day 102
You would never cut off your hand if it was injured but would pay whatever you could afford for the best medical treatment possible. That's because your hand is priceless to you. It is a part of you. And so is your mate.
Day 103
Just as you treasure your eyes, hands, and feet, you should treasure your spouse as a priceless gift. Your identity as individuals has been joined into one.
Day 104
Marriage is a beautiful mystery created by God, joining two lives together as one. This not only happens physically but spiritually and emotionally.
Day 105
Love Fulfills Dreams - Love sometimes needs to be extravagant. To go all out. What is something your spouse would really, really, love? It's time you started living out the answer to that question.
Day 106
Love Fulfills Dreams - Love sometimes needs to be extravagant. To go all out. What is something your spouse would really, really, love? It's time you started living out the answer to that question.
Day 107
Whenever a husband looks into the eyes of his wife, he should remember that "he who loves his wife loves himself." And a wife should remember that when she loves him, she is also giving love and honor to herself. (see Ephesians 5:28)
Day 108
When you look at your mate, you're looking at a part of you. So treat her well. Speak highly of him. Nourish and cherish the love of your life.
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