30 Day Wife Encouragement Challenge: Day 1

NOTE: In September 2008, this was changed from a Friday Focus to a regular post. All posts can be found by clicking here or on 30 Day Wife Encouragement Challenge category in the sidebar.

The entire 30 Day Wife Encouragement Challenge is also available in pdf format. You may get it by requesting it when you leave a comment or by emailing me at claudia @ theanniversaryshop.com (be sure to remove spaces around @ intended to fool spammers).

Today starts a new series for men.

Because weekends often give us more time to focus on our marriage, this 30-Day Wife Encouragement Challenge will be presented over a period of weeks with one new challenge every other week. On the “off” weeks, wives will be presented with the 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge, giving them the opportunity to strengthen your marriage by encouraging you.

As I mentioned, the real challenge is over a 30-day period. The ground rules for the 30 days are as follows:

• You can’t say anything negative about your wife . . . to your wife . . . or to anyone else about your wife.
• Say something that you admire or appreciate about your wife . . . to your wife . . . and to someone else about your wife!

Because our “30-day” challenge will be presented over a year’s time with every other weekend providing the challenge for one day, the guidelines set above cannot possibly apply to a whole year, or can they?

At the very least, follow the guidelines above for 30 days. Keep track of those 30 days, and determine at the end to go for 30 more days, then 30 more, and on and on. I think you will find it easier to follow the guidelines the longer you do them.

30-Day Wife Encouragement Challenge: Day 1

The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ Genesis 2:18 (NIV)

This challenge might take you down paths you haven’t been before.  It will require contemplation, vulnerability, and action.  Some steps along the way may be scary because you haven’t thought these thoughts or spoken these words in a long time, but the thoughts and feelings are there and both you and your wife need to hear and experience them.

Even if you are not a Christian, you must know that men and women bring to the marriage different strengths, gifts, and outlooks on life and love.  Think about some ways that your wife is “good” for you, ways in which she makes you and/or your life better.

Is she the one that brings color to your life by decorating the home and making it enjoyable to come home?  Does she inspire you to try new things that you wouldn’t have tried otherwise?  Do you still get that warm, gushy feeling when she looks at you and smiles to tell you that she is glad you chose her?

• Make a list of ways your life is better because of your wife
• Share the list with your wife and tell her how good it is that she is your helper and that you are not alone
   

These words, coming from the most important man in her life, will bring great joy and encouragement to your wife.

Yours for the celebration of marriage,

Claudia