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THE Love Dare: A 14 Day Challenge Leading Up To Valentines Day!

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I’ve been thinking about what we can do for our husbands leading up to Valentines Day.  I know that Valentines Day is just another day on the calendar… but… it is a great reminder to make the time to love our husbands special!

So… from February 1st – February 14th, I will be taking the ideas from the first 14 days of the book, The Love Dare… for all of us to work on in our homes.
Are you interested?  Here’s all you have to do to “sign up”… make every effort to work on the assigned “task” for each day.  Then, at the end of 14 days, (Valentines Day), write a post about how it went, linking back to this post.  Feel free to save the image above to use in your post.
Just comment below if you are interested… there may be some “love treats” along the way for those who participate.
Feel free to write a post now about the journey you will take over the first 14 days of February; if you do, please link up your post below.

If you don’t have a blog you are still more than welcome to join the fun.  Just comment below about what you learned along the way and how your husband responded.

Schedule:
Day 1 (Feb 1) “Love is patient” Eph. 4:2
Patience helps you give your spouse permission to be human.  Love is built on two pillars that best define what it is.  Those pillars are patience and kindness.  Choose to respond with patience towards your husband in all things.
Day 2 (Feb 2) “Love is kind” Eph. 4:32
Kindness inspires you to be agreeable.  Instead of being obstinate, reluctant, or stubborn, you cooperate, you stay flexible.  Rather than complaining and making excuses, you look for reasons to compromise and accommodate.  A kind wife ends thousands of potential arguments by her willingness to listen first rather than demand her way.

Day 3 (Feb 3) “Love is not selfish” Rom. 12:10

One ironic aspect of selfishness is that even generous actions can be selfish if the motive is to gain bragging rights or receive a reward.  If you do even a good thing to deceitfully manipulate your husband, you are still being selfish.  The bottom line is that you either make decisions out of love for others or love for yourself.

Day 4 (Feb 4) “Love is thoughtful” Psalm 139:17-18

When was the last time you spent a few minutes thinking about how you could better understand and demonstrate love to your spouse?  What immediate need can you meet?  What’s the next even you could be preparing for?  Great marriages come from great thinking.

Day 5 (Feb 5) “Love is not rude” Proverbs 27:14
How does your husband feel about the way you speak and act around him?  How does your behavior affect your mate’s sense of worth and self-esteem?  Would your husband say you’re a blessing or that you’re condescending and embarrassing?
Day 6 (Feb 6) “Love is not irritable” Proverbs 16:32
A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercises emotional self-control.  She chooses to be a flower among the thorns and respond pleasantly during prickly situations.
Day 7 (Feb 7) “Love believes the best” 1 Cor. 13:7
Your husband 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.  Develop a habit of reining in your negative thoughts and focusing on the positive attributes of your husband.
Day 8 (Feb 8) “Love is not jealous” Song of Sol. 8:6
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.
Day 9 (Feb 9) “Love makes good impressions” 1 Pet. 5:14
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.  It is even more obvious by their physical contact.  Work on greeting your husband “special” when he arrives home from work!
Day 10 (Feb 10) “Love is unconditional” Rom. 5:8
When you rebuild your marriage with agape love as its foundation, then the friendship and romantic aspects of your love become more endearing than ever before.  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 11 (Feb 11) “Love cherishes” Eph. 5:28
Don’t let the culture around you determine the worth of your marriage.  To compare it with something that can be discarded or replaced is to dishonor god’s purpose for it.  That would be like amputating a limb.  Instead, it should be a picture of love between two imperfect people who choose to love each other regardless.
Day 12 (Feb 12) “Love lets others win” Phil. 2:4
Are you willing to bend to demonstrate love to your husband?  Or are you refusing to give in because of pride?  If it doesn’t matter in the long run–especially in eternity–then give up your rights and choose to honor the one you love.  It will be good for you and good for your marriage.
Day 13 (Feb 13) “Love fights fair” Mark 3:25
The deepest, most heartbreaking damage you’ll ever do (or ever have done) to your marriage will most likely occur in the thick of conflict.  But love reminds you that your marriage is too valuable to allow it to self-destruct, and that your love for your husband is more important than whatever you’re fighting about.  Married couples who learn to work through conflict tend to be closer, more trusting, more intimate, and enjoy a much deeper connection afterwards.
Day 14 (Feb 14) “Love takes delight” Eccles. 9:9
In your marriage relationship, you won’t always feel like loving.  It is unrealistic for your heart to constantly thrill at the thought of spending every moment with your husband.  Nobody can maintain a burning desire for togetherness just on feelings along.  However, there is something very powerful about the decision to delight in your husband and to love him no matter how long you’ve been married, or what “feelings” may or may not be there at the moment. 

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Comments

  1. I have the book – I am a coward because I am SO convinced that I would fail miserably…that I read it….I enjoy it…and then I put it down.
    So…I will take the 14 day challenge 🙂 – I just posted our “love story” over the last week and Valentines Day has a very special meaning for us.
    If you get the chance, you may enjoy reading it 🙂
    Again…Thanks for the challenge and the “14 day dare” 🙂
    I kinda feel like…14 days…I could do THAT right?!
    🙂
    Michelle
    undeservingyetoverblessed.blogspot.com

  2. I’m a bit like Michelle G – I’ve been a coward about taking the challenge before because I was sure I would fail…but I’m going to give this 14 day challenge a go. After 29 years of marriage and 16 years of parenting, I think this is something we need…I need. It’s time to focus again on the man God gave me and remember why He put us together in the first place. Thank you Traci for this challenge!
    Donna
    anotherbattlewon.blogspot.com

  3. Traci,
    I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I tried your recipe for the Corn Chowder that you posted earlier this week. It is WONDERFUL! I even sent some to my father-in-law last evening and he REALLY liked it, too. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.

  4. Sounds great! I would love to read that book – it sounds so good! Definitely going to have to put it on my book list.

  5. I posted about this in the spring on Mckmamma’s blog in the spring and got alot of encouragement. If you want more to be involved then advertising on blog frog may help.
    I love this idea

  6. Hi Traci

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and your lovely comment. I absolutely LOVE what you’re doing on your blog.. no wonder you have so many followers!

    Right now I’m doing a 25 Day Praise Plan Marriage Challenge over at Courtney’s Women Living Well blog,leading up to Valentine’s Day (there’s a link for it on my blog) but I’d love to do yours too.. after all you can’t give too much love right? 😉

    God Bless!

  8. Such a good reminder, Traci. Each challenge is so simple but so full of awesome potential! I have a theme going on in February, but I’m sure I can wrap it in. I will link up this week and join you! 🙂

  10. I saw this movie and my husband and I had started doing the Fireproof devotional together but have since stopped. I am joining the Love Dare and can’t wait to see what happens.

  12. I would really like to do this – I’m finding more and more right now how I’m expecting my hubby to love ME instead of loving him the way he needs/deserves to be loved!

  13. I have linked up and LOVE this challenge. I am also doing the challenge at Women Living Well but I love that I can intentionally love my husband. We have just come through the toughest season in our marriage and a LOT of hurt occurred but so did a lot of healing and forgiveness. The Love Dare and Fireproof have been pivotal pieces of our growth for sure! I linked up this morning:)

  14. I am in! I will take the Challenge to love my Husband more and show Him he is important to me and the commitment we made in Christ!

  17. What a great idea! I will be married for 1 year this March and marriage has been a wonderful, challenging gift. I am definitely in need of God’s grace in loving my husband so I am very excited to try the 14 day challenge!

  18. I am ready to give it all I’ve got. For years, I have not even tried to love well. Now I’m gonna do it!!!!!

  20. Sign me up. I have started this book twice and never gotten very far. My husband and I watched the movie the other day….weak acting, but great message. We are getting ready to be empty nesters and I want to make it an easier transition. I love him very much after 24 yrs. of marriage, but I want the spark back and the love deeper.

    Thank you for doing this!

  23. I don’t have a blog – can I get the posts via email? I will try to figure it out. My husband and I did the Love Dare at the same time about a year ago. It was very cool. I thought it would ruin it to do it together, but it made it fun. It is important not to expect your spouse to change – but expect your heart to change as you challenge yourself to truly put him first.

  26. I’m late in linking up(I hope that’s ok) but I think this is a great idea! I made a countdown wreath for my husband for Valentines day,and now I am incorporating the challenge in the notes that he gets everyday! I will post about it at the end!

  29. My husband & I have been married for 7 years & getting set in our ways. I think it is time to challenge ourselves to do & be more.