New Year Plans for Marriage

A new year is like a new journal; it's all clean and fresh with no ragged edges on the cover.  Its binding is all in tact and there are no ugly ink smudges on the pages. A new year brings with it lots of promise.  As you consider the year ahead of you, why not stop and also consider the life of your husband as well?  I don't mean we should track out his life for 2012, but that as we make plans for ourselves, we need to also consider our marriage.  Sit down together and discuss:

• What areas need to be strengthened?
• How did you fail to respect him last year?  How can you change that?
• What kinds of dates could you plan now that will ensure that you have quality time together?  Mark down dates you want to celebrate, then also find time each month to mark out for one another.  If you don't guard those times, they will get covered over with the "stuff of life."  Here's a suggestion to take your dates one step deeper - Get a journal and make it your Date Journal. Use it to record the things dates you and your husband have this year. Keep it a secret and give it to him as a Christmas present next December. It will bring back special memories of your times together.
• Talk about financial plans for the year - things you need to save for, giving towards Faith Promise Missions, and things you're dreaming about - like a vacation, or the purchase of a home,
• How could your marriage reach out to the lost?  Discuss way that you could to minister to others as a couple in this next year.
• Is there a book you could begin reading together that would be a challenge to you both as you walk with the Lord? 

Each day we are filling in the pages of our life's journal.  Rather than letting it get marred up with blunders and regrets, make plans to fill it up with marital blessings.  As they say, - "Time's a wastin'!"  Make your plans now for a year that will find you and your husband walking closer to one another and the Lord.

With love,