5 Important Marriage

Goals for a Better 2017

          It’s almost March……already? The year is quickly moving by and it’s time to take a look at how well we are doing with our 2017 goals. With the huge responsibilities of family and career, we understand how easy it can be to fall back into the current routine of daily duties and less into planning new projects and ventures. So, if you’re starting over or continuing your goals, here are 5 simple and helpful goals that will set your family up for a very successful 2017.

1. Create a Financial Plan – A lot of couples know how it feels to be in a financial disaster, or live pay check to pay check. But, this is not the life that is designed for you. God has a bigger life of prosperity for you and its right at your finger tips. Research money savings ideas and create a healthy budget. Start a savings account, give to your local church and discuss ways on how to make extra money. Every little step will create an impact on your marriage, but you have to start now. Read “The Big Financial Trap that is Destroying Marriages” as a tool to start your greater financial future.
2. Set a Date Night Schedule – Life can get so routine and busy that sometimes you can forget the the importance of spending one on one time together. Date Nights have proven to be a one of the most important times in a marriage. Spending time together gives you an opportunity to re-focus yourself on each other, strengthen your connection and find out fresh new things about each other. Once a week or once a month, make laughing and cuddling the priority of your date. And because dates don’t need to cost a ton of money, here are “25 Budget-Friendly Date Night Ideas” to help you get going.
3. Support Each Others Ideas – Does your spouse always come to you with the next “BIG IDEA”? I know, I know, it can get a little frustrating. But, what if one of those ideas is the idea that helps your family move out of your apartment and into the house you’ve always dreamed about? Or, start a college fund for your children? Key thing when listening to new ideas from your spouse is to not decide that it is a “Bad” idea so quickly. Take into consideration that your spouse has thought about and invested time into thinking of a new venture that they believe will help the family.  Ask questions, look interested and try to understand all the details. Be willing to research further with them and even test the idea with them to see if it is a healthy choice for the family.
4. Encourage Continuing Education – With technology being at the peak of the century, continuing education can be easy. Encourage your spouse to continue learning by earning their certificates, degrees and licensing in their area of specialty. This will not only help their career, but expand the wealth of your family as well. Research online programs you can study from home like at Ashworth College. Their online learning programs such as Nursing are designed to fit into the lives of their students, which means you can progress at your own pace and find the balance between work, family, education and most importantly……your marriage. They are accredited and extremely affordable, and are five times less than other institutions. That’s a WIN for your new financial plan. SCORE! Learn more about Ashworth College.
5. Planned Communication – Everyday you should be making an effort to talk each other about important areas in your marriage. Even if it is as little as 10 minutes. We never imagined the financial crisis we went through 12 years into our marriage. It cost us some of our most precious things, health issues and numerous sleepless nights. This simple advice would have saved us a lot money…….and tears. Keeping a consistent flow of communication will help you stay in control of things that can easily spiral out of control. Both spouses should keep a small pocket sized note pad to document things you talk about and the new ideas that you have for the future.

These tips will give your marriage and family an edge (and SUCCESS!) into the next stage of your life together. Be proactive in setting times to start these adventures and PRAY together every night that God will help you both be consistent and strengthen the connection between each other.

Check out Ashworth College for more about their college programs and flexible study schedules.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ashworth College . The opinions and text are all mine.

Mark and Laquilla Lane

Husband and Wife for Life, Founders

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ashworth College . The opinions and text are all mine.

The Best of Me

It’s Valentines season!!  For my family, this is a time of hand-made cards and an overload of mini reese’s butter cups! But as I started thinking about what I can give the loves in my life, I feel that the Holy Spirit reinforced the thought of giving them the best wife and mommy ever…in addition to the chocolate of course!My question to Him was, “how do I do that?” A simple, yet profound response brought me to tears. He said “Believe what I’ve said about you.  Believe that I love you and that I will take care of you.” The truth of my life isthat I’ve lived as a people-pleaser for most of it. Even though God has begun an incredible work in me through revelation of His love for me, I’ve idolized the acceptance of my parents, siblings, friends and my spouse.

An inward battle rages on as I question myself as a good wife.  I struggle at times with the idea that I can be enough to raise these beautiful and innocent children that God has blessed us with.  So in the light of the beautiful answer God gave me, I propose a challenge: In this season of love and gift giving, let us embrace God’s love for us.  FULLY!

Let’s drop all the weight of others’ expectations, the hurt of past failures that scream how unworthy we are and the let’s be done with the definitions of ourselves that are outside of what God says. Let’s make Valentine’s Day cards for ourselves and our loved ones from the Lord that say “you are fearfully and wonderfully made” and “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” God has shown me in different ways and through different people that we love others the way we believe we are loved. We do not have it in ourselves to love perfectly, but through Him, we can know that there are no exceptions to His love for us and love others in the same way.

When we can accept God’s love fully, then we can love others fully.   Can you imagine? Loving without offense, bitterness, or fear of being hurt?  God loves us, taking all that we are (and are not) into consideration. He never draws back or turns His heart away. Seriously, I want to love this way. The longing of my heart is to give love like this. Imagine the security, confidence and freedom we can have in our relationships, both with our spouses and others when are completed in God’s love and never looking for anything else to complete us. So my prayer for a while has been for God to perfect His love in me.

 
For this Valentine’s Day, I am giving my husband the freedom to be himself; all of himself, without paying a price for the parts I don’t agree with.  I am giving my children the acceptance they need to be exactly who they are without my imposed ideas because this is the way the Father loves me. Unapologetically.This Valentine’s Day, I am giving God a valentine.  I am giving God my trust.  Trust that His Word is true. Trust that He made me exactly the way He wants me to be.What are you going to give your Kings for this day of love?  Whatever you give, give in love and truth.

Dominique Nealond
Lover of 2 Kings, Founder
Website: loverof2kings.com 
Facebook: Lover of Two Kings
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