I can vividly identify with the feelings of loneliness and despair a mother can experience when their children leave home.
Leaving home may not just be for college. It includes when they leave to settle maritally with their significant others or postings to faraway jobs.
My desire has always been for my children to succeed in everything and to fulfill their God-designed destinies according to Isiaih 8:18 that declares that I and the children God has given me are for signs and wonders – paraphrased.
I was happily looking forward to when my last child would leave for college.
I could not see the feeling of despair and anxiety that came over me weeks before the actual day he left coming.
Letting go and adjusting to my new norm was harder than I expected.
There were days that I was enveloped by desperate feelings of loneliness.
Other days I would be so anxious about his welfare that I would facetime him at 2 A.M or other odd hours of the day and night.
When we dropped him off at his college, 4 hours away from home, our hearts were gladdened and we could sense the feeling of independence he was feeling around him.
Actually, he couldn’t wait to leave for college! He had been held down too long by these “strict” parents!
It took me quite some time to adjust to the new environment without my son.
I would still call out his name to come to give me the remote, turn the outside lights on, get me this and that, only to realize that he wasn’t there.
How can it be possible that the child that you poured your life into for so many years is gone?
My friend, if you are experiencing an empty nest, let these words from Isaiah 4:10 comfort you and give you the encouragement and strength to move on.
This article provides important keys to the empty nest: how to intentionally adjust to the new role when children leave.
These tips helped me a lot and I hope they help you too.
1. Remember the Past, But Don’t Try To Recreate It.
When your child leaves home and you are experiencing empty nest syndrome, remembering the past can make it easier to bear.
During those sentimental days just after your child leaves home, his or her whole life seems to pass before your eyes.
The tears flow as you remember every moment of your little one’s entire growing up years.
Sure, it’s been years since mud puddles, hair bows, or baby bottles, yet suddenly the past returns with an immediacy that had been drowned by the daily grind of high school, and football/basketball/track/music practice.
Suddenly, you remember; you reminisce.
In “Release My Grip, ” by popular blogger Kami Gilmour, she offers inspiration and some practical insights as she reveals the personal surprising truth she learned while knee-deep in this sacred season of parenthood.
You wish that you had treasured the memories more.
And you want to recreate them.
The important thing to remember is that your child isn’t dwelling on all the memories.
He or she is launching in excitement towards their future, or they are worried about the new environment, college, studying, textbooks, and friends.
As you ponder the past, don’t try to cling to it.
Keep your eyes on your child as he or she is right now, this minute.
What are her needs as she faces the future?
How can you thank God for the past and pray for his or her needs today?
Focus on the new prayer needs and intercede for them more.
Healthy grieving is an important part of saying goodbye to your children.
Rather than stuffing down your feelings of sadness, recognize that you sacrificed, loved, and invested for more than 17 to 18 years as you raised this child.
Your life is undergoing a major change, so don’t dismiss the pain you feel.
A journal like, “Empty Nest, Full Life Journal,” designed with ample space for writing or drawing, will help you slow down, reflect, and record your thoughts as you work through the book.
Proactively indulge in self-care practices to better take care of your spiritual, emotional, and mental health.
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Jeramy and Jerusha Clark help put your losses in words: “Loss of closeness, loss of ‘being needed,’ loss of control, loss of confidence.
You may feel like you don’t know what you’re doing.
That’s ok.
Grieve the loss of confidence and gear up for the learning curve.
God promises that you’re not alone in this; he will strengthen you and help you; he will uphold you with His victorious right hand.”
When you name your losses and take time to grieve, it will enable you to let go in a healthy way, so you don’t overburden your child with your pain.
If you fail to see the importance of lament, you will be more likely to pressure your adult child and drag him or her into your complex grief process.
It’s easy to want to hold on to your children.
Wishing you could make up for your past mistakes or have just one more breakfast together, you want to pull your child closer.
But this is the time to let go.
Take the time to grieve by yourself, with God, or with your spouse, friend, or your pastor, so that you don’t feel tempted to use your grief to manipulate your child.
3. Believe, Don’t Burden.
Speak words of honor to your adult child. Pray for them more and trust that they will be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit and to hearing from God.
Rather than burdening him or her with your own expectations and dreams for them, affirm the person that God created your son or daughter to be.
Make sure your child knows that you are proud of him or her.
Speak words that lift them up.
At this point in their lives and during my personal moments of despair, I had to come to the realization that my job is to pray to Almighty God and God’s work is to answer. That right there gave me peace!
If your child is showing initiative and growth, let them know you respect their hard work.
When your son or daughter works on building friendships with fellow students in the dorm, share, “I am in awe of the way you are showing kindness and reaching out to your new friends. You are a loyal and caring person. Way to go!”
Let them know that you admire the man or woman that they are becoming.
“I respect that you are seriously thinking about this problem and feel strongly about the remedy.”
Listen to your child and admire their deep thoughts, their attempts to connect with others, their steps towards diligence, and other things.
Often, words of encouragement go a lot farther than words of rebuke.
Even when you must offer correction to your child, do so in a way that affirms your belief in the adult they will become.
Eggerichs recommends something like the following: “I believe in you. Because I believe in you and the man you are becoming, my role is to help you to be a self-disciplined man of honor,” and then going on to share the gentle rebuke.
Words of support help your adult child understand that you are cheering them on, even if they don’t fulfill your own personal expectations and career goals.
4. Support With No Strings Attached.
When you find yourself in an empty nest, it’s difficult to let go.
You have to understand who your child has become and how the parenting technique must change too.
In addition to sharing words of honor, it’s important to support your child emotionally.
Be there for them.
Make sure they know that you will always be a listening ear and a source of encouragement to them.
Send them open-ended texts that don’t demand a reply.
Surprise your child with care packages often. I did initially and still do!
Share fun facts you learned, interesting things that happened in your day, or something you are praying for in your child’s day to day life.
Ask yourself a hard question: “Deep down, is the purpose of this message to get a response, a reply, a visit, or an affirmation of love?
Or is it to show unconditional support for my child?”
Kids can often read our motives.
When we manipulate to try to get a response, a reply, or a visit, kids often feel frustrated and shamed.
Instead, speak words of encouragement that let your child see your love, your respect, and your hope in their future.
But don’t try to pressure them into seeing you or meeting your own personal needs.
5. Find New Ways to Meet Your Own Personal Needs.
Speaking of getting your own needs met, you will need to find other avenues to finding fun and satisfaction.
When you used to turn to your child for companionship, diversion, busyness, or relief from loneliness, you will now have to find other people to turn to.
This is a great time to spend extra time with God.
There are other ways to survive and thrive in your empty nest.
A job, a new hobby, or a volunteer opportunity at your church or in the community.
These can be great ways to occupy yourself and meet your need for significance and service.
Be OK with going to your child’s favorite store, coffee shop, or entertainment venue—by yourself or with a friend.
You could even text your child photos!
Another thing that helped me a lot was Face timing. My son made it a point of duty up to this day to facetime every day.
Even though he has left home, the bond is still strong.
Although it will certainly take a while, learn to be ok on your own.
If intense grief has been going on for a very long time and you can’t seem to find your identity apart from your child, feel free to find a therapist to help you with complicated grief.
6. Allow Change In The Relationship And Devote Time to Other Relationships
There’s no denying it: saying goodbye to kids hurt, and it changes things forever.
Even though you will be able to repeat some of your favorite activities, things will never be the same.
You will likely still enjoy a rich relationship with your child; you will likely get to repeat all the fun things you are longing to do: sitting and talking, going to coffee, celebrating Christmas traditions, or even performing simple tasks like ironing your son’s shirt.
Though the memories and traditions will still be there, it’s important to let go of your hope that you will be able to recreate the old days and bring back the past.
Acknowledge to yourself that things will never be the same.
Commit to starting to do those things you couldn’t do because of parenting obligations.
Reconnect with old friends – good positive friends that can build you up and explore volunteering opportunities at your local church and in the community.
Letting go of the past and of the elusive “same” that you’re hoping for is hard.
It feels like another death.
When you are able to let go of things being the “same,” you will be more open to treasuring the moments that do remind you of the old days.
Michael Anderson, in his book, Gist, explains that parental love must change over the years.
He says, “In every relationship and aspect of life, love must evolve to survive.
Bringing this child home must evolve into sending that child into the world.
Potential must evolve into limitations.
Hope must evolve into disappointment.
Perfection must evolve into reality and failure. …Our love as parents must evolve.
It might even need to evolve from a ‘would never hurt’ love into a ‘need to allow hurt’ love.”
Letting your child go certainly hurts, and your relationship with your child will never be the same.
Open yourself up to the fact that beautiful things lie ahead—even if they are not exactly like the beautiful things that lay in the past.
7. Influence, But Don’t Insist.
As parents, we feel like we know what is best for our children.
After all, when they were small, we regulated every aspect of their lives.
From the clothes they wore to the food they ate, we provided for them with wisdom and discretion.
We made decisions about their schooling, their healthcare, their nutrition, their technology, and their learning.
Now, you will likely see your child making choices that are different than the ones you would have made.
It’s easy to want to jump in and control the situation like you did when your child was a toddler.
However, Jeramy and Jerush Clark ask a probing question that reminds us of our true priorities: “What does forcing your agenda ultimately accomplish?”
Even when children are younger, it’s impossible to truly control them.
Clarks continues, “Despite daily evidence that we can’t control our kids, many of us cling to the illusion that we can protect them from doing something foolish, something hurtful, something that will seriously damage their future opportunities.”
Rather than forcing children to be what you had hoped and envisioned, try to see your child for who they really are: a person of dignity created by God.
Slow down long enough to really understand the beauty and complexity of your adult child.
Recognize the role changes that the empty nest has brought and learn to gradually adjust.
8. Rely on God for Strength And Focus on Yourself
Saying goodbye to kids is not easy.
You may wonder how you will survive your empty nest when children leave home.
The empty nest may seem overwhelming and unbearable sometimes. The word of God brings peace that surpasses understanding
Jerusha Clark gives these timely words of encouragement: “Now is the time to pay close attention to your own heart and mind…
The Holy Spirit can give you wisdom and insight, consolation, and strength.
You need those things, and you cannot manufacture them on your own.”
The empty nest may seem like it carves an emptiness in your soul that goes to your very core.
Saying goodbye to your kids leaves a void that only the Lord can fill.
But, you have to accept your child’s independence and encourage them to succeed.
The Lord offers His comforting fullness as a balm to your emptiness.
When you are weak, God comes near to help and support.
For those who feel that they cannot go on today, I pray the words of Ephesians 3:16-21:
“I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Did you catch that? He can fill you with His fullness.
And he finishes up the verse with a promise:
“Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Saying goodbye to children moving away is no easy task. It’s not for the faint of heart.
But with God’s grace, you can make a slow and healthy adjustment.
As you learn how to survive when children leave home, you will begin to see the beauty of your new life.
With God’s grace and consistent support, you can have hope in your revamped empty nest.
Sending lots of love, blessings, and positivity your way:)
One of the biggest surprises for a newly married couple can be their spouse’s daily habits regarding finances.
17 practical financial advice for newlyweds can help you avoid money problems before they creep in.
In the busyness of wedding preparations and the glow of romantic love, many couples may forget to discuss the fine details of their financial habits.
After marriage, a husband could be shocked when his new wife responds to a rough day by stress-shopping and coming home with loads of new clothes.
The total money makeover by Dave Ramsey has proven to be a faith-based and PROVEN plan for financial success for couples.
A wife might as well be surprised by her husband’s coffee habit or obsession with off-brand products.
If you are in debt, use this secret to miraculously dissolve your debt.
Saving for children’s college or retirement, beliefs regarding debt, investments, and savings–all these are important details that many couples overlook during the exciting days of engagement.
Igor-Alexander Ledochowski offers a program that gives clear, straightforward information for the average person on how to manage their finances, instead of living paycheck to paycheck.
Now, as a newlywed, it’s important to start off on the right foot when you talk to your spouse about finances.
Learning and adhering to personal finance basics could help couples not live paycheck to paycheck, and avoid many problems that can creep in later.
Money issues are the number one reason why most married couples have conflicts or fights.
As awkward as discussions of money issues can be, it is advisable to tackle this line of communication early to prevent any misunderstandings along the way in the relationship.
This complete guide to money teaches you how to budget, save, dump debt, and invest.
Come along with me in this article as I explore several important financial advice goals for newly married couples, shared by veteran couples with many years of experience.
Most of the information here comes from my own experience of more than three decades of marriage, interviews, and conversations with like couples.
Also, from Christian personal financial management classes and countless personal finance books that have passed in front of my eyes.
Here are 17 pieces of very valuable financial planning advice for newly married couples.
Every decision you make surrounding money is often based on your values.
Mary Nosuchinsky of Stash Wealth once said that married couples should, “Know what each person is bringing into the marriage, whether “good” or “bad” (salaries, savings, debt, spending habits).
It’s also helpful to talk about how each partner grew up with money.
Preparing a written and zero-based budget is the first and most important step in your financial plan.
In light of the important values you have determined, apportion an amount of money that you will set aside for certain needs every month.
A budget is a plan for every dollar you have. A zero-based budget means that every month you must budget or apportion every single dollar.
A budget is a must for any family aiming for financial freedom and a blessed, happy, and contented life.
Money problems related to insufficient wise financial planning is the cause of most marital stresses.
Based on your net incomes, you must know how much to apportion for your needs and wants every month.
Any budget must cover all your needs and some of your wants.
Basically, the key element is — savings for emergencies and the future.
If dressing professionally is important to you, you may want to use a larger portion for work attire.
If savings and generosity are important to you, then place considerable amounts in savings.
Don’t forget to budget for house and car payments, utilities, groceries, and small daily needs like soap and toilet paper.
The most common monthly expenses to factor into your budget should include housing, transportation, child care, pet care, health, life and car insurance, transportation, savings, debt, cell phone, food, utilities….
You must put into consideration both short term goals (within two years and less) and long term goals (anything more than 2 years) in your budget planning.
There are many budgeting apps specifically designed for couples and the family that allow for tracking of individual expenses as well as shared spending.
Avoid large purchases that would involve going into debt. Learn the ancient art of contentment.
If you can’t afford it, simply live without it.
Avoid borrowing and the use of credit cards.
If you must use a credit card, get one that you could use for all of your expenses, where you get cash rewards/ points/miles, and has the capability to build your credit too.
Your plan and focus should be on how much you can put on your credit card each month with the conviction and discipline to pay it OFF completely every month.
According to Proverbs 22:7: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
Don’t ever get fooled by ‘sale’ prices, discounts, and attractive payment plans.
They are all beautifully decorated ideas that can lead you to spend on wants and not needs and to overspend.
8.// Don’t Spend All The Money You Do Have.
Avoiding debt and living within your means are important first steps to financial wellness as newlyweds.
However, a couple married for forty years shares another important lesson they have learned in marriage: you don’t need to spend every penny you DO have.
When you have leftover money in a cash envelope for the month, it’s not necessary to empty it.
Just count it as an extra donation to your savings account.
9.// Save For Large Purchases.
Savings is an effective and preferred way to achieve those large purchases you’ve been wishing for.
A car, a house, a new roof, and other large purchases require savings, patience, and perseverance.
Save money, a little or as much as you can each month for whatever goal you have in mind, and you will be surprised how quickly the money adds up.
10://Put Money In Long-Term savings.
Arrange with your employer to deduct money from your paycheck before you ever see it.
Direct deposit to savings is a simple way to pay yourself first.
Long term savings accounts are designed for saving over an extended period of time. There are other savings account options that are not as restricted.
This method of savings ensures that you are not tempted to spend the money you should be saving.
Saving is an important way to plan for your future and your family’s future. It requires a lot of discipline on your part, but remember that The Lord is your strength.
11.// Work Hard. Hard Work Pays Off.
Colossians 3:22-24 tells us God’s standards for our employment.
We should work hard “not only when [the boss’s] eye is on you and to curry their favor but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Proverbs 13:4 also links hard work to financial success.
If you are not willing to work diligently, cheerfully, and willingly, don’t expect money to come rolling in.
12.// Remember That Money Is Not The Ultimate.
Although money is critical for survival, it is not the most important thing in the universe.
There are many things more valuable than getting another dollar.
There is no price tag to assess the value of spending time with your children while they are growing.
Investing time helping your elderly parents or neighbors is paramount and priceless.
Listening to a grieving friend is irreplaceable.
Each of these items is more important than money.
Although it’s important to work hard and to save, sometimes other things need to come along too or even come first.
First Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.”
Jesus had a lot to say about people who loved money more than they loved him. Don’t be that person.
In other words, do not be so engulfed in making money that you neglect other aspects of life that are equally or even more important.
Someone once said that a happy environment attracts good things including money.
13.// Listen To Advice From Older Generations.
A seasoned couple with many years of marriage experience shares lessons learned in marriage.
These short proverbs will help guide you as you start your marriage:
Advice # 1: Pay off your credit cards every month and do not allow debts to accumulate.
Advice # 2: Shop from a list; if it’s not on the list, don’t buy it.
Advice # 3 Always think about big purchases overnight. Don’t buy impulsively.
Go home from the car dealer or furniture store and contemplate overnight if the purchase is warranted, for example.
Morning light often gives clarity to the situation.
There’s nothing wrong with getting financial advice from successful and trustworthy people that are older.
They can also serve as your mentors or accountability partners.
14.// Have An Emergency Fund.
Dave Ramsey and all financial advisers suggest keeping a sum of money that is set aside for emergencies.
Unfortunate situations tend to come around with regularity: emergent care, hospital bills, car breakdowns, appliance problems, roof damage, or even a fire or car crash.
Having an emergency fund will give you more confidence when difficult situations arise.
Dave Ramsey advises at least $1000 emergency fund in a beginner emergency fund and $500 if your income is under $20,000 per year.
According to Dave Ramsey, “A fully-funded emergency fund covers three to six months of expenses.”
Others suggest starting at $500 and adding to it until it gets to three to six month’s worth of expenses.
It’s not possible to know when an emergency will happen, but it is possible to plan ahead for it.
To build your emergency fund quickly, the simple and best principle is to spend less and make more.
You have to make an intentional effort to cut down on your overall average monthly expenses.
It can mean taking lunch to work, cutting off the lattes, going to the grocery store with a list, and avoiding buying anything that is not on the list, cutting down on weekend outings, etc.
This is probably one of the best practical financial advice a newlywed couple can put into practice immediately.
15.// Choose Date Options That Don’t Cost As Much.
While splurging on your relationship as a newlywed couple is a good idea from time to time, try to choose cost-effective date nights whenever possible.
The bottom line is to save money.
Perhaps you could go on a hike, ride a bike, walk by the river, or enjoy a home movie.
Whatever the case, enjoying the simple joys of life FOR NOW can help to save money.
16.// Live By The Old Proverb, “A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned.”
Another practical financial advice for newlyweds is to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. What small changes can you make to save money?
Perhaps you could adjust the thermostat by a few degrees. Or change your lighting to fluorescent bulbs.
Or, turn off the shower while lathering. You can also turn off lights when not in use, or let the fresh breeze dry your clothes.
Ride a bike to the store, walk in the neighborhood instead of going to the gym, or cook at home a few more nights a week.
You can sell things that you don’t need or use to make extra money and also declutter your house or apartment.
These options will not only save money but will reduce your carbon footprint on the earth.
17:// Pay Your Tithes and Choose Generosity.
Sometimes, it’s easy to clench our fists and hang onto our carefully-earned money.
But 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give outside the tithe, however not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
This promise provides endless hope for those who are generous. We tithe as an act of faith. Tithes support the needs of pastors and the work of the local church.
Most wealthy Christians attribute their success to adherence to sound practical financial advice related to tithing and offering.
God is more than able to bless us with all we need, in this life and in the next.
He will give us the resources we need to serve Him and bless others in every good work.
He will take care of us, and we will be fulfilled.
I believe that giving to the Lord should be the number one priority for any believer that understands or has experienced the benefits.
Obedience in paying tithes pleases God. Remember, He is the source.
Malachi 3:10 supports that – paying tithes and giving offerings as instructed are signs of obedience to Christ.
Obedience is better than sacrifice. Tithing is an act of faith.
We prove our love for Christ by obeying His commands.
All that we have belong to God. That should be a motivation for you to be obedient in paying your tithe.
Putting these practical financial advice and tips into practice can help you to stay financially happy.
“A vision without action is just a hallucination.” – Dr. C. Thomas Anderson.
Please do not Procrastinate!
Sending lots of love, blessings, and positivity your way………♥
Sometimes, you may find you need some uplifting words that can brighten your day.
You may need reflective words or words of wisdom – an uplifting quote that can bring about a much-needed change or pull you in a better and more positive direction.
Find a comfortable spot like this to reflect on these words.
It is my prayer that they would help you in a remarkable way along your journey to better relationship experiences and to encourage you to stay sensitive and intentional.
Here we go, the best uplifting inspirational quotes to brighten your day.
“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” -Frederick Keonig
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller
♥“A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” -Andre Maurois
♥“The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It’s a choice you make – not just on your wedding day, but over and over again – and that choice is reflected in the way you treat your husband or wife.” -Barbara De Angelis
“Kindness has no religion. Religions are like narrow tracks, but kindness is like an open sky.” – Amit Ray
“Every morning when I get up, I ask God what he wants me to do, ask Him to lead me to the right people to help them.”– Richard Simmons
“Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind.” – David G. Allen
♥“Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” – Martin Luther
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller
♥“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. -1st. Corinthians 13; 3-7 NLT
“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose” – Bill Gates
“Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses.” – Lao Tzu
“When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?” -Thich Nhat Hanh
♥“If love cannot stand the test of time, then it has failed the test of love.” – Bernard Byer
“What I write comes from a place of deep love, and a deep understanding of all kinds of otherness.” – Jacqueline Woodson
♥ “Love is not finding someone to live with. It’s finding someone you can’t live without.” – Rafael Ortiz
“When God puts love and compassion in your heart toward someone, He’s offering you an opportunity to make a difference in that person’s life. You must learn to follow that love. Don’t ignore it. Act on it. Somebody needs what you have.”― Joel Osteen,Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential♥” True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself. It is equal and pure, without violent demonstrations: it is seen with white hairs and is always young in the heart.” -Honore de Balzac
“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down”. – Oprah Winfrey
“Love is begun by time, And time qualifies the spark and fire of it.” – Shakespeare
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
♥“What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.” -Leo Tolstoy
“When you face adversity, you need to remind yourself that whatever is trying to defeat you could very well be what God will use to promote you.” ― Joel Osteen,Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential
♥“Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for.” – Erica Jong
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7 NKJV
♥“Great marriages don’t happen by luck or by accident. They are the result of a consistent investment of time, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, affection, prayer, mutual respect, and a rock-solid commitment between a husband and a wife.” – Dave Willis
♥“Marriage is sharing your life with your best friend, enjoying the journey along the way, and arriving at every destination together – Fawn Weaver
“Quit worrying about how everything is going to turn out. Live one day at a time; better yet, make the most of this moment. It’s good to have a big–picture outlook, to set goals, to establish budgets, and make plans, but if you’re always living in the future, you’re never really enjoying the present in the way God wants you to.”― JoelOsteen,Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential.
♥“A marriage cannot survive when we think only of ourselves. We need to recognize that to love someone is a choice, not a feeling. – Christin Slade
♥“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” –Proverbs 18:22
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 NKJV
“Think before you speak. In the heat of the moment. It’s easy to say something you’ll later regret.” – Dr. Anil Kumar Sinha
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” – 1 John 4:11 NKJV
“Your desire to succeed should be driven by the need to fulfill your God-given purpose and not attract the praise of men.” –Tolu Thomy
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”– Brene Brown
“Let your past make you better, not bitter.” -Unknown
♥“Whencouplesfocus on remaining two while God is seeking to create oneness in them, they are inadvertently working against His purpose.” – Dr. Tony Evans
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Words travel far more than we can ever reach across hearts and live longer than we can ever live on earth and as such, should be spoken with a lot of goodness in them.” – Terry Mark
“Be sure to taste all of your words before you spit them out.”– Unknown
“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” – Napoleon Hill
“Purpose is that power that will propel you to get out of bed in the morning and push you to make your dreams come true.” – Unknown
“Never underestimate the power to change you.” – Walter Ngele
♥“I have known many happy marriages, but never a compatible one. The whole aim of marriage is to fight through and survive the instant when incompatibility becomes unquestionable.” – G.K. Chesterton
“Sin and Hell are married unless repentance proclaims the divorce.” — Spurgeon
“The truth carries a weight that no lie can counterfeit.” –John Hagee
“Today, if you arefeeling overwhelmed,Jesus Christ is the rock who is high above your circumstance.” – Joel Osteen
“Righteous bumper provides motivationto push through difficulties.” – Dr. Charles Stanley
“Attacking the successful does not delete your failure.”– Dr. Pastor Paul Enenche
“Time changes, but truth never change.” – Unknown
“Children of today, there’s no benefit in rebellion.” – Dr. Pastor Paul Eneche
“Favor is the secret to uncommon blessings. Favor is the difference between your present and your future.” – Prophet Nanasei Sarkodie
“No matter what the matter is, you will matter when it matters most.” – Dr. Chris Okafor
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, all play and no work makes Jack a poor boy.” -Unknown
“Dwelling on negative thoughts is like fertilizing weeds.” – Normal Vincent Peale
“When you appreciate the insignificant, you attract the significant.” – Skip Prichard
“Stop being jealous of people in their winning season. You don’t know what they lost in their losing season.” – Unknown
“Failure in education is not a failure in life. Failure is by determination.” – Unknown
“What you believe is what you become.” – Unknown
♥Where you go, I’ll go, where you stay, I’ll stay. – Ruth 1:16
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:8
“We are most grateful for life’s mountain tops when we have experienced life’s valleys” – Skip Prichard
“I want peace, happiness, not only for myself, for everybody.”– Fela Kuti
“It is better to be a fool for Christ than a hero for the world for the times of the world will pass away, but the blessings of Christ will endure forever.” – Pastor John Hagee
“You are creative, you are alive, you are the stuff life is made of. What else could possibly matter?” – Iyanla Vanzant
“Don’t you dare allow personal fear to limit what God will do in your life.” – Pastor Mathew Hagee
♥“What makes a marriage strong is loving with a biblical love grounded in patience, kindness, loyalty, grace, and more, which is in alignment with God’s covenantal purpose for marriage“. – Dr. Tony Evans
“Five Daily Reminders: 1. You only fail if you quit 2. Everyone’s journey is different 3. Things always get better with time. 4. The past cannot be changed 5. Happinessis found within” – Unknown
“The man who is powerful FEARS nothing; not even God. The powerful man loves God, but FEARS him never! Enduring power never grows out of FEAR. Any power that is built upon FEAR is bound to crumble and disintegrate. Understand this great truth and you will never be so unfortunate as to raise yourself to power through the FEARS of other people who may owe you temporary allegiance.” – Napoleon Hill
“Nothing works unless it originates from God.”– Unknown
♥“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning, and unquenchable.” – Bruce Lee
“Life is about keys when you have a key, you don’t knock, you open the door.” – Archbishop Nick Duncan-Williams
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
♥ “If you can’t do anything about it, then let it go. Don’t be a prisoner to things you can’t change.” – Tony Gaskins
♥ “God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” – Max Lucado
“God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go.” – Dr. Tony Evans
♥ “Remember who you are. Don’t compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth.” – Lysa Terkeurst
“If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan
“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’” – Billy Graham
“There is a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror. Your future matters more than your past.” – Max Lucado
“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” – Charles Stanley
“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.” – Matt Chandler
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; and, he will exult over you with loud singing.” –Zephaniah 3:17
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
“God is love. He didn’t need us. But he wanted us. And that is the most amazing thing.” – Rick Warren
♥“Christian marriage does not exist for the benefit of the two people in the marriage; it is for the benefit of the world, that God would be glorified in it. The main purpose of marriage is not the enjoyment of the two people who are married, the main purpose of marriage is to glorify Christ as we participate in the mission of God.” -Tim Suttle
Biblical Caution
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:4 NLT
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”-Galatians 6:2 NLT
“Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.” – Proverbs 22: 24-25 NLT
“Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it. – William Ward
“The opposite of love is not hatred; it’s indifference.” -Elie Wiesel
For Husbands
The Christlike husband is not supposed to be mean, harsh, provoke, or ill-treat their wives.
They are to love their wives as they love their own bodies. Would anyone ever harm their own bodies?
Be patient with your wife. Women go through some emotions that are peculiar to them, sometimes we do not understand it ourselves.
As her first responder, instead of being nonchalant, be kind and understanding. It takes very little or few gestures to please a woman.
You will progress more if your wife is 100% on your team. You are the head of the household, stay proactive, focused, and intentional, and do all you can to keep your home moving in the right direction.
If you become passive and the wife takes over, please don’t complain and call her liberated and disrespectful.
You cannot hold your wife to a standard or accountability that you will not hold yourself to as well.
♥“In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church.” – Ephesians 5:28 NIV
♥“Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” – Colossians 3:19 NIV
♥ “Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them withrespect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” – 1 Peter 3:7 NIV
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” – Proverbs 27:17
“Home is where everyone comes for respite and rest, but if a home environment does not provide the love that children need, then they will seek it elsewhere. ” – Nicoline Ambe, Being Dad
The kingdom wifeis supposed to respect (reverence) their husband.
They are expected to control their emotions and not nag, belittle, insult, talk negatively or gossip about their husbands, or bring them shame by the way they live at home or in the community.
Some men like to be respected for their intelligence and physical strength.
Hey ladies, if all it takes for him to be the kingdom man you want is to respect his intelligence and physical strength andboost his ego from time to time? Please, by all means, do it!
♥However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. – Ephesians 5:33 NIV
“I love you not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.” – Roy Croft
♥“Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” –Proverbs 31:11-12 NLT
♥“She speaks withwisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” – Proverbs 31:26-27 NIV
“Compassion is like a mother giving love to her children. Mother’s ways are higher than others, even when everyone rejects, mother accepts with her arms open and wide.” -Amit Ray
“When I am frustrated with my husband and feel like giving up on us, I have two choices. One: I can choose love and work on my marriage or, two: I can choose to love and work on my marriage.” -Darlene Schacht
“For our home to be a refuge it needs to be a place where love, compassion, and patience prevail.” – Allan Lokos,Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living
Encouragement
♥ Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
♥ Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? – Ecclesiastes 4:11
♥“You don’t fall into love. You commit to it. Love is saying ‘I will be there no matter what.’” -Tim Keller
♥ So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.– 1 Thessalonians 5:11
♥For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. – Matthew 18:20
♥As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. – Proverbs 27:17
♥“Conflicts are not a sign you’ve married the wrong person. They simply affirm you are human.” -Dr. Gary Chapman
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25
“Your mind is the only thing you can control exclusively. Don’t give it away too freely through useless arguments.” – Napoleon Hill
“Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.” – Oprah Winfrey
♥“Love is supposed to be based on trust, and trust on love, it’s something rare and beautiful when people can confide in each other without fearing what the other person will think.” – E.A. Bucchianeri
“And now these three remain faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13
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Sending lots of Blessings, Love & Positivity your Way…………♥
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” 
“The truth carries a weight that no lie can counterfeit.” 
