The Love Dare

This is to all you married gals out there. I have discovered a new book The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick. I discovered by complete accident last week at Borders while my hubby and I were digesting our Applebee's 2 for $20.00 dinner fiesta!


This particular was lying on a display shelf amongst other 1/2 priced books. The Love Dare however, was misplaced on this shelf as there were no other copies of it and it was not on sale. Coincidence? I wonder.


I started to peruse the copy and immediately fell in love. The Love Dare is a book dedicated to serving your spouse, expressing nothing but love, kindness, and thoughtfulness, placing his/her needs above your own, etc. The dare is over a forty day period where readers are to complete a dare each day.


The book is full of wonderful uplifting scripture and excellent commentary. I often find myself agreeing with the authors and saying "oooo, I do that...oppps!" However, sometimes it takes a mirror held in front of your face before we can truly learn something. I have never been so uplifted about marriage and have so enjoyed the powerful words I have read.


I have been using The Love Dare as my "give" for the last four days and it has been great. I highly recommend this book to any married couple.



Give 12/13/09
Love is Patient


Today's dare was about being patient with my spouse. The dare: Speak only kindness to my husband. If I did not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all. A simple concept yes, but when one takes stock into all of the negative comments that escape our mouths daily, it is amazingly eye opening when you focus on only communicating in a positive manner. Though my hubby knows I purchased the book I am not so sure that what the book is about or what I was doing on this particular day has fully registered, but I did notice the reciprocating of that patience with my husband to myself. I have tried (and succeeded for the most part) in implementing this strategy for the last four days!


Give 12/14/09
Love is Kind


Today was all about giving. Showing acts of kindness has always been something I have felt I have been particularly good at but not so lucky in receiving in my marriage. The dare: do a random act of kindness for your spouse. On this day I decided that is not what it is about, that he gives in his own way. For today's dare I gave to my husband through an act of kindness by remembering to not say anything negative (from the Love is Patient dare) as well as preparing his lunch for him for the following day; something I need to make a habit as I think it would be something he would truly appreciate.


Normally I would not have expected much notice at this kind act I had completed but today I received a phone call from my honey on the way to work thanking me for making his lunch for him! God works in the most awesome of ways!


Give 12/15/09
Love is not selfish


Yikes! I dread the 'S' word. My mom often used it as a label to torture me as a child. I have never fully recovered from that stigma. I hear the word and I automatically relate it to me. Am I a selfish person? I am sure we all are at times, but on a regular basis I would love to answer with a no. Today, in addition to not saying anything negative my dare was to act out of unselfishness. To do something for my spouse just because. To give to him a gift that says "I was just thinking about you". My give was a note saying exactly the previous with a few of his favorite chocolate candies on the counter before I left for work. To date, I still have not heard about that gift from my hubby; oh well! :(



So far The Love Dare has really shown me a lot about myself in just four short days. I hope and pray that I continue to grow and love my husband as best as I can and maybe get him to read this wondeful book as well!