How can you use the New Year’s Eve celebration to revitalize your marriage for the next year? Early in our marriage we established a tradition of spending some time together that evening answering two questions.
Encourage Your Spouse
Think about it: Where have you seen God at work in your husband or wife? Be thankful to God for His powerful grace. We would each answer this question about the other person, speaking encouragement into their soul.
There is one rule: whoever is sharing must not give even a hint of displeasure or correction, or try to change the other. This is because the Bible is clear in 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Be Open with Your Spouse
Think about it: Where has God been working on you? What part of your life do you need to surrender to Him and His will? You do know the answers to these questions. We would each answer this question for ourself and then tell the other person.
Pray Together
Do it together: thank God for His grace in your lives. Thank Him for His mercy on two sinners in a struggling relationship, as well. Thank Him for making you patient, forgiving and hopeful toward one another.
Such an activity, whether it occurs on New Year’s Eve or not, is part of the experience of being soul-mates, true soul-mates for life. Your love for one another, when empowered by God’s love, will give you a most amazing marriage; and it will get better with the years as your commitment to one another and God’s purposes in your lives deepens. Praise be to Him for His glorious gift of marriage!!!
Encourage Your Spouse
Think about it: Where have you seen God at work in your husband or wife? Be thankful to God for His powerful grace. We would each answer this question about the other person, speaking encouragement into their soul.
“What have I seen God do in and through you this past year?”Maybe it was an area of personal growth, or learning more about God in order to know Him better and worship and serve Him better. Maybe it was suffer through a trial, or an injustice, or supporting someone who did. Or, it could be that your husband or wife needs to hear just how influential and inspiring they have been to so many people.
There is one rule: whoever is sharing must not give even a hint of displeasure or correction, or try to change the other. This is because the Bible is clear in 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Be Open with Your Spouse
Think about it: Where has God been working on you? What part of your life do you need to surrender to Him and His will? You do know the answers to these questions. We would each answer this question for ourself and then tell the other person.
“What do I hope and expect God to do in and through me this next year?”Here again there is one rule: Be vulnerable before your spouse and humble in front of God. Also, this is not the time to comment on what is shared with you by your husband or wife in their openness. Just be willing to pray and support. There will be faltering progress in the coming year, but it will be forward progress nonetheless.
Pray Together
Do it together: thank God for His grace in your lives. Thank Him for His mercy on two sinners in a struggling relationship, as well. Thank Him for making you patient, forgiving and hopeful toward one another.
Such an activity, whether it occurs on New Year’s Eve or not, is part of the experience of being soul-mates, true soul-mates for life. Your love for one another, when empowered by God’s love, will give you a most amazing marriage; and it will get better with the years as your commitment to one another and God’s purposes in your lives deepens. Praise be to Him for His glorious gift of marriage!!!
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