Challenge #69

Here at The M Challenge, we spend a great deal of time and effort cultivating our most precious earthly relationship, our marriage. But what about the most precious relationship of all: our relationship with God? As we have previously mentioned, success in our marriage is directly correlated to the state of our salvation. But even more importantly than that is our future, our eternal lives. So what is the state of your salvation? Are you saved? Do you know what it means to be "saved?"

Here's a very good devotional from In Touch Ministries that briefly explains what it means to be saved. The audio can be found here: What does it mean to be saved?

"What makes a person acceptable to God? The path to redemption begins not with the decision to live a better life or to stop doing something wrong, but with the realization that we cannot correct our sinful nature. To find favor with the Lord, we must grasp that it's impossible to make ourselves righteous; instead, we need to depend on the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. When we trust in Christ as our Savior, God the Father applies the benefit of Jesus' atoning sacrifice to our sin debt, thereby making us "saved," or acceptable in His eyes.

The Bridge By William C. Ressler
Jesus' death on the cross is the only bridge between God and man

Your good works and righteous acts are of absolutely no value in the mind of God. Compared to others' actions, your generosity and good works might seem like enough to bring favor with the Lord, but Jesus said, "Not as a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:9). When you stand before God, the only way you can be forgiven of your sins is through Jesus Christ and His sacrificial, substitutionary atoning death at Calvary. Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Jesus' public crucifixion was a demonstration of God's hatred for sin and immense love for mankind. He who was blameless bore the penalty for all in order that wicked, corrupt people could be made righteous.

No matter what you've done, you can be cleansed of the stain left by sin. Confess any known transgressions and turn from them; then Jesus will forgive you and write your name in the Lamb's Book of Life (1 John 1:9; Rev. 21:27). By trusting in Him, you are assured of eternity in His presence."

If you have never trusted in Jesus, we implore you to do so today. Your life, your eternal life depends on it. Please contact us if you have any questions at all at themchallenge@gmail.com.

Challenge #68

It didn't take me long to discover that time is my greatest, most precious resource. I understand that whatever and whoever I devote my time to has my heart. This is why having my priorities straight is so important to me. I have been guilty of putting things: people, activities, etc. higher on the list than they belong and have suffered the consequences from doing so. However, there are two that will forever remain on top and they are not interchangeable: My God and my spouse. Before you're a spouse, you should first be a Christian. Before you're a parent, you should first be a spouse, and so on.

Children have their rightful place in life, but they should not be before your spouse or God. Not surprisingly, many, many people struggle with this. To them I say this: if you want to have trouble in your most important relationships, i.e. your relationship with God and your spouse, put your children first. So many people do this, it has become quite the norm when it should not be. As previously said, children grow up, move out, and move on. Therefore, making your children the center of your universe will have disasterous effects on your personal well-being. I'm not going to spend all day on this, just wanted to reiterate this important fact: your spouse should come before your children (but not before your God).

I'm sure if you thought about it long enough, you could come up with some examples in which your spouse did not come before other people. Today's challenge is to put your spouse's wants and needs before those of all other people. In whatever ways you have the chance to, whenever an opportunity presents itself, decide to put your spouse first.

Challenge #67

What season are you in? What season is your marriage in? We all go through seasons, it is inevitable. And not one of us can stop the seasons from changing. There are two important things I want us to touch on today. The first is the knowledge of seasons and the second is the preparation for seasons. If you don't recognize that there are seasons in life, it is unlikely that you will be prepared for when the seasons change.

What do the seasons of weather look like on earth? Well if you're in Texas, they look like pretty dramatic changes (versus California in which you have 1 1/2 seasons the entire year). In this illustration, consider your marriage to be like Texas. It would be a tragedy to venture outside in a turtleneck and heavy coat in July in the same way it would be to venture out in shorts and flip-flops in December. In both situations, we would be ill-prepared and surely not like the result. So we don't do this because we value our health and desire neither heat stroke nor hypothermia. It is our knowledge that the seasons will change that affords us the opportunity to be better prepared and respond appropriately.

The seasons of life are much like the seasons in Texas, (though they hopefully don't change nearly as often) and your marriage will go through these seasons as long as your persevere. Let me say that again. Your marriage will go through these seasons as long as you persevere. You have to get through the bad seasons to enjoy the good. Unfortunately for us, we can't predict which sesasons are coming next. A season of joy and excitement in welcoming a new baby could turn into a season of mourning and heartache in the loss of the child. We don't know what is coming in life, and sometimes it's a curveball.

But are you prepared? That is what matters: your preparation. Are you already relying on God? Has your marriage been built up in such a way that when harsh seasons come, you and your spouse are not driven apart, but pull closer together in love, unity, and support? If the metaphorical blizzard hit tomorrow, would you have adequate clothing to wear? You may not know when the harsh winter is coming, but it can and will come for everyone during life, so why not do what you can to prepare now?


Will your marriage make it through the seasons of life? It will if you trust in the Lord and build your marriage with God as the foundation! "...his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Pslam 1:2-3

 Today's challenge is to find a way to better prepare yourself and your marriage for the changing seasons of life. With that, I leave you with some of the most beautiful insightful words ever written.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
 ¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
 ²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
 ³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
 ⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
 ⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
 ⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
 ⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
 ⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Challenge #66

Whether you decided to cut back on expenses, start saving, or tithe regularly, being a steward in your finances is important. However, monetary resources is not the only area in which we should practice stewardship. We must also practice stewardship when it comes to how we use our talents and especially how we spend our time!

Have you heard the statistics relating divorce and church attendance? Check them out for yourself here. There is an extremely strong correlation between divorce and church attendance: as church attendance goes up, the likelihood of divorce comes way down. There are also statistics that report greater marital happiness in couples who worship together, pray together, and serve together. It is safe to say that being a “committed, faithful believer makes a measurable difference in marriage!"

Don't underestimate not only the power of God, but your need for God to be central in your marriage.

For today's challenge, do something to draw you and your spouse closer to God (and thus closer to eachother). Pray together, read your bible together, find a way to serve together, watch or listen to a sermon together, discuss God's word or His plans for your lives. These are some ideas of things you can do or you can come up with your own!

Challenge #65

What do you think the Bible means when it says "a prudent wife is from the Lord" in Proverbs 19:14?

In examining the verse, we see the words "house," "riches," and "inheritance," so it would be safe to infer that this is in reference to monetary amd/or financial matters. In defining the word "prudent," we discover a deeper meaning of this admirable characteristic of a godly, God-given wife.

PRUDENT: marked by wisdom, shrewd or clever and discerning in the management of practical affairs, circumspect or careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences, provident or making provision for the future, frugal or reflecting economy or efficiency in the use of resources

There are many instances in the Bible that talk about being wise stewards of whatever resources and talents that have been bestowed upon us. Explore Matthew 25 then evaluate in what ways you and your spouse can become better stewards of your God-given gifts, resources, and talents.

Challenge #64

Tonight seems like a good night for a date, don't you think? Whether you go out or stay in, celebrate your bright future together because your future is bright as long as you persevere!

Challenge #63

Is there peace in your marriage and in your home? I sincerely hope so. All that talk about couples fighting against each other reminded me of two scriptures in particular: Matthew 12:25 and Ephesians 6:12. Take a moment to read both by clicking on the verse links. What stands out to you? Jesus says in Matthew that any house divided against itself cannot stand. Wouldn't that be true for your house as well? So if you are at war with your spouse, there is division and you are setting your house up to fall. Another way to say this is: you're setting your marriage up to fail. You must come together for your house to stand, for your marriage to be successful. Ephesians reminds us that there is a real enemy and it is not your spouse. It says that we battle against the devil, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness. There is an enemy and it is not flesh and blood - your husband or wife. We see this same theme of being able to "stand," persevere, or succeed. And thankfully, we see the tools necessary to do so. There is nothing we can do without God's help because without Him we are nothing. If we truly desire a loving, peaceful marriage that flourishes, we must seek help from the Creator of marriage. There is no getting around it. We're lost without Him.

I've both heard and read this phrase and it holds true: the best thing you can do for your marriage is to become a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. Why? Because God designed marriage. Let Him teach you not only have to love your spouse, but how to put others first and love others with the godly love that He provides.

You must come out of the idea of "self." This was taken from Our Daily Bread:

A man once asked me, “What is your biggest problem?” I replied, “I see my biggest problem every day in the mirror.” I am referring to those “me first” desires that lurk in my heart.
In James 4:1 we read: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” The words “desires for pleasure” refer to our self-serving desires. That’s why in James 1:14 we are told: “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” James warns that such “me first” desires will destroy our friendship with God (4:4) and cause divisions, wars, and fights (vv.1-2).
Therefore, we are told to put off “me first” thinking. How do we do this? First, “Submit to God” (4:7). We need to get our ranking right—God is God and His will must always be first. Second, “Draw near to God” (v.8). Deal with those desires that lead to sin by going to God for cleansing. Don’t be double-minded, desiring both evil and good. But rather desire to please God alone. Third, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord” (v.10). Then “He will lift you up.”
Remember, “me first” living is not the key to success. Put God first.

I once was full of self, and proud
Just like a Pharisee,
Until one day, quite by surprise,
I caught a glimpse of me. —Hawthorne

When you forget yourself, you usually start doing something others will remember.

Forget yourself today. Do something that your spouse will remember.

Challenge #62

Sometimes marriage is hard! That's why we have to know where to find encouragement when it is needed. If we look to our spouse to be the source of our happiness, they will always fall short. We were all born with a God-shaped hole in our heart. We try to fill it with anything and everything else, but the reality is: only one thing fits and only one thing can fill it and that is the God who designed it.

Onto today's challenge you faithful husbands and wives!!!
You may have noticed this in your relationships with friends and family or even in your own marriage: a lot of people are unhappy. This discontent stems from the fact that two imperfect people stopped being single individuals and started building a life together. When two seperate individuals come together, there begins a constant push-pull over who is going to get their way or who is going to win or lose. You can choose to go on like this for as long as you are willing to stand it. But the truth of the matter is: no one has to lose. You can win together. Instead of fighting against eachother, you can choose to work together, be on the same team, and fight together.

I'm sure if you have been married any period longer than a few years, you have at some point in time or another felt that your spouse was more like the enemy than a team mate. We've all felt it. We've all been there and some of us are there now. If this is you, I encourage you to concede! Wave the white flag. Make peace in your marriage and promote unity in your relationship (as long as what you're conceding to is not sin). Most of us have heard the old addage "don't win the battle and lose the war." Well the battle is whatever small disagreement you may have with your spouse. The war is your marriage. Don't allow what may seem to be a big issue in the moment (but 10 years from now will not matter in the big scheme of things) jeapordize the strength and future of your marriage.

Do whatever you need to today to heal old wounds and wave the white flag. Your future may depend on it.

Challenge #61

I heard about a report that said on average it takes approximately 9 years to get out of selfishness and become one with your spouse. But most people generally get divorced well before then. Then if and when they choose to remarry, they repeat the worst years with someone else! Today I just want to encourage you all to hang in there. It does get better. Today's challenge is to consider some areas of your life in which you may be having a hard time with. Ask your spouse to help you by praying for you in these areas.

Challenge #60

We touched on this VERY briefly in Challenge #58 but we're going to go a little more in depth today. There were two clauses in Ephesians 5 that we highlighted (italicised) when we paraphrased them. They were "as unto the Lord" and "as Christ loved the church." These are two of the most important statements made about the husband wife relationship found in the entire Bible. These two statements illustrate what Biblical marriage is and we wanted to take the time to clarify what they mean today.

Let's start with wives (ladies first lol) because the Bible started with the wife - it addresses the wife first. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." Just really quick - notice it says unto your own husbands. You don't submit to someone else's husband. I know this may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people believe that the wife of another should submit to another man's leadership, so I just wanted to be sure to point that out. Moving on!

"As unto the Lord." What does this mean? Does it mean that a wife should "give their husbands the same unquestioned, absolute submission they give Christ?" I don't think so! Some may disagree and believe that the Bible is in fact teaching wives absolute submission to husbands, but I'm going to take the whole Bible in context here and say NO. It does not mean that. We don't have to go very far to find examples that it is not teaching this. In verse 21 of the same chapter, we see "submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Husbbands should be inthe fear of God, meaning they should be doing things in accordance to the will of God. Also, Acts 5:29 illustrates that there are times when we must obey God instead of man. So if a husband instructs a wife to do that which is not in the fear of God, specifically sin, a wife expected to submit to sin.

If it's not saying that wives are called into absolute submission, what is it saying? It is saying that a wife's submission to her husband is submission to the Lord. She submits to her husband as a way of submitting to God. Here is a phrase that spells it out clearly: "When the wife yields her will to that of her husband, she yields to the Lord - provided the husband's directions are "in the fear of God" or in line with God's will." [Therefore, a wife can not use the excuse of 'I was just submitting to my husband' when it comes to sin - this ensures that each person is accountable for his or her own actions.] So wives, submit to your husband as a way of submitting to the Lord, to the very God who commanded it. This should make a wife approach "submission" differently, with the knowledge that it is in service to God.

Now on to husbands. "Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." Wow. That is a powerful phrase. There is so much in that one sentence, it's going to be hard to tackle it all, but we'll try! Love your wives. The love spoken of here is agape love. The words "even as" mean 'even to the same extent as' Christ loved the church. This is saying that husbands should demonstrate the same kind of self-sacrificing unconditional love that Christ did for us, His church. That is a bold statement. There should be the same "willing sacrificial giving on the husband's part for the benefit of his wife, without thought of return," "even as" or 'even to the point of' giving his life! How can we know that this is what it is saying? Because it specifically gives the example of how He "gave himself for it." What did Christ give? He gave His very life for the church. "So there is to be no sacrifice, not even the laying down of his life, that a husband should not be willing to make for his wife." That just blows me away!

So today's challenge is to 1. have a clear understanding of your God given role in your marriage and 2. come to an agreement with your spouse as to whose role is what and 3. define what this means in your home. A husband's responsibility to love and lead and a wife's responsibility to submit and follow look different in every marriage. That is why step three is so important. Good day all!

Challenge #59

Stability is important in a marriage. So is reliability. Can your spouse rely on you? Do you do what you say you will do? Are you a man or woman of your word? This is all a part of stability and most importantly trust. Your spouse needs to be able to trust you. They need to be able to believe what you say and have faith in you. There are few people worse than the unreliable. If you have been this type of spouse, the type that can't be counted on, trusted, or relied upon, this must be addressed today. Not tomorrow, today. Don't allow another day to go by without regaining the trust of your spouse. If you have lacked dependability in the past, correct this today. If you are unsure, ask your spouse. Have I been someone that you can depend on? Do you consider me to be reliable? Where, if anywhere, have I gained, maintained, or lost your trust? Have I established myself as a safe environment to gain your confidence? These are all good questions, but you can come up with ones that may be better suited to your marriage.

Challenge #58

Being married is really an opportunity to cultivate a relationship like no other on Earth. Who else can you love that is just like loving yourself? When Ephesians 5 says that husbands ought "to love their wives as their own bodies" and  "he that loveth his wife loveth himself" it is not kidding. These are true statements. Loving your spouse is loving yourself. When you nourish and cherish your wife as this piece of scripture commands, you are really nourishing and cherishing yourself through the marriage relationship - and this goes for wives too!

Countless times I have heard people ask the question about relationships and imply that relationships should be "50/50." That is not what the Bible teaches at all. The marriage relationship is to be 100/100. You give 100%, your spouse gives 100%. If both parties are giving their best effort, nothing is lacking - everything is in abundance. (Doesn't that sound great? Everything in abundance. Love in abundance!) If you're more concerned about where to draw the line at 50%, you're not giving your best. YOU ARE NOT GIVING YOUR BEST! There is no 50/50 in a marriage! In this type of marriage, someone will always be unhappy. Someone will always feel like they are "doing more" of the work. This doesn't happen when you're giving 100%. When you commit yourself to doing 100%, there are no questions asked, no lines drawn, no doing or giving more than he/she is. When you commit yourself to doing 100%, you have an understanding from the beginning - you've already made the decision - you're giving 100% regardless of what your spouse is giving.

Today's challenge is to commit yourself to giving 100%. I know this sounds difficult and I know the selfishness inside each and every one of us wants to say that you're not going to put more into your marriage than your husband or wife puts in - you don't want to be "used" - you don't want to be "taken advantage of." Don't be deceived. Marriages not only fall apart, but end completely with that type of mindset. Every wife is called to submit to and respect/reverance her husband as unto the lord. Every husband is called to love his wife as Christ loved the church. Husbands and wives, please understand that this means a sacrifice of self and an effort of 100% on both your parts regardless of the level of effort put forth by your spouse. You are accountable for your own actions, IN SPITE of what your spouse does or doesn't do. Do not let anyone or anything be your excuse for disobedience.

Challenge #57

"We never grow closer to God when we just live life; it takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness."
I love this quote from "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. Immediately when I read it, I thought to myself, if this is true about God who is perfect and loves us unconditionally, how much more so is it true about our spouse who is imperfect and growing in love? If we are to acheive oneness, it is only by the constant growing closer to our spouse. Wouldn't it be nice if once we said "I Do" we instantly became one? In theory, that would be great! But I think we all know that becoming one is a process and a goal that must constantly be worked towards. It is much easier to drift towards isolation, we are naturally inclined to be self-centered and selfish. But as we work towards denying ourselves and putting our spouse first, we see our marriage thrive. So the question and the challenge is: how can you deliberately pursue your spouse today? What can you do to avoid the natural drift towards isolation? How can you row against the current and move closer to your spouse? Think it, do it.

Challenge #56

It is so very easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. Many of us spend our days fullfilling obligations and commitments and my hope is that we can all put our spouse at the top of that list :-)

For today's challenge, do something to make your spouse feel special. Big or small, in word or gesture, let them know that they are special to you in some way today.

Challenge #55

Were you able to come up with something to sacrifice for your spouse yesterday? Whether it be something simple as time or money, or something more complex like a hobby or a relationship, these things matter. We should not only be willing to sacrifice for our spouse, but we should also be finding more ways to do so! Whatever you work for, sacrifice for, put your time, money, and effort into, is what you value. This is what you treasure; this is where your heart is. Shouldn't this be your spouse?

We have to be careful not to put more energy into other relationships above our relationship with our spouse. There is only one relationship that should come before your spouse and that is your relationship with God. All other relationships are secondary to your husband or wife. We also have to be careful not to put more effort into our hobbies or extracurricular activies than we put into our relationship with our spouse.

This may be surprising, but time management is very crucial to a marriage! If you are not dedicating and setting aside time for increasing the intimacy in your relationship with your spouse, you both are in danger of isolation. Today's challenge is to take a few minutes to look over your daily/weekly routine. Identify where the majority of your time is spent. If time with your spouse has not been a priority in your routine, seek and find periods of time in your day in which you can better include your spouse.

Challenge #54

A late in the day post, but significant nonetheless. What can you sacrifice for your spouse today?
Think of something you can give up for them today, even if it is not something physical.

We'll talk more tomorrow!

Challenge #53

How did yesterday's challenge go? I wonder how many times my attitude has been discouraging to my spouse. Probably way more times than I could ever fathom. At times, your tone of voice or even something as simple as your lack of enthusiasm can be a source of discouragement to your spouse. We must realize that our spouse often looks to us as a source of encouragement, as the push they need to get through hard days or difficult situations. Let's be that and more!

It's Wednesday, "hump day," as it is so affectionately called. What will your spouse be doing tonight? I know what mine will be doing: rounding up our four children and taking them to church. I am so very thankful to have a spouse who is willing to do this because I have other matters to attend to. Do you have a spouse that goes out of his or her way for you? Does your spouse pick up the slack when you're unable to help? If so, praise God! But if not, try being the kind of spouse that you would like to have.

I'm sure you've heard this expression "kill them with kindness." That is our challenge for today. "Kill" your spouse with kindness. Overload them with love and compassion, so much so that they don't know what to do with it all!

Challenge #52

Have you noticed that it brings happiness to your spouse when you do things for them? It's hard not to love someone who goes out of their way for you, someone who does what is best for you. I encourage you all to keep your spouse's best interest at heart.

So on to today's challenge!

Have you ever heard someone say "it's not what you said, it's how you said it?" Sometimes it is better to say nothing at all than to say something, even good things, the "wrong" way. More times than I can count, I have both said and heard words that in themselves were not wrong, but when taken in the context of the speaker - tone of voice, gestures, body language, facial expressions, etc. - were very damaging. Today focus not only on your words but how you say them. Let your context, especially your tone, reflect one of kindness and consideration as you speak with your spouse today.

Remember Ephesians 4:29? We read it earlier...
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers

Have You Heard?

We are giving away FREE registration to Weekend to Remember for the month of March!

Click here for details: The Contest

Challenge #51

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
You know what I love most about the weekend? Spending more time with my spouse. During the week, we are both very busy and bogged down with obligations. But on the weekend, that's our time. Whether we're running around doing stuff or just relaxing at home, I enjoy being together. Someone once made a negative comment about the amount of time we spend together, saying that they could never spend that much time with anyone. I believe that when you capture the essence of what marriage is really supposed to be - you and your spouse loving and serving one another, growing together in spirit and truth, having more than just the title of "husband" or "wife" but being best friends, closest confidants, on the same team, biggest fans of eachother, etc. - you will want to spend a great deal of time with your spouse! You will miss them when they are away. You will long to be reunited. You will do your best to enjoy the time you have with them, however great or small. They will be your greatest blessing on earth!

I know some of you out there feel this way and there are others who don't feel this way, but want to. There are many things in this world that can prevent you from ever achieving this type of intimacy and oneness with your spouse, but there is one in particular on my mind today and that is this: SELFISHNESS. Yes, you read right. Selfishness. Any time what "I" want comes before what "you" or "we" need. Selfishness. There is something so dangerous about it and I will tell you what it is: subtlety. Selfishness is such a sneaky feeling. It really will creep up on you! You will find yourself thinking and even saying things that are purely selfish without even realizing it. That is why it is so important to die to yourself daily. What does that mean? Deny yourself. Put others before yourself. Think of the needs of others before the wants of yourself.

Today's challenge is to assume the attitude of a servant. For the entire day, let your mindset be this "how can I serve you today?" And whatever comes to mind, do it!

Please don't take this out of context. I'm not saying that you have to be your spouse's slave in any way, shape, or form. What is the difference between a slave and a servant? A slave is forced into bondage and does things unwillingly. That's where most of us keep our mindset: "I have to do this for you even though I don't feel like it or I don't want to." A servant does things out of love, honor, respect, and for the good of the one they are serving. The mindset of a servant is "how can I serve you? How can I help you? How can I love you?" Servants serve and do so willingly. Feel free to check out what the dictionary says it means to serve and see how you can apply this to your spouse today. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve

Weekend Challenge #7

This weekend's challenge comes from a friend and if very similar to challenges we've done in the past. It focuses on negative thoughts in an effort to limit them along with their effects. You can call it "Recognize and Replace." I've editted below:

"Thoughts can be a very damaging thing. They are solely between us and God, but can cause outward behavior that may be damaging. Try and catch yourself and recognize each negative thought, even just the “little ones.” When you recognize it, immediately replace it with a positive thought. For example, you think, "She doesn't understand what I go through." Replace it with "She is faithful to me and she loves me." If you think "He never takes out the trash," replace it with "I am thankful he comes home everyday to me, or I am thankful he has a job."

Recognize and replace!

Challenge #50

Bryan Carter said that "Differences are God's way of sanding off our rough edges." You may say to yourself now 'yes my spouse is definitely abrasive...' lol! But you will be wise to learn that it is actually an awesome blessing to us how different from our spouse most of us are. Where we are weak, they are strong and vice versa. There are so many areas of differences between us in so many ways - we are truly complementary. We are made to fit together and support one another. And when we put our strengths together instead of focusing on each other's weaknesses, we make a wonderful team! It really boggles the mind when you think about it. Frequently remind yourself not to hate the differences, but cherish the differences. Appreciate the differences. Thank God for the differences!

I saw this yesterday and we spoke briefly last night as to how true this simple statement is: "If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning... Face it, friend. He is crazy about you!"  ― Max Lucado

The weather is getting great where we are and it is so beautiful outside. So often, we forget that the things we most frequently take for granted are truly gifts from God. Every good thing in our lives is a gift from God! Today's challenge is to enjoy some time outside reflecting on your many gifts from God. Share a sunset with your spouse and talk about how blessed you are to have them as your life-long companion amongst your other many blessings.

The Contest

We have been discussing this for a while now, ironing out all the various details and we figured now's the time. It's the 1st of the Month and what better time is there for us to be having our own little contest?!

So we decided to do some giveaways this month. We're going to be giving away some of our favorite resources during the month of March and we invite you all to participate in our contest for a chance at winning one!

This contest will run all month long with a winner the third and fourth weeks and one grand prize winner on the 5th and final week. The third week winner will receive a copy of "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman. The fourth week winner will receive a copy of "Real Marriage" by Mark and Grace Driscoll. And our grand prize winner on week five will receive a free registration to the Weekend to Remember event of your choice!

Okay, those are the prizes and now here are the rules:

1. To enter the contest, you must first like our facebook page.
2. Second, you must follow our blog. If your blog name or title is not immidiately apparent to us, please send us an email letting us know who you are so that we can match your blog name to your facebook votes.
3. And third, (this is where it gets difficult), you must get your friends and family to do likewise!
4. Friends and family may "vote" for you by "liking" BOTH our page and your post (see below)
5. In order to qualify for first prize, you must receive a minimum of 50 votes. In order to qualify for second prize, you must receive a minimum of 75 votes. And lastly, in order to qualify for our Grand Prize, you must receive a minimum of 150 votes. Winners of either of the books ARE still ELIGIBLE to win the Grand Prize!!!

How will we keep track of this you say?
On our facebook page, post your names and wedding dates. For example: Husband & Wife April 15, 2004. Any friends or family supporting you must like BOTH our page AND your post so we can keep track. And giving away such a prize as a free trip to Weekend to Remember, we will keep track! Your likes must match: your supporters must like both our page and your post for it to count as a vote.

In the event that there is a tie, we will have a tie breaker at a later date.

So here's how you win:
Whoever has the most votes during week 3, on March 17th at 10:00pm Central Time will win "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman.
Whoever has the most votes during week 4, on March 24th at 10:00pm Central Time will win "Real Marriage" by Mark and Grace Driscoll.
Whoever has the most votes during the 5th and final week of our contest on March 31st at 10:00pm Central Time will win free registration to the Weekend to Remember of their choice! Remember, Grand Prize is only redeemable if votes are in excess of 150 or more.

We will announce the winners on our blog and facebook page. Winners must contact us within 24 hours of the announcement at theMChallenge@gmail.com with their pertinent information to claim their prize. Upon contact, we will request any further information needed to furnish your prize.

Please no cheating. Cheaters will be disqualified.
God speed to you all and thank you for participating!

Challenge #49

Our apologies for leaving you all challengeless yesterday. Four of the six of us were ill yesterday and we're still feeling it today. We have that crazy 48 hour bug that seems to be making its way across the nation. How our middle two daughters managed not to catch it with all the rest of us suffering around them is unbeknownst to me! Anyway, enough about stomach turning sickness. How did you all do yesterday? I hope that you all have gotten so into the routine of being selfless and loving towards your spouse that it just came naturally for you to do for them, no challenge needed! :) Just the thought: that would be awesome!

We'll keep it short today.
We've all heard that opposites attract and more than likely you and your spouse are very different. This is because God uses our differences to complement eachother. This exercise was done at The Art of Marriage and for today's challenge, we're going to take it a step further. Identify and share with your spouse some ways that their differences have benefitted you.

Ecclesiastes 4:9
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.