A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
When you are taking a picture you are capturing a moment in time, a memory to look back at, and it's worth a thousand words. You could easily sit down and write what comes to mind of the time and place that you captured it. A thousand words is fairly easy to write when you have a good memory of that event. Most of us can remember each detail of that day or what surrounded that time in our lives. What does this look like in our marriages? Can we capture a moment with our spouse in real time and put it in a bank of wonderful times we have together?
Intimacy
What happens when we create moments of intimacy with our spouse? We are drawing close to one another, forming a bond that can't be broken easily, and making memories that are good. Can we capture intimacy? I believe we can friend. There are a couple of definitions I like in the free dictionary: To attract and hold: to catch, win; or to catch a prize. When you were dating intimacy looked like this. You were always wanting to be close, together, and talking. You had endless things to talk about and you never wanted to leave each others presence. You wanted them, and them alone, to be with for the rest of your life.
Capturing Intimacy
It doesn't matter how short of time or how long you have been married, you can still attract, hold, catch, win, and attain the prize with your spouse. You can capture intimacy. Was it work when you were dating? No, I doubt it was. It was so easy to love them, like the song says. Why because you didn't see all of their flaws, you only saw through eyes of love. You wanted to be with them, giving up sleep, food, distance didn't matter, just to be beside them. There was a peace, a joy, your heart raced and you felt alive!
Work
Is it work in marriage? Yes!!! But it doesn't have to be as hard as some people make it. It's all about your heart, attitude, where your focus is, and how intentional you are to make it happen. The honeymoon doesn't last forever with feelings, but it can last forever with action. We still feel like we are newly weds! Why? Because we work at it, and we focus on our marriage. Yes, there have been seasons that are harder to focus on it because of work, children, stress, and lots of responsibilities. But, we still worked on it. It's important to us, so we focus on our intimacy, and don't let the fires wane.
Investing
When you want to see a return on your investment that is greater than what you are seeing as a balance, you need to invest money in it! You can stay where you are financially or you can invest more and see a greater return!! The same principle applies to your marriage. You have to invest in your marriage if you want to see it grow by dividends! How? There are so many ways. Money is near and dear to our hearts, so invest money in your marriage, like buying gifts, going to dinner, or spending money on much needed vacations. We go to a marriage retreat every year, and it costs money, but it's worth it, You also love your time, so give time to your spouse. Prefer them and see what they need from you and do it! You get the picture! You have to give to receive.
Giving
Marriage takes giving! You have to give, expecting nothing in return, and watch how the Lord will pour out blessings! I'm not saying you should be a doormat, but when we give into our marriage, with love, faith, our time, and money, we will see a return! How much do you give? 10%, 20%, 50%? The answer is 100%!!! You give with out holding back, trusting without doubt, and give with all the love you have! Gods ways aren't our ways and when we follow His word we will see a multiplication of love in our marriages!!
Multiplication
So I give 100% in my marriage, and it multiplies? Yes!! Capturing intimacy in your marriage is about the little you have, mixed with faith, hope, and love, then add in Gods love, and you will see exponential growth!!! It's all about capturing a moment with the love of your life, by creating those moments, with God's love, and seeing intimacy grow! The more intimate you are, the better your marriage. When you ask Jesus to step on the scene you will see it multiply. This all starts with learning how to be intimate, and having that intimacy with the Master!! It overflows onto your marriage and you capture even more intimacy!!!
Scriptures
Monday: Proverbs 25:11 says, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." When you want to capture a moment with your spouse, this scripture comes to mind. Your words, fitly spoken, with love, care, and concern, are like apples of gold in a picture of silver! It's truly beautiful.
Tuesday: Song of Solomon 7:10 says, "I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me." When you have intimacy with your spouse you think, and act in this manner toward them. You long to be close to them and know they are yours, and you are theirs!
Wednesday: Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” We can learn so much from Gods love for us and how we treat our spouse. He is the bridegroom and the church is the bride, that is what we are to show the world!
Thursday: Ephesians 4:2 says, "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." When you put work into your marriage, you do it with humility, and forgiveness. It takes time to learn each other and to prefer the other.
Friday: Matthew 6:21 says, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." When you invest in your marriage, you are saying, with action your heart is with your spouse.
Saturday: Luke 6:38 says, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Giving is a principal in the bible that works! Give to you spouse and see God bless it!
Sunday: Genesis 22:17 says, "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;" Gods word shows us from the beginning He is in the business of multiplication when you follow Him!! Trust Him today with your marriage and give your everything to it and HIM!! Watch the miracles start to multiply!!
Contact
Please feel free to contact us by way of email on our blog posts or our new website! Also, please feel free to share and post our blog posts! Happilyevermarried.org or blancinglifewiththebrowns@gmail.com Thank you and you too can have a happily ever married marriage!