(You can read more details explaining how we are doing the dare here:  The Love Dare with FirefighterWife)

Love Fulfills Dreams

 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

Excerpt from The Love Dare Book:

“Not everything your spouse wants has a hefty price tag.  Not everything he or she desires can be bought with money.  Your wife may really want your time.  She may really want your attention.  She may really want to be treated like a lady, to know that her husband considers her his greatest treasure.  She may really want to see in your eyes a love that chooses to be there no matter what.

Your husband may really want your respect.  He may really want you to acknowledge him as the head of the house in front of the children.  He may really want you to put your arms around his neck for no apparent reason, surprising him with a long kiss or a love note when there’s not even a birthday or anniversary to justify it. He may really need to know that you still think he’s strong and handsome, the way you used to.

Dreams and desires come in all shapes and sizes.  But love takes careful notice of each one.

Love calls you to listen to what your mate is saying and hoping for.

Love calls you to remember the things that are unique to your relationship, the pleasures and enjoyments that bring a smile to the other’s face.

Love calls you to give when it would be a lot more convenient to wait.

And love calls you to daydream about these opportunities so regularly that their desires become yours as well.

We dare you to think in terms of overwhelming your spouse with love.  To surprise them by exceeding all their expectations with your kindness.  It may or may not be a financial sacrifice, but it needs to reflect a heart that is willing to express itself with extravagance.

What is something your spouse would really, really love?  It’s time you started living out the answer to that question.”

Love calls you to daydream about these opportunities so regularly that their desires become yours as well.

Today’s verse is totally one of my F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E-S!!!  I know God will give us the desires of our hearts.  It doesn’t mean we “name it and claim it” right?  As in, “God I want a Porsche and the bible says ask and ye shall receive so let’s see it”.  WRONG-O!  It could mean that our hearts aren’t in the right place and if we find out God’s true desires for us, we will never quench for more.

In this world we live in with so much pain and strife and difficulty, it’s easy to just drudge through each day without thinking hopefully about our dreams.  Whenever I take a moment to do this I am so refreshed and energized and refocused on the right priorities.

Sometimes I get caught up dreaming about my own goals and not thinking enough about “our goals”.  I’ve always been a driven person and always had a career outside the home (sometimes only part-time but I’ve never been “only” a stay-at-home mom).   My world of working on computers in offices is so drastically different from my hubby’s world at the station with protocols and tests for promotions, etc.  We sometimes struggle to connect our family dreams, finances, schedules, etc together in a way that makes sense and doesn’t make our heads spin with chaos!

If you’re struggling in this area, here is something to try.  Two years ago for a New Year’s Resolution, I decided to not do anything focused on myself but instead to spend the year praying for my husband.  For his heart’s desire and his needs.  For me to keep my mouth shut and let him lead our family.   I knew there wouldn’t be instantly answered prayers.  No way. And it’s not like he’s gone and started some whiz-bang business to the point of me quitting corporate America.   But the way our marriage grew was almost unbelievable.   Yes, it also added some rough parts where he was wrestling with some big life decisions (i.e. re-entering the military as a contractor) but my support and letting him lead our family through that possible decision raised our relationship to a completely new level.

I want nothing more than for my husband to have his heart’s desire.  It’s nothing I can buy him with money.  It’s only something that will come with time and will be nurtured by my love and respect and support.

From Pinterest

God is able to make all grace abound to you.  (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Today’s Dare

Ask yourself what your mate would want if it was obtainable. Commit this to prayer, and start mapping out a plan for meeting some (if not all) of their desires, to whatever level you possibly can.

How are you doing?  Has it been easy?  Struggling?

Big question for the fire wives…..also being discussed in our private group,   What do you DREAM about?  For your life?  For your husband?