The Love Dare, Day 1

So, Amy Lynn and I officially started the Love Dare challenge book last night. if you have not ordered this book, you can do at our Resource Center or any reputable book store.

As we were preparing for bed last night, we opened up the book and read the devotion for Day 1, the title being, "Love is Patient." I knew I was in trouble right away. :-) We laughed really hard as I kept saying, "Really, I am supposed to be patient for an entire day...really, I am supposed to not say one negative word all day - REALLY?" We decided the best way to accomplish this was for her to get up really early, head to work before I crawled out of bed, avoid each other in the office, and then for me to go out and watch Monday Night Football with the guys! By the time I return home tonight, she will be fast asleep in the bed - it was/is a brilliant plan but clearly not of God. :-)

On a serious note, this is a wonderful and challenging book. We are so looking forward to what God is going to do in our lives personally during this 40 day Love Dare challenge. Part of the devotion last night really spoke to me. The author says this:

"No one likes to be around an impatient person. It causes you to overreact in angry, foolish, and regrettable ways. The irony of anger toward a wrongful action is that it spawns new wrongs of its own. Anger almost never makes things better. In fact, it usually generates additional problems. But patience stops problems in their tracks. More than biting your lip, more than clapping a hand over your mouth, patience is a deep breath. It clears the air. It stops foolishness from whipping its scorpion tail all over the room. It is a choice to control your emotions rather than allowing your emotions to control you, and shows discretion instead of returning evil for evil." (The Love Dare, Pg. 1 - 2)


Lord God, that rings so true in my life. I can't ever remember a time when anger yielded anything of value for the Kingdom or spurred anyone on to good works and greater impact for the cause of Christ. Lord Jesus, please help me, and all the other couples reading this post. Help us practice patience and resist anger. Pour out your Holy Spirit and give us wisdom to love our spouses as you would love them through us. Grant us the courage to choose love and respect so that you might be glorified in our marriage covenants. We thank You and praise You, even in advance. In the strong name of Jesus we pray. Amen.