Rewrite your wedding vows!

     Our life together is before us. I dared to do the Love Dare, and I don't want to ever let this experience go. I'm so thankful for the dare. I'm thankful for today's dare. I was able to look back and use some sayings from the Love Dare in our marriage vows. I'm happy to report that our marriage couldn't be any happier! Well, maybe if we found a suitcase full of 1 million bucks! lol.
     Bert and I went about doing the dares strong willed and God involved. When we put God first in our marriage, everything else fell into place. We have been having a rough patch for the past few months, but with our marriage mentors and reading daily in the bible, it's really helped release extra stress. God has come into our lives and heard our prayers. We have been happier in the past few days as we have been in the whole five years!!! We pray every night and morning as a couple and are regullarly going to church as a couple. Things are better than ever, thanks to God and the Love Dare. Love is out there, you just  have to fight for it and fireproof your marriage!
     This really has been the best VALENTINES DAY Gift I could have given our marriage, beats flowers, chocolates, ect.

     Writing today's vows, I found myself putting words from the Love Dare in there. Words like Biggest Fan, the verse from Ruth, even included the words Love Dare, but I really want to make this a testament to the value of marriage in Gods eyes and the high honor of being one with my husband! I have listed my vows. I was watching Just Married last night. Found the best opening part my vows from that movie. =) But I loved it. And it's so true!!!

Heather: I,Heather Guidry, take you, Bert Guidry, to be my wedded husband. Some days, we love each other. Some days we have to work at loving each other. You never see the hard days in a photo album, but those are the ones that get you from one happy snap shot to the next. Bert Guidry, I will first live unto our God and then unto you, loving you, always respecting, caring for you, and seeking to please you. God has prepared us with the Love Dare in 40 days, for the rest of our life. God has worked over time to prepare you for me. I will always do my best to be your biggest fan, through out life, no matter what may be ahead of us. Where ever you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Most of all, our marriage will be ours. I give myself to you and commit to this marriage for life. I take you Bert Guidry, to be my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live.

Heather: Bert, I love you. I prayed that God would lead me to his choice. Today, I take you to be my husband. Together we will create a home, under God, becoming part of one another God wants us to become. I vow to  help create a life that we can cherish, inspiring your love for me, and mine for you. I vow to be honest, caring and truthful, to love you as you are and not as I want you to be, and to grow old together by each others side as your love and best friend. 

Because Love Never Fails

      I was reminded last night of 1 Cor 13:5, love takes no count. Love doesn't add up the evil. I am sad that tomorrow is the last day of the Love Dare, I have enjoyed this Love Dare 110%. I want to continue to spend time with my husband and do all the small things we have done for each other in this dare. I want to continue to write letters, buy little gifts because I love you, write letters, go on dates, not just because the Love Dare tells us.... because I want to be reminded everyday that I love you, and you love me... Till Death Do Us Part, because Love Never Fails....

     I feel God is working in my heart, and working in my husbands. I'm so glad we are almost complete with this journey together. Today, we were to write letters to one another explaining we loved the other until death do us part. Bert always commands at how great my writing skills are... today, Berts letter made me cry. I don't think Bert was expecting a wave of tears after I read his letter. But I felt God moved both of us in such a way with this love dare. Bert and I will be forever changed by this Love Dare... and I don't know if I said it at all, but big kudos to my friend Brooke for introducing the dares to us again!

Live the Answer to the Question

    Today's Love Dare challenges you to do something out of the ordinary for your loved one. To go above and beyond what you normally do, instead of saying, "NO..." say, lets see how we can do that and make it a dream/go to achieve. Then, do it!
    My husband has lost of dreams. Some he shares with me, and I know he has secret dreams. I haven't asked my husband about today's dare yet, he hasn't done it. I'm sure I will see something like he thinks I should ask him to call out for work to spend a night with me undivided. A night where everyone else thinks he is working. Or, I'm sure he will say she will want to go to a bed and breakfast. Those are my simple dreams. One that you can't put a price on, the other you can. Or  I'm sure one of his thoughts might be that my dream would be for his music to slow down or for him to say no to a future gig on his off weekend.
     The thing is my husbands "mapped out" music dreams here lately just don't seem to include much "us..." time. Any of the above listed would be great. I used to not let things become so overwhelming and busy that it seemed like he didn't have time for me. I guess that was the kid in me. Now, I'm seeing the adult approach. Music takes up so much time, I miss the time we used to have. I would love that back.
     I want my husband to understand, I just care about him. He isn't getting any younger. I want to spend as much time as I can with him while I can... and hopefully NOT beg for it. Lately here I've been doing a lot of begging for emotional personal time. I shouldn't have to beg. But he is so heavily involved with his  music, he often forgets I'm there. That's how I've been feeling. I hate admitting to being that girl, but yes... I just want to for one of my dreams when asked, have a much needed quality time alone night with just my hubby. That's my dream. Doesn't matter where, doesn't matter when... just soon!
    
    

Permanent Prayer Partner for Life

     I personally love this dare and was waiting on a dare like this to come about. I'm glad that this dare is in the book. Bert and I have done a couples bible study and we started doing that last year. He more so than I was a little uncomfortable. I know he prays. But doing out loud with me, might also become a little uncomfortable. I don't want to make him do anything he doesn't want to do, but with this dare, I hope he accepts the challenge.
     I respect my husband. I know that he is  a praying man and is praying for me. I am so thankful for a praying husband (even though silent) and knowing that we pray whispers for each other all day every day. But I still think this love dare will bring us closer into praying aloud for one another.
     Just got done telling him this morning, you can't pray for your finances and sit here and not help me balance and keep the check book right. I've been sick all week. I expected the books to be kept neat the same way I had been keeping them. I guess I need to pray for my husband to be a little neater with his ledger. What is it with men and notebooks? They can keep a house spotless (mine can) but a notebook so unreadable! ha! Babe, I love you!!! And I'm praying for you to come together and pray with me soon!! You will be glad you shared your thoughts!

Read your bible EVERY DAY ::: COMMIT TOGETHER!

     I need Gods counsel in my life to help me quit smoking. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I just found out that I have pneumonia. I feel I am susceptible to failure in this because I have friends that are smokers. My husband smokes. We are in the bar atmosphere a lot. We will it seems always be around that kind of behavior.
     I'm praying that God can show me more verses like Philippians 4:13. Verses to give me the strength and the want to quit smoking. I'm doing this for my health.
     I hope my husband is open to having a daily reading. A reading where, cell phones are turned off, tv is off, with maybe a little low gospel music in the background. I made the trip to Booksamillion last week and got us a pair of daily journals. I've read only three in mine. I've slacked because Bert hasn't picked up his yet. Maybe, he will pick up his after he reads this devotional for today.
    I hope so. =) First he has to commit to do it. I don't want to pressure him. I really hope he does. I pray for him every day to pick up a new chapter in the bible just like I do and share it with me. He does every so often. But I'd like for it to be every day! I pray for him that it is every day!

Love Dare Day 36

     Well, I'm sick again. The doctor I went and saw yesterday said I have pneumonia. More rounds of antiboitics (sp) pills steroids. I tried to read today's love dare, but I just couldn't concentrate. However, I have quit smoking for two days. I'm praying that God will allow me to quit smoking for good. My neighbor I picked as my mentor said a few sweet things to me this morning. Blessings. =) Hopefully I will get over this cold soon, so I can get back to finishing the love dare, and reading more in my bible.

Marriage Mentor

     Bert and I from time to time do need a referee.  We do need some counsel from time to time. What couple doesn't? I have chosen a couple that goes to church with us, and they are our neighbors. She said her and her husband come as a pair and I could talk to either one of them if need be. She said she would be a great cheerleader for Bert and I.
     Bert and I do from time to time run into trouble. But we work things out. I would choose my mother, but that would be the leaving issue. Bert seems to think I tell my mom too much. But I do always appreciate her opinions as well. I look up to my mother and use her as an example. My Dad and her have been through so much and still married for almost 35 years.
     I am glad I listen to both my mother and my neighbor. I know sometimes that 40 days isn't enough and it's going to be sad seeing the Love Dare pass us by when it's complete. The Love Dare is like a diet, you don't stop when you reach your goal, you change your habits to maintain it. I'm so in love with my husband and more and more; I'm in love with God. I have been able to realize that I don't control everything, that I don't have to.
     God is first, then my husband. I feel that God is going to use my husband and I as a vessel and a voice through the Love Dare and after the Love Dare. God can mend and repair anything. God longs to come through us, in our daily life. And through prayer God allowed me to ask my neighbors to be our counsels. We don't need marriage counseling. But it's always nice to have a healthy set of Christian friends to talk things over with. I couldn't think of anyone better than my neighbors to help us along the way!!!