We want to start this off by saying, we aren’t professional writers... & I’m typing this on an iPad. Please don’t judge the grammar and run on sentences LOL. Also, we don’t have a perfect marriage. These are things we are constantly working at. People often comment on our marriage and family. After being married 8 years now, and together for 12.. we have gone through our fare share of struggles and arguments. We have tried to apply God’s word along with the practical tools we have picked up from other Godly couples .. like our parents & church family.. to make our home as fun, peaceful, & enjoyable as possible! We just want to share some tips we have had success with thus far! We want to be an open book in all things and hopefully be an encouragement for others along the way! We want to give you guys some practical ways to apply this. There are so many ways to put this verse into action through marriage that it’s hard to even know where to start! Let’s just take this morning for instance.. we were supposed to pack up and get on the road. Madi woke up early and started cleaning everything up, packing bags, cooking breakfast. Going ahead of me and trying to make my part (loading up) as easy as possible. She also wasn’t stressed out, but with a calm and peaceable attitude she tended to our family. Even though we were kind of in a hurry and packing up, her attitude made the early morning enjoyable. She was also taking care of our kiddos and making sure they were getting breakfast & dressed for the ride. Don’t get me wrong, we have had our share of stressful & chaotic mornings. With four kids, there are plenty of spills, arguments & noise. LOTS of noise. It’s not easy or natural to our flesh to handle the chaos calmly. But, the way Madi handles herself greatly impacts the atmosphere of our home. Her consideration of everyone else causes me to want serve and help her also. Either way, I want to serve her and take care of her needs.. but the way she serves me can change the attitude behind what I am doing. Instead of serving her because I NEED to.. I am doing it because I WANT to. This grows our love for each other! For me (Madi).. I see Jeramy living this out daily. For starters, the way he works so hard every day to provide for us so I am blessed to be able to be home with our kids.. teaching them, enjoying them every day, tending to our home. From the time I was a toddler, being a Momma was exactly what I wanted to be. I have a degree and the ability to bring in more income for our family..but with more income we would have more stuff that we don’t have room for LOL.. so for this season of life, I am so thankful to be able to be enjoying the eternal souls the Lord has blessed our lives with. I LOVE the life the Lord has blessed me with and a lot of that is because of the way Jeramy sacrifices for us. From day one, he has put in whatever time and effort it has taken to make sure we have had all we need. He never deprives me of anything. I actually have learned not to mention anything unless I want it done because if he had an inkling that I am in want, he’s going to do whatever he has to, to make sure I have it. I don’t mean just “stuff.” I mean any complaint I could have, he’s ready to fix it. I try to keep those at a minimum LOL! He truly treats me like a queen. This causes me to want to take care of him and help and encourage him in any way I can! I pray that the Lord always lead me and show me ways to meet his every need! Some people may look at Gods marriage design as the wife being suppressed and a slave.. but when your husband lays down his life to show you he loves you, the natural response is to honor and respect that kind of love. Why would I not want to do whatever I could to bless him? This is the same response we as the church have to the love of Jesus! We don’t keep score. We don’t give to one another because it’s “owed.” We strive to “out-serve” & “out-love” one another .. and it brings great joy and peace to our home! Yes, there are times each of us struggle and have to work through and forgive one another. It is then, we try to be the first to forgive. The first to say “I’m sorry” and be gracious to one another.. just like Jesus is gracious to each of us every single day when we fail Him! I realize every couple is different.. but thankfully Gods word is applicable and will work every single time you choose to apply it! TODAY, not because your spouse deserves it... choose to consider him/her before yourself, better than yourself... what can you do to look out for someone other than SELF?! Let’s share the light & love of Jesus in our home first!