Growing up, all the girls bought into the fairy tale stories of love and marriage: Snow White and Cinderella, to name a few. Every woman wants a prince charming and every man wants a trophy wife, a wonder woman, or both.
Now, you’re all grown up and reality hits you or is about to hit you big time!
You are in one of two positions, which are, you are still looking for a prince charming, a wonder woman, or a trophy wife. Or, your spouse’s performance at wonder bets is dismal, to say the least.
The reality is that men and women are very different; we want different things and have different expectations about love and marriage. No one really talks to you about commitment, expectations, goals, differences, and the reality that is marriage.
Once you’ve found that special someone and had the wedding of your dreams and then settled into married life, what’s next? A house surrounded by a white Pickett fence and some kids? What we were never told growing up is that marriage has to be nurtured, I mean, you have to work at it!
Jesse Duplantis once said, ‘if the grass is greener on the other side, mow your own lawn!’
Love alone is not what constitutes a good marriage, for a good marriage to exist you have to nurture your love and your marriage.
You may have regular get-togethers and dinners for two, but it takes a lot more than just spending time together to nurture love and marriage.
Seven ways to nurture love and marriage are:
1. Keep your wife close to your heart, she is bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh, that means she is a part of you, so treat her how you would like to be treated. Don’t exclude her from it!
2. Being attached to his wife leaving his father and mother – this means that he is no longer a ‘mama’s boy’, he makes his own decisions for his family. Be the head of your home. By all means listen and follow the wise advice of your parents, however, you are no longer their little child.
3. Have a shameless marriage: Have a shameless sexual relationship with each other and be open with each other.
4. Honor your husband, give him your utmost respect, you did marry him after all – look at him like this, he is the president and you are his deputy – ever heard the saying too many cooks spoil the broth?
5. Listen to each other: consider each other’s opinion and submit to it.
6. A husband who loves his wife loves himself and will have no problem having a submissive wife.
7. Instruct your child(ren) in the correct path so that when they are older they will continue on it. Also, I once heard the saying when you dishonor your spouse, you shame your children. Therefore, give your children a perfect example of loving parenting and marriage.
When we understand our God-given roles in marriage and work with them, then we are nurturing love and marriage.
