Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

We love any day that promotes more love and romance! It's a day for cards, romance, flowers, chocolate candy, dinner, movie, a walk in the park (or snow if you live up north) and all the other things you like.

God is love! How do you get more love? You spend more time with God and He gives you more love for those around you.

Saint Valentine's Day is a special day for us because my wife and I had our very first date together on Valentine's Day in 1976 as students at Christ For The Nations Institute, and went to the Valentine's Banquet. I dressed up a in a tuxedo; she was in a long dress with matching hat and flowers. I had to go look at the picture to remember what we were wearing. Pictures are important they verify the times in our lives and bring back great memories.

A year later, in 1977, we were deeply in love and on a drama/music team called "Glory Company." Our team wrote a drama that has been done all over the world called "Ugly Louise." It is about a girl who didn't get any Valentine's Day cards at school. Then, Jesus came into the classroom and changed all of those in the class and they all loved each other. To this day I can still remember crying while doing the drama. It still affects me the same today and challenges me to share the love of Jesus with all. We all could use more love.

Here are five things from our list of things that will help improve your marriage fast:

• Stop and pray for your marriage and tell God all the things you are thankful for and thankful for in your mate. You might have to do this by faith, but thankfulness helps to produce love and joy in your life.
• Dream together and talk about where you want to go on vacation in five years and what you want to do. Dream BIG!
• Prepare a meal together and turn off the TV; sit at the table and talk. Dinner should be at least 30 minutes of enjoyment and sharing the day together. Talk, laugh and discuss and work together.
• Both of you—husband and wife—should be in charge of bringing romance to your lives. You reap what you sow. If you want more romance, then give more romance.
• The next time you get upset about something concerning your mate, don't react! Instead, look up scripture verses to pray about the situation. Give it to God—He is bigger than the situation.

Forget those things that are behind and press forward to what is ahead. Set aside your problems and instead spend time connecting and falling in love again. Work on establish new relationship habits that bring life, passion and energy to your marriage. Problems have a way of fixing themselves if you don't dwell on them and instead let God overwhelm you with His love.

Nordyke Ministries
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