Trust me, it would be best to get the book rather than have someone just give you the list of the Love Dares. The book has support text that helps as well. It would kind of be like me describing the movie to you. You MIGHT get something out of my description, but when you see the movie, you will get a lot more! I hope you can get the book — it’s a good one!

Toward the end of the movie when Caleb told Catherine about how he wanted to save the marriage and then when she told him she needed time to figure things out and not knowing if she could trust him again, well let me tell you that is the same discussion that my husband and I had "to the T."

And something else that was similar was their 7 year marriage. Well, my husband and I just celebrated our 7th anniversary. I do believe this movie was made for us and through God’s undying love for us and his desire to see that we not get divorced… it worked, because my husband and I now enjoy a more joyful and fulfilling relationship.

By the grace of God, I had put many of the practices that they show in the movie into motion over the last 11 months. It was heart warming to see these actions played out on the screen with the reactions and responses that we went though in our own marriage.

On the way home from the movie my wife and I were talking about the movie and our marriage. She told me that she was very proud of me for having done many of the things they suggest in the movie, without having seen the movie itself. I told her that those were not my ideas, but rather, I had asked God to guide me in the way I related and treated her. God told me that I needed to be a “servant lover” to her regardless of how things went.

There were many times when I felt that what I was doing was a waste of time and things would never change. I thought this way until God got through to me that I was to do these things for my wife out of love for her, rather than doing them in order to change her and to get my way. Once God finally got my attention as to WHY I was to do things, the task became much easier and with a definite purpose and reason.

God has his ways of getting things done in accordance to His plan. The night before my wife and I went to the movie we had set aside some time to discuss some issues in our marriage. It was a wonderful eye opening experience. This discussion reaffirmed that when you make assumptions you are only asking for trouble. My wife and I had both made some wrong assumptions about various events. It was really good to clear the air and understand what each of us saw, experienced, thought, and how we each reacted. Any way, after the movie last night she said that our discussion had been like homework before going to the movie. See, God has his ways!!!

With all that being said, I have a few thoughts I would like to share. When a couple stands before God, family, friends, and say “I do”. That is not a “contract” of marriage, it is a “commitment” to each other and a “covenant” with God. A Christian marriage is not between two beings but three. Husband, Wife, and GOD. The strength of 3 strands. When we enter into marriage it is NOT “what can I get out of this marriage and my spouse”, rather it needs to be “what can I give to my spouse to make this marriage better”. All comes down to the old saying, “It is better to GIVE than to receive”.

My prayer for all of you, my dear friends, and for all marriages, is that we follow God’s word in how we are to live as married couples.

I realize that this is addressed to you as an individual. However, I ask that you share it with your spouse, for in marriage you are not two separate beings. In God’s eyes you are on flesh.

May you all have a wonderful Christmas Season. For His Glory!!!