Days 22-31 of 70 of the Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Happy Monday Covenant Groupies,

Sorry for the delay. So much has been going on with the holiday season here, but Kevin and I will keep all 70 of these coming for you.

We pray that they have been helpful, eye opening and even fun.

Day 22) Have one bank account!!!!

Day 23) Don't come into marriage with no expectations to change. Living by the phrase, "That's just who I am" will ruin your union. Be prepared to eliminate that from your vocabulary.

Day 24) Be willing to become flexible in all areas of your marriage. The rigid spouse stands strong and alone, while the flexible spouse stands strong with their partner.

Day 25) Learn how to fight without destroying your spouses heart. Allow them to keep their dignity. It won't happen over night, but it will be worth it.

Day 26) Together, learn the difference between sex and intimacy. They are not the same, but both are mandatory to your marital relationship. 

Day 27) It's important to allow your spouse to be who they are. Trying to change them will always hurt your relationship. Let God be the change agent.

Day 28) Always make your spouse the most important person in the room, no matter who's in the room.

Day 29) We are fallen, broken and sinful people. Your spouse will hurt you. 

Day 30) Train yourself to never hold your spouse's limitations against them.

Day31) Our spouse's weaknesses, if not looked at from a Holy perspective, can build contempt in your marriage.

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Day 21 of 70 of the Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Day 21) Continue to re-assess the plan you have for your marriage. It's too easy to get off track and become complacent.

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Day 15-20 of 70 of the Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Day 15) Praying for and with your spouse is incredibly-incredibly important and necessary for marital survival! Nothing sustains a husband and wife like the intimacy of prayer.

Day 16) Keep family and friends OUT of your marriage - ALWAYS!

Day17) A Pastor, mature married couple and accountability friends are the best way to go to when you need marital advice, correction and support. We all need godly counsel!

Day 18) DIVORCE IS NOT AN OPTION!!!!

Day 19) Decide early on why you want to be married. Without truly understanding the "why" of marriage, you will enter it with expectations so unrealistic, your marriage will appear to be failing before it even begins. 

Day 20) Create a solid plan for your marriage. We create plans for EVERYTHING we want to last and have a legacy: businesses, children's future, ministries, why not our marriages?

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Twitter: @ridley4life, @1marriage3peopl, @tipmylocs

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70 of the Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Day 14) Do not allow your children to take priority over your spouse. Your Covenant is with your spouse, not your children. REMEMBER: A forgotten spouse is hard to reconnect with once the children are gone.

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Facebook: Rhonda Ridley

Twitter: @ridley4life, @1marriage3peopl, @tipmylocs

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Day 13 of the 70 Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Day 13) Marriage is NOT 50-50!!!

Please don't ever believe that 50% is enough to carry your end of a marriage with all of its complexities and ups and downs. If you can't or find it difficult to give 100% of who you are to your spouse from the beginning, run, don't walk back to pre-marital counseling. BE CLEAR, giving 100% DOES NOT mean that you're perfect, but that your cognizant of your strengths and weaknesses with regards to being a spouse, and will work tirelessly to be for your spouse and marriage all that God has intended you to be. That takes 100% effort, commitment, faith and trust. Giving only 50% will never be able to hold that up!!!

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Facebook: Rhonda Ridley

Twitter: @ridley4life, @1marriage3peopl, @tipmylocs

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Day 12 of the 70 Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Day 12 - Learning to sit on mutual silence has become such a blessing. It communicates so much and proves that words are sometimes overrated.

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Twitter: @ridley4life, @1marriage3peopl, @tipmylocs

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Day 5 - Day 11 of the 70 Most Important Things We've Learned Over the Years

Hey Groupies,

The holiday had us heavy and a bit lazy, but full of thoughts. Here are days 5-11. 

Hope you enjoy!

Day 5 - Defining your marriage by other marriages will hold you hostage to perfection until and unless you know exactly what they went through to get there.

Day 6 - Keeping unhealthy people out of your marriage - PRICELESS!

Day 7 - Keeping the marriage Holy, that's God's work; keeping you Holy, that's all you as you depend on God

Day 8 - How you actually feel and what you believe about your spouse WILL come out in how you speak to them

Day 9 - Submission is the most beautiful and powerful thing a women can bestow upon her man

Day 10 - Keeping unresolved issues alive in marriage will lead to hurt, bitterness, pain and resentment

Day 11 - To allow work to become or even look like it's more important than your spouse is dangerous

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Facebook: Rhonda Ridley

Twitter: @ridley4life, @1marriage3peopl, @tipmylocs

Instagram: ridleyshots