The Love Dare

I think I've mentioned before how much I love the film Fireproof.  It is cheesetastic to the extreme, but the message is amazing, and the music is pretty good as well.  We're currently in the middle of watching it again right now, actually.  Garret has mentioned for some time now that he wanted to get The Love Dare (the book in the film), but after reading the "look inside" portion on Amazon, it struck me that what I have feeling lately is correct.  I need to do the dare, not him.  So I've gotten the book and am good to go.  True, it's a 40 day journey, and we are supposed to only have 23 days left of our 30 day thing, but eh, we'll play it by ear.


The first day is Love Is Patient, and it discusses patience, it's help in a marital relationship, and then gives you a dare to do for that day.  A part that really struck me is:


"Patience helps you give your spouse permission to be human.  It understands that everyone fails.  When a mistake is made it chooses to give them more time than they deserve to correct it.  It gives you ability to hold on during the tough times in your relationship rather than bailing out under the pressure."


Patience, as I have constantly said, is not a big virtue of mine.  And out of frustration I have become a person who is quick to snap.  I have become a spouse who expects my husband to be a superhuman all too often.  I am ashamed of this behavior, and expect this day's dare to be quite the challenge.  


Garret and I talked a lot today about what needed to change.  Specifics, sometimes blunt and slightly harsh.  We discussed how things we have failed to do have damaged our relationship, and discussed how to begin repairing it.  Day by day seems to be how it's going to go down.  But I am remaining optimistic (at times, my lack of patience has me wanting immediate changes), but cautious.  While I am making plans for the future, it is with the knowledge that if need be I will find ways to alter that.  Something we discussed in depth was our faith, and how strangely the more I felt lost in my marriage, the stronger my faith has become.  Often, in previous relationships, as they soured I became angry at God.  Instead, now I have begun to cling to Him to lead me through this fire.  


Please pray for us as we continue on this rocky path.  And if you would like more updates as I follow along this dare, let me know, either in the comments or e-mail.  Thank you again for the wonderful and supportive comments, e-mails and messages, I have some of the most amazing people as my readers!