Welcome back ladies!! It is now WEEK TWO of the Marriage Victory challenge 🥳  I’m already so so encouraged by the testimonies that have been shared with me. Even though there’s a new challenge this week- don’t. stop. praying. The goal of this challenge is true and lasting transformation in your marriage. There is POWER in prayer – especially as wives and mothers. We were created for this. 

Wanna know what else holds more power and weight than we typically acknowledge?? A simple greeting. That is exactly why our challenge this week is to: 

meet our husbands at the door.

Whether he’s coming home from work, an evening out with his buddies, or back from the gym, greet him at the door with a hug and a kiss! It may seem small, but I speak from experience when I say this has literally changed our marriage. It reminds you that your husband is truly your person!! Lastly, it builds excitement and anticipation. But most importantly, it makes him feel valued and loved. In a society and culture that loves to shame and bash men for simply existing, let’s CHERISH our husbands. Let’s remind them time after time that they aren’t just tolerated but deeply needed and missed when they’re gone.

This habit was truly inspired by the very beginning of Titus 2:4-5, which states:

“And so, train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

We are called to love our husbands!! Oftentimes, we can get too caught up in all the things that we do daily to demonstrate our love FOR them (cooking, cleaning, etc.) that we forget we are also supposed to love ON them (more on that in the coming weeks 😉).

This Week’s Marriage Victory Challenge

This week’s marriage victory challenge is this: Starting as soon as you’ve read this – greet your husband at the door!! And be the FIRST one. The most important relationship your children could ever experience is not between them and their parents, but witnessing a healthy, loving relationship between their mother and father. So if you have littles, kindly explain to them that mommy gets to hug and kiss daddy first. Don’t be afraid to spruce things up and put on a nice outfit or even some lingerie (if possible). 

Give him a hug AND a big kiss. 

Now – everyone’s husbands is different so maybe he’ll want to chat about his entire day or maybe he’ll just want a second to decompress. Don’t assume you know the answer to this question, simply ask him what his preference is! 

The moments leading UP to him coming home are also super important. 

What are you telling your kids? There was a point in time that I’m ashamed to say I used to throw the kids at my husband and give him a whole list of problems he was to fix within seconds of walking through the door- real welcoming huh? 

No. No man or woman would want to or enjoy coming home to a leaky faucet, both literally and figuratively in spouse form lol. What am I modeling to my kids when I do that? 

2 things: 
1. Mom needs a break from us
2. Mom doesn’t respect dads time, space or feelings 

What if he had a bad day? What if he was really looking forward to putting his feet up after being on his feet all day? 

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
– ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ 

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
– ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ 

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”
– ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ 

We are to do everything as unto the Lord and NOT man. So maybe your husband welcomes a hug and a kiss, but then he’s annoyed and makes a snarky comment. Keep Colossians 3:23-25 in mind. The Lord will take care of his wrongdoing, it’s not your job to. Continue on living 1 Peter 3:1-2.

If you both work, and don’t end up coming home at the same time, take this challenge and make it apply to YOUR schedule and life. I won’t be able to sit and list out every situation and coming home scenario so take this and make it work for you! There was a season where my husband worked from home frequently and him coming “home from work” for the day, meant he was walking up the stairs from working in the basement! So instead of meeting him at the front door, I met him at the basement door 🤣

This week is honestly one of my favorite challenges because it’s SO simple, yet makes such a BIG difference!!

A Few Things to Note

Here are a couple of other things to note! 

• Prepare the kids. Let them see you excited for your husband to be home!
• Pick up the house a little or ask him what makes the house feel welcoming- warm candle? Yummy food cooking? Legos put away?
• Don’t brain dump – this might be the first human interaction you have all day after watching a baby but be respectful that brain dumping the second he walks in might not be the best idea, give him a second.
• Express gratitude.
• Compliment him. 
   

This is what makes a difference between a “fine” marriage vs. “we’re madly in love” marriage. Little steps and actions that express and serve your husband is what will make your marriage stand firm. I’m so excited!! Talk to ya next week, be blessed 🤎 

If you’re just now joining the Victory Marriage Challenge, check out the first week here!