Marriage Challenge Day # 4

Today's Challenge is to pray for your husbands affection and in turn demonstrate good, loving affection yourself. 

Today when your husband comes home greet him with a hug and a kiss.  Now I am not saying a sid hug with a pat on the back and a little peck.  I want you to drop whatever it is you are doing (if you get home after him this still applies), wrap your arms around him with a big bear hug, tell him you're happy he's home while looking at him and kiss him...make it a good one!

Many people, even godly men and women, live in marriages that are dead because there is no affection.  And women endure it because their husbands are good in other ways, or they don't feel worthy enough to ask for affection.  But this is not the way God designed the marital relationship.  "Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband" (1 Corinthians 7:3).  There is "a time to embrace," the Bible says (Ecclesiastes 3:5).  When you're married, it's definitely the time.  

My husband wasn't always affectionate.  He didn't grow up with it.  I truly believe that plays a huge part in things.  The first time I saw his parents kiss was at our wedding and maybe a few times afterwards.  I want my kids growing up watching their dad love on me so that they do not struggle with this in their future marriages.  Sometimes now my little one will run to me and hold my face and give me a good solid kiss (just like daddy's)...it makes me laugh out loud! How did my husband grow to be affectionate? Well, we've had many conversations about it but nothing I said really worked.  However, when I handed the situation over to God and AFFIRMED my husband every time he was affectionate...God changed him.  God played a huge part in his transformation but i believe my words played a big part as well.  When he heard what I liked or when I liked it even if it was something as simple as putting his arm around me in public, he lit up a little.  He got excited!

Sometimes affection isn't top priority in a mans life because they either lack the example or they group sex and affection together.  A woman's greatest need is for affection.  If you are in a marriage that lacks it, pray for the Holy Spirit's transformation!