The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do his commandments; his praise endures forever.
—Psalm 111:10 NASB
YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH MUCH IN THE LAST THIRTY-nine dares!
Hopefully, you have become wiser and gained understanding as you have experienced The Respect Dare.
Congratulations on making it this far! Today, you write your own story, an example of a time when one of the scriptures used over the last thirty-nine dares came to life inside the context of your own marriage. Write a short story describing a single incident that means the most to you as evidence of God’s work in your life. Start with the following in the first sentence:
• Who was there
• When it happened
• Where you were
And then tell the “what” of the incident. End with your own bottom-line statement that gives advice to someone else. Be prepared to share this story with a friend, your small group, or your husband.
Feeling brave? Share your story with us at Information@greaterimpact.org for possible publication in our next book!
The prayer on the next page is based on the psalms and other scriptures in the Bible. Your dare today involves listening in two different situations:
• As you pray, be open to sensing what the Spirit would have you learn. This dare is all about your own story, your own journey, your own experience with God’s guidance. Spend twenty to thirty minutes listening and dwelling on the words, writing down anything you sense is important.
Oh Lord Most High, Creator of all things, Redeemer, Conqueror!
I praise you. I worship only you. Thank you for watching over me and everyone I hold dear. Thank you for my marriage. Thank you for this relationship that can grow me in your ways and your sight. I have trouble understanding your ways; they are a mystery. But I will trust in your sovereignty and believe in your faithfulness. I want to know you more.
Father, help me be a wise woman. Help me be beautiful in your sight. Create in me a new life, oh Lord, that I may be a new creation to better worship and to serve your purposes and not my own. Help me have an eternal perspective of marriage. Help me see it as but another opportunity to follow you and become holy. Enable me to spend time in your Word and to talk with you daily. I desire wisdom, Father. I yearn to be pleasing in your sight. I confess I have not been obedient as a wife and a woman of faith, and I have fallen short. Teach me, oh Lord. Show me where I can grow. Help me be a woman of strength and dignity, laughing at the days to come. Fan in me the flames of courage, and enable me to obey your Word. I praise your name and thank you for the blessings in the days to come! May they all be for your glory!
• Spend some time today listening to inspirational music. Ask God to speak to you through the lyrics and follow your inclinations. Listen for about an hour.