Tag: relationships

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Finances Home Marriage

How "No-Spending Weekends" Saved My Marriage

Young Couple In Pajamas Watching Television Together

Guest Writer: Craig Bailey
Dinner $80…parking $15…movie night at home PRICELESS. Today it’s easy for couples to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. With so much going on, you and your mate can fall into the trap of feeling like you have to go out and spend money entertaining yourselves every weekend. What started as a money saving experiment, ended up helping my wife and I remember what matters most.
 
The experiment was a no-spending weekend. About a year later we still try to have one of these once a month. Living in Los Angeles a weekend out can add up quickly and after realizing we were spending almost $300 every weekend, we decided to try and go one weekend without spending any money.
 
Let me be clear — this means no debit card, no checks are written, no credit cards are used, nothing. We would buy groceries or gas during the week so we wouldn’t have to buy those things on the weekend. We would check our schedules to make sure the weekend we picked made sense. Then we were all set.
 
Initially, it was tough trying to think of ways to fill our time that didn’t cost money, but eventually we got the hang of it. We did things like play dominoes (I always won), watch movies, read together, exercise, cook together and go to the beach. What was more surprising than saving thousands of dollars was the impact it had on our relationship.
With work, school, friends, commuting and ME-time it didn’t leave much room for sincere quality time with my wife. Instead of us spending our time in loud restaurants or on congested freeways, we spent more time together alone. Now, we laugh more. We talk more. We spend more time getting closer to God. The indirect results have been absolutely amazing. These no-spending weekends have truly been a blessing in disguise. I encourage all couples to try this in your relationships. You and your spouse will love the results it has on your relationship, in addition to what it will do for your bank account.
 
 
About Craig Bailey:

I am the founder and creator of financialseeds.net.  I am the President and Chief Financial Officer of Green Financial Solutions, a Beverly Hills, CA based financial planning firm.  I am a licensed investment adviser and registered Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member.

My firm’s exclusive Steady Growth investment portfolio had at return of just under 24% for 2014.  (Source: Motif Investing)  And I am blessed to get the opportunity to serve individuals on their financial journeys.  I must admit my greatest accomplishment is marrying my beautiful wife who I met in seventh grade.

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Communication Marriage

3 Lessons I Learned Early On In My Marriage

In July of this year my husband and I will be celebrating 3 years of marriage. I know a lot of people say that you will not truly experience a marriage “milestone” until you have been married 5 or more years, but I beg to differ. I personally believe that in marriage you will reach many milestones from the moment you say “I Do”. It’s all about your mindset and perspective. I want to share with you three lessons that I have learned thus far!

1. Never Stop Serving Your Spouse: Before I got married I enjoyed hosting events and planning get-togethers with friends and family. It was something about creating an atmosphere that was conducive for great fellowship and conversations. Being a wife now, I see how my desire to serve my family and friends is playing into my passion to do the same for my husband. I know that there can be times where you want to be the one being “served” versus the “one serving”. Yet, once you have settled in your heart that whatever you do for your spouse you are ultimately doing unto the Lord, your whole processing will change and you will find joy in knowing that God is ultimately pleased in what you are doing. Your whole definition and level of serving will grow and your husband and family will receive the benefit! Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you Do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that  you will receive an inheritance from the Lord” 
2. Marriage is about Sacrifice: I did not know how selfish I was until I got married! I thought I was a pretty good catch, I was accustomed to sacrificing certain things as an unmarried woman but not to the extent of what I have experienced thus far in my marriage. I have learned that in marriage it’s not going to be about you all the time and that you have to be willing to lay down your life in order to help your spouse get to his or her destiny and purpose for a season. It does not mean that your destiny or purpose will be delayed, it means that it will be enhanced and enriched even the more because of your willingness to sacrifice and honor your spouse through the journey of their lives. John 15:13-14 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for ones friends. You are my friends if you do what I command”.

3. Have Fun: I am learning that marriage has its ups and downs but the one thing that has the ability to keep your marriage exciting and hopeful is your ability to ENJOY your spouse. I am learning more and more everyday the power of laughter and spontaneous conversations and dates! Don’t forget the reason you married your spouse.  Do not allow the enemy to steal the joy and laughter out of your marriage. If he can steal your hope for the future he can gain access into your marriage. Enjoy your husband or wife and know that in every season you both are growing stronger and wiser together. Proverbs 15:13 “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit”.

I pray these three points encouraged you whether you have been married  a few months or many years! Remember that marriage is a blessing from God and that God desires to receive the glory through your life personally as well as through your marriage. Continue to shine bright!

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Dating/Courting Engaged Marriage Single

Five Common Challenges of Young Marrieds

Whether you’ve been married five years or five minutes, maybe you’ve been noticing a few changes in your new life. Like how you don’t know how you feel about animated movies anymore (I still remember my wife’s face when I wanted to rent Despicable Me. Before we had kids.), or what kind of music “married folks” are supposed to like. I get it, and so do many, many, others.

Young married couples commonly feel like the “odd ones out.” It can sometimes feel like awkward adolescence all over again. Here are five common challenges of young marrieds. See how many you can relate to.

1. Friendships are very different. If you’re recently married and your best friends aren’t yet, there’s a definite change in your interactions. By no fault of their own, they’re not in your world yet. They don’t have to make decisions that will affect their families in the capacity that you do. You may remain extremely close, but there’s no denying that there’s another best friend in your life: your spouse. For this very reason, new marrieds are often extremely hungry to find couple friends. It’s not easy, but they’re out there. Put yourselves out there and amazing friendships are waiting for you and your spouse.

2. You have a hard time knowing where you fit within society. I can remember feeling extremely out of place when we first got married. Do I go to the men’s class or do we go to the young adults class? Do we eat with the young people or the “adults” during Thanksgiving dinner? As a young, inexperienced, fresh-faced husband, I didn’t quite feel like a man, yet I was no longer a boy. Accept that you’re adults now. Glean from other older married couples. Be patient with the transition.

3. You still miss your mama—a lot. The truth is, you probably miss everything about your childhood. It’s pretty normal to actually feel homesick as a newlywed couple. Give yourself time. You’re building a brand new family with a brand new flavor and a brand new culture. The good news is that you get to create the new culture of your brand new family! So whether your childhood was good or bad, you and your spouse get to start something fresh.

4. Sometimes you feel like you’re making it up as you go. The books and premarital counseling really helped, but this is no dress rehearsal, this is it! You’re on! Your wife cries, guess who has to be her support? You! Your husband feels like a failure. Who has to be the one to build him up? You guessed it: you. And that can be scary, can’t it? I don’t know anyone who begins marriage as an expert. Marriage is a journey. Why do you think thousands upon thousands of books have been written about marriage? Because marriage is a massive mountain that has taken many couples many, many years to scale. Keep your foundation on Christ, with a devotion to one another and you will see the fog begin to clear in your marriage journey.

5. You’re actually pretty scared. The future is so uncertain and many young couples don’t commit to marriage because of the fear of the unknown.  Like Joyce Meyer says, “Do it afraid.” Marriage is a very courageous endeavor. You know why? Because you’re loving In the dark. There’s no illuminated pathway. Your journey will be different than others. You’ll have challenges unique to your marriage, but remember: He has overcome the world. Love one another. Go all in. You’re writing a beautiful story together.

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Dating/Courting Home Single

5 Signs That Indicate He/She May Not be That Into You….

Closeup portrait dumb young woman, arms out asking what's problem, who cares so what, I don't know. Isolated green background space to right. Negative human emotion facial expressions, body language

Have you ever received mixed signals from a man/woman who seemed to be into you one minute then months/years later you became confused and unsure of where the relationship was headed? If you can relate to this emotional roller coaster, here are some signs that can help to determine if he/she is really not that into you:
1. If you are the one who always initiates communication, he/she may not be that into you. When a man or woman is interested in you, he/she will call, text, email or send smoke signals to get your attention. Not in a “stalkerish” way, but you will not be left to wonder if he/she is interested in you. When the interest is mutual both individuals will do their share of communicating with one another. However, the male should be taking the lead in the pursuit. Ladies, your job is to confirm your interest after HE pursues you.
2. If he/she consistently make excuses about why they can not make time for you, he/she may not be that into you. When a man/woman is interested in you, no matter how busy their schedule is they will make time for you!
3. If no one important to them knows you exist, he/she may not be that into you. When a man finds a woman he is interested in, he will share his interest with those close to him. If he has never mentioned you to his close  friends or family, chances are he is not that into you. Women love to show off the man in their life. If she has not mentioned you after several months of dating, you may just be an option for her, but nothing serious.
4. If he/she can not express their pursuit or feelings for you publicly, but communicates to you how important you are to them in secret, the truth is he/she may not be that into you. While I don’t believe every move made in the relationship should be public, if he/she is a public person (often shares great news and aspects of their life on social media) but there is no trace of you….there may be a problem. When a man is interested in a woman and really feels she is his potential mate, he will not hide her. He is not afraid of sharing his pursuit of her publicly. If he is truly decided about her place in his life, his goal will be to take her off the market as soon as possible. As it pertains to women, a decided woman will most certainly let the world know she is taken and involved. She will not keep her man a secret!
5. If a significant amount have time has elapsed and he/she is not ready to move forward with you to the next level, he/she may not be that into you. If you have spent several months or years getting to know a man/woman by dating and discussing a future together and he/she shows no interest in moving forward….he/she may not be into you. A reluctant man is a undecided man. Men who are ready for marriage know what they want and are prepared prior to pursuing a woman. Any other form of pursuit is simply a gamble and can result in a dead end relationship. Men, a woman who will entertain you while you spend money to take her out and on gifts, but is reluctant to move forward with you after spending a significant time in a dating relationship may enjoy the benefits of having you around….however she is most likely not sold on having a future with you.
For those who desire true love God’s way, refuse to settle for dead end relationships. Do not make a man or woman your all when they they have simply made you an option! Men, you are worthy of a woman who will make room for you in her life and will commit to you and only you. Ladies, you are worth the pursuit of a decided man who will make his pursuit of you clear and known to the world!

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Engaged Marriage Spiritual Intimacy

5 Simple Ways to Lead your Wife

Happy to be together. Handsome young man piggybacking beautiful woman and smiling while standing against grey background

One of the hardest things for a husband to do is to lead. Quite frankly, whether we want to admit it or not, we often times have no clue how to do so. We are filled with outdated and impractical scenarios of how it should be done or, we go along swinging in the dark trying to find a method on how to do so. It is tough sometimes BUT it is a mandate that we’ve been given for the health of our marriage and families. God would not have required us to do it if it could not be done. Below are 5 simple ways to lead your wife. These tasks, if implemented, can be transformative for your marriage or future marriage.

  1. Ask YOUR wife how she needs and wants to be lead. Many times we have our own preconceived notions about what our wives need in terms of leadership. We must not make the foolhardy mistake of thinking that our individual wives are like someone else’s wife. Your wife needs a specific, tailor made type and style of leadership. If she does not know because she’s never been asked, it creates a great conversation and solidifies a strong brick in the foundation of your marriage.
  2. Lead by inclusion. Make sure that she’s a part of the decision making process for the direction of the family. Our wives voice(s) are equally as important. The decisions that we make affect the whole family. As a wife and mother, her words are valuable and her desires for the family need to be heard, considered, and acted upon. It is a great way to hear her heart and will help her to trust you when making decisions because she will know that you are aware of, and will take into account her point of view
  3. Pray with your wife. Showing Godly accountability through prayer and seeking God’s face helps to ensure that we are connected to the heart of God and getting our direction and guidance from him. Prayer is also another time that we can hear the concerns, needs, and thoughts of our wives. While praying WITH her, listen to what she is saying and take note of those things so that you can go to God in her stead during your private prayer time.
  4. Remain connected to Godly accountability. Scripture tells us our plans will succeed with many advisors (Provers 15:22). When we are connected to a system of accountability, it is not always comfortable; if it is comfortable, that system has failed us. This helps to ensure that we are making wise, Godly decisions with a sounding board that helps guide us as we lead the family. It is imperative that we remain connected to GODLY accountability and not your friend that starts every sentence with “let me tell you what I did…”
  5. Speak life into your wife. Encourage her. Salute her. Esteem her. Regard her. Celebrate her. She is the crown jewel of our treasure here on earth. Speaking life is more than just compliments. It is taking the time to see our wives’ efforts, greatness, spirit, and value AND create a context that harnesses all of those and breathes a breath of fresh air into them. Speaking life into our wives can help shape their existence (as them speaking into us can do the exact same).

These five simple tasks will have an effect on our wives and allow us to lead as God has called us to. They require transparent communication, attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and respect. We cannot expect our wives to be fully submitted and give those elements to us unless we are fully submitted to Christ by loving and regarding them as Christ does the church. Guys, it’s WAAAAY more than being a bread winner!!!

Categories
Marriage

The Three P's to a Great Date Night

Flirting young African American woman pursing her lips for a kiss and caressing the face of a handsome man in glasses as they enjoy a date together

Life happens, as we all know. With the endless demands of work, home, family and other day to day activities, we are bound to get busy. However, with the busy schedule, it is important that you never become so busy that you forget to date your mate. Dating is an important element to the continued evolution of a relationship! It allows for each person in the relationship to check-in with their partner romantically. So how do you maintain dating your mate with a full schedule? There are three P’s to dating your mate that should make dating your mate a part of your regular routine.
1) Plan It!  Schedule it! Make a decision to date your mate regularly! Whether it is weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, make the date and as best as you can keep it. Remember, date night is in fact quality time so do not minimize it by not outing in the effort to make it enjoyable. Pick an activity and agree on what it will be. Whether it is a night in the house or a night out on the town, the date should be planned and agreed upon!
2) Prepare for it! Do Whatever it is you need to do to get your head in the game. If that means spending extra time earlier in that week on projects to make sure you at undisturbed during that night, do it! This could also mean assigning other days of the week to take care of household chores. Additionally, carving out a window of time of preparation to just focus on you could also be beneficial. This includes a moment to relax and unwind before the date OR, getting pampered with hair, nails, and other grooming to make date night extra special.
3) Participate in it! Enjoy it! Keep it light! Date night is a fun night! It’s not the night to fight hash out a disagreement or not speak to each other. This is literally a time to cuddle, snuggle, and laugh! Remember, this is your spouse and you have chosen to spend eternity with them, so do not slack on the value of dating after marriage as a maintenance technique to keep the fire on the relationship alive.
Remember: Making the decision to be in this relationship for life requires more than an “I DO” to maintain it, but the fun does not have to end once the marriage begins so: Plan It! Prepare for it! Participate in it! Although dating alone is not the only thing that helps to build the relationship, it is a helpful tool that can build the longevity of the relationship and allow intimacy to grow between the both of you!

Categories
Marriage Physical Intimacy

3 Places On My Wife I Commit to Kiss Everyday and Why

lovers walking in a field at sunset holding hands

The first kiss recorded in the Bible is found in Genesis 27:26-27. When Jacob kissed his son Isaac. This kiss was a sign of respect, honor, and a passing of blessing.
A kiss at its core is a sign of love and respect between two people.
It has now in our culture also become a way to connect non verbally with a person you are romantically involved with, a method of foreplay to prepare one another for sexual intimacy, and a sign of respect to a close one.
In marriage kissing is very vital part of your daily interaction. In my marriage it is already a custom when one person leaves the home we kiss each other, before we lay our heads to sleep we kiss each other, and at a time of celebration we kiss each other.
Each day I have committed to myself and my wife to kiss her in three places that hold a powerful symbol to reiterate 3 core values we vowed to when we got married.

  1. Her Forehead

In the morning before I leave for work, I kiss my wife on her forehead. The reason I kiss her on her forehead is to recommit my vow to honor and protect her thoughts, passions, fears, and her authority as my wife.
The forehead kiss is a sign of honor and respect that communicates you can trust me no matter what. When you kiss a woman at the top of her head you let her know that she can leave her entire life in your care. You let her know that she is safe with you.
2. Her cheek.
A kiss on the cheek is a kiss of friendship. Before you kiss a woman on her lips it is appropriate to kiss a woman on her cheeks during your dating season.
Each day I kiss my wife on her cheek as a commitment to be her best friend through it all. At the foundation of every great marriage is a solid friendship.
Two people who have strive to understand one another through communicating daily, putting the other before themselves through serving, conflict resolution, and respecting each other.
The kiss on the cheek will forever be the kiss that melts a woman’s heart.

  1. Her Lips

Kissing on the lips dates back to Biblical days which we can see in Song of Solomon 1:2, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.
In the Middle Ages in Europe kissing the on the lips was a sign of equal rank. Which is powerful in marriage because it communicates we are in this together.
At its core in marriage a kiss on the lips is a sign of romantic love.
I commit to kiss my wife daily on her lips to communicate the vow to romantically love her til death do us part, for better or for worse. The kiss on the lips is a commitment to forever be the romancer of her heart.   A kiss on the lips communicates that only you have my affection, desires, and heart.
The commitment to kiss your spouse everyday can build a bridge of trust and communicate your love in another way than just saying it.

Categories
Dating/Courting Engaged Home Single

7 Things You Must Know About Yourself Before You Get Married

female hands with pen writing on notebook on grass outside

In the classic book, Art of War, Suz Tzu states, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
 
Then, we have Shakespeare who coined the phrase, “to thyself be true”.
 
It is within these two powerful quotes that capture one of the most important things you could ever do which is to learn yourself. One of the greatest assets for going into marriage is knowing oneself well.
 
Here are 7 things you must know about yourself before you get married.

  1. Know what tempts you.

Some have bought into the lie that when you get married that your attraction will be only for your spouse. This is the furthest from the truth. Self control is one of the most important qualities to master before you get married. You must know what your weaknesses are before you marry so you can stay far away from them within marriage. Adultery is nothing to play with and has ruined many lives.
2. What you’re good at.
Just like you should learn what your weaknesses are you should also learn what comes natural to you. Another powerful asset to marriage is knowing what you bring to the table. No man or woman wants to marry a person that doesn’t increase their overall value as a couple. When I met my wife I knew immediately how she added to me by recognizing her strengths in comparison to my weaknesses.
3. Know where you spend your time.
Have you ever taken your entire week and assessed it for where you spent every single minute of your day. Talking about learning yourself. My mercy. You will immediately learn where you’re wasting to much time and also the things that you’re neglecting
4. What entertains you.What do you like to do for fun? What makes you laugh?   What do you like to do calm down and enjoy the results of a job well done. Being a workaholic in marriage can suck the life out of your marriage very quick.   Learn now how to have fun doing what entertains you.
5. What motivates you.
We all have those days where we don’t want to get out of bed due to the overwhelming stress of life, heavy responsibilities, and sometimes pure I don’t care anymore thoughts. It is at these times you must know what motivates you. What will you find refuge in for a source of revitalizing your passion towards life. I have days where I want to quit, but then I think on the things that are my why for life. It is these things that help me fight the good fight each and every day. What are your whys for life? What motivates you to keep going when life is knocking you down?
6. What hurts you.
Everyone hurts differently and is hurt by different things. What you have to realize is that hurting is a part of relationships. I love it how this lyrical genius put it in this song, “ Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.” You can’t go into any relationship with the fear of getting hurt. That is the great risk of loving people. But, it is good to know what hurts you in order to help those close to you. My wife and I had a very candid conversations about the things that hurt each other. We both had different things, and because of that conversation I know how to love her better.
7. Your love language
We all give and receive love differently. Knowing your love language is so pivotal for the health of your relationships. The 5 love languages are, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, gifts, and physical touch. It is found that what you do the most naturally is usually your love language.
 
I pray these 7 things will help you dive deeper into learning yourself better in order to be a greater asset to your future spouse.

Categories
Communication Home Marriage

4 Ways To Not Be A Boring Husband

I was sitting on the couch last week looking across the living room at my gorgeous wife when I realized I had gotten in a rut.
It was the boring rut.
We can get caught in a rut overnight or slide into it slowly over weeks.
Here is what is dangerous about a Boring Rut:
Your wife can be OK with it.
She can be fine with just hanging out with you. She might even say she doesn’t need adventure or something different, because she is fine just being with you.
She may also be fine sitting with you watching a boring TV show. But, why not find an exciting show to watch together?
She may also be fine going to a restaurant and eating so-so food. But, why not find a restaurant that offers deliciously satisfying food?
So, what do you do when you realize you have become lazy and are living in a boring rut?  Here are 4 ways to get out of that boring rut:
1. You have to care
As a leader at work, I care that my employees are giving me 1/3 of their day. I want to maximize that time so they feel satisfied at work and are productive. Their satisfaction means something to me.
In the same way, you need to care that your wife deserves the best. You need to care that her satisfaction is a priority.  If you are apathetic, you need to repent of that and ask God to give you a hunger for a life-giving marriage.
2. Tweak the daily rituals
The monotonous rituals in your marriage can become boring or they can be inspiring.  Here are some ways to tweak them:
Coming home: Pull into your driveway and rev your care engine. This will work if your wife is home the same time as you. When she opens door and asks what you are doing. Tell her that your car is an extension of your love for her and the engine is an extension of your heart. As the engine revs up so your heart is reved up for her. Another way to tweak coming home is to kiss her for 10 seconds when you enter the house instead of going to the couch, checking mail, etc.
Convo’s: Go on a walk in the neighborhood compared to just sitting down in the house talking.
Date Night: Check local Facebook groups, etc to find new activities to do. Or do one thing that is different on your regular date night–something that you normally don’t do.
3. Know when you are falling back into the boring rut
If you are physically fit, you can check the scale, heart rate, etc. to know if you are staying fit. But, how do you measure if you have fallen back into the boring rut?
Here is a simple way for you to know:
Ask your wife, “On a scale of 1-10, how innovative or adventurous am I as a husband? Or ask, “I want you to be my biggest fan. What are some things I used to do in our marriage that you would really appreciate if I started doing again?”
4. Sustain the innovation in your marriage
In your work life, you probably either use Google calendar or Outlook to make your performance more productive, to not forget important meetings, and to ensure you stay on task.
You need to do the same thing with your marriage so you stay out of the boring rut.
Here are some marriage ideas to add to your calendar:
Times for you to brainstorm date ideas.
Times to randomly text your wife during the day to let her know you are thinking of her.
Time to plan your next weekend getaway.
When you need to buy a marriage book, listen to marriage podcast, etc.
Don’t allow a boredom rut to get deeper in your marriage. You are the innovator of your marriage. You are the creative architect of your marriage. Ask God to give you the passion to keep your marriage fresh.
Question: What have you done recently to keep your marriage out of the boredom rut?

Categories
Dating/Courting Engaged Spiritual Intimacy

Should You Pray Together Before Marriage?

Guest Writers: Calandra Thompson & Culus Ellerton Williams II
 
Calandra: Ladies and Gentleman, most of us who are honest with ourselves in our single season desire to have a mate. We don’t know when it’s going to happen, but we keep the faith that it’s going to happen. Many of us pray for God to send us Mr. Right or Mrs. Right!
What do you do after God sends you this God-fearing man or woman?
This is not time to get comfortable and forget what God has done for you. I’m telling you now, this is prayer closet time. When God is in the midst of bringing two individuals together, the enemy is going to be on his job full-time. The enemy’s job is to kill, steal and destroy God’s people.
The best advice I can give you is to pray for and with your mate that God has placed in your life.
 
Culus: An older gentleman approached me while attending a church function recently. He said, “C.J., I can tell that you and your lady are pretty much official.” I laughed and nodded. My reply, “Yes we are!” He looked at me square in my eye and asked me “Are you all praying with each other?” From my silence to his question, he could tell that the answer was “NO”.
Ever since then, Calandra and I have made it a priority to pray with each other and it has made a difference in our relationship. As we pray with each other, I’ve noticed that the real issues our spirits encounter are addressed at that moment. It’s like our spirits join hands in prayer along with our physical hands.
I also noticed as we pray with and for each other, we speak life into each other’s lives. We speak victory and relief over every issue that may be troubling our spirits. It’s like our spirits had been waiting to join each other in prayer for so long that when they meet in prayer, they began to pour into each other as if they’ve found a long lost friend.
 
God’s word says, Matthew 18:20 (KJV) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. We as a couple usher the presence of the Lord into our individual lives, but also into our relationship. We know that where the presence of the Lord is welcomed, there will be an abundance of love, joy and peace.
As we pray together our relationship is strengthened and empowered by the Holy Ghost that resides in each of us. It is a blessing to have someone willing to bow before God in worship to pray with and for you. Prayer should occur daily in your relationship. We pray via text message and over the phone, but the best one is joining hands in prayer. So, we encourage every couple whether courting or married, to pray with each other and watch how God blesses your relationship!
 
Culus & Calandra
Culus Ellerton Williams II and Calandra Thompson are both devoted to Jesus Christ and their families. They both recently accepted the call to preach the gospel. They have a passion to spread the gospel to all that will hear. They enjoy encouraging and inspiring people to know more about Jesus Christ. They’re both ministry leaders at Christian Chapel Temple of Faith in Dallas, TX. Their hobbies are writing, dancing, singing and spending time with family.