Over the past few years I have had the privilege of building a friendship with author, blogger, wife, mother and so much more, Darlene Schacht. Filled with a beautiful heart and a ginormous passion to help other married couples establish their relationship on God, she has an online ministry at TimeWarpWife.com. I am honored to celebrate with her as she recently released her new book Messy Beautiful Love where she transparently shares her marriage story in hopes of others being inspired to persevere and press into God. AND we get to hear from her in this guest post today!
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Have you ever had a close friend? I mean a really close friend. One that you could confide in, run to, and laugh with? If you’re a woman, my guess is that you probably have at some point in your life, and you just might have one now.
There’s nothing quite like it, is there? That kind of friend doesn’t come around every day, and when he or she does, you just know it’s a God thing.
The blessings of having a best friend are many:
- There’s someone in this world who you know has your back.
- You have someone to run to with your ups and your downs
- They remind you that you’re wanted and loved
- They know how to cheer you up when you’re down
- They can make you laugh like no one else can
- They are honest with you in a gentle and compassionate way
- You have someone you can safely trust with your emotions
- You’re comfortable around the person and can be yourself
- You’ve got a personal cheerleader who wants the best for you
- They encourage personal growth
I’ve had a few best friends over the course of my lifetime—friends who have made me laugh until I cried, friends I’ve made long-lasting memories with, and friends I could count on to encourage me when life got me down. They were definitely in my corner and reminded me how much I was loved, but I have to tell you–none of them will ever compare to Michael.
Best friends are a God thing, especially when that best friend is your husband. In fact friendship is the jelly in the sandwich of marriage. It holds you together on the days when life pulls the plate out from under you.
I’ve had a few days like that. I think we all have. You know those days when all you want to do is stay in bed and pull the covers up over your head? Yeah, me too.
A good friend finds you in the dark and carries you back to the light. At least that’s what Michael does, over and over again. He’s not only there when I seek him; he pursues me when I need him the most.
There are many ways to capture the heart of your husband, but if you want to capture his heart for a lifetime, work on being his friend. Be that person who makes him laugh, who cheers him on, who he can trust with his heart, and reminds him how much he’s loved.
Let’s look at 5 powerful ways to strengthen your friendship:
- Spend time together. Get away from distractions like television so that you can focus on each other’s needs.
- Communicate well. Communicating is far more about listening and understanding than it is about talking. Learn how to listen by practicing patience.
- Have fun. Lighten up. Do some things that make you smile like hanging out with other couples that you both enjoy being with, or taking a class together.
- Pray together often. One of the most refreshing feelings in the world is to pray with your spouse. It strengthens your bond of unity. Big time!
- Get physical. Hold hands, hug each other, make love. Being married means that you get to have a sleepover with your best friend every night, take advantage of that.
Excerpt from Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages
Darlene Schacht
www.timewarpwife.com
Darlene is an Evangelical Christian who has been married to her husband Michael for over twenty-five years. They have four children and two adorable pugs. Their lives are basically surrounded by three things: faith, family, and books.
Her newest book, Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages (Thomas Nelson), delivers an incredible testimony of grace that offers hope for today’s marriages and a spark for rekindling love.
Visit Darlene’s website at: www.TimeWarpWife.com