GOT ENGAGED? 6 WELLNESS TIPS EVERY CHRISTIAN BRIDE SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GETTING MARRIED
In a blink of an eye, everything has changed! Once, you were just a little girl; now, you are the one you dreamed of being: A bride-to-be.
I must admit that I spent considerable time imagining how the love of my life would ask me to marry him. I made my manicure on special occasions like Valentine's or Christmas, and I know brides like you would also expect that ring on Thanksgiving.
I believe that sometimes, The Lord has to prepare us before we receive His sweet blessings.
Engagement is magical. It's better than we imagined, right? It's out of this world.
You see that man bending the knee, and happy tears would come down your face.
Finally, The Lord has heard your prayers, and you are not going to be single forever!
Ah! that magical moment! No pressures, just the ring and you flying on a pink cloud of love.
Being engaged is one of your breakthroughs in life, especially when you have been dating the same man for more than three years.
Maybe you are that bride, too.
I see you, bride, but I can reassure you something: Before you knew it, God was already working on your heart to prepare you for this blessing: Your marriage. You did not make a mistake; this is the right guy!
But it was not the time yet, but now, it is the right time, and He is truly giving you the desires of your heart. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "Isaiah 55:8-9
Persecution and tribulation in your relationship are part of the deal, too.
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:12-13
So if you happen to be the bride that is discouraged just because is already facing tribulation in her relationship, rejoice!!! Because God will use your marriage for an eternal purpose.
In trials and tribulations, you determine if you want to be together for the rest of your lives.
But we were talking about engagement, right? It is sad to share with you that not all of your friends and Christian brothers and sisters will share your happiness. So do not be surprised if the people in your church are the ones trying to rain on your parade. It's nothing to do with you. It is just not comfortable for many people to enjoy others' blessings.
But I am so happy with YOU!!! Yei!!! You are getting married!!! And because I am passionate about marriage, I want you to remain married for the rest of your life.
Today, I will be sharing with you the essentials of well-being that every bride did not know they needed to apply in their life.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR Physical Health
My friend, you can invest in your intellect and emotions, but they will come to nothing if you don't take care of your body.
The Bible tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Honor The Lord with your body and reserve your body for the right one: your husband. The guy you are dating is not your husband yet.
God does not want to remove the fun from you but to protect you.
Many women today suffer from depression because they can not get over that first sexual relationship that deeply wounded their feelings. It is not just the intercourse but the place, the form he touched her, and the words he said or did not say.
Sex before marriage comes with an enormous emotional and mental bill that has to be paid. If you have been wounded in the past: I am deeply sorry for this. But guess what? I have great news for you!
The good Lord promised us to renew our minds if we repent for our wrongdoings, for having disrespected our bodies in such a way.
Ask The Lord to heal your wounds, and if you are having sex right now with the chosen one, repent and make a covenant with The Lord on your sexuality, and he will honor that covenant, I promise you.
Another thing to consider regarding physical health is nutrition and exercise.
Please, don't start to eat healthily and exercise until the doctor advises you to do so.
Thirty minutes of daily exercising are what your body needs to make you feel terrific. Exercising is one of the best ways to prevent and fight anxiety and depression. Remember, a healthy body will help you thrive in the beautiful, exciting, and demanding life ahead.
Invest in your Mental and emotional health
Our minds are the ones responsible for creating good thoughts for us. A mind that focuses on the good will help the body fight and prevent diseases. A worried and fearful mind will make you sick.
Every bride needs to take care of her mind to be able to cope with the stress of the wedding.
A bride that has a strong mind will react not according to her circumstances but to what is right. Bridezillas are the brides that haven’t learned to tame their emotions to respond soberly to the events of life. Having a healthy mind is nothing that comes by chance or luck, but as in physical exercise, it takes time to develop a healthy mindset.
God has promised to renew our minds if we remain in his word.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
Our thoughts are connected to our emotions, and our emotions bring forth reactions. The secret is in developing a solid and sober mind that can control its thoughts and, in this way, govern its feelings and actions.
Yes, bride-to-be, you can refrain from screaming, and throwing a tantrum. You can bridle your body and not say whatever your brain offers you to say. “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:2
But it would help if you started working on this today.
have a relationship with Jesus
Before marriage, ensure you have already developed a strong relationship with The Lord. Reading the Bible and prayer is not meant just for times of distress. Our daily prayer and acts of worship, allow us to stand firm amid stressful times.
Daily spiritual investments in the things above will strengthen your faith and give you hope and comfort when you need it the most.
Your mind needs to be fed daily with good thoughts and portions of the Bible that will pop up in your mind when you need it the most and suddenly brighten your day.
Don’t isolate yourself
It is common for brides to forget about their social lives while preparing for the wedding, but you need the cheers and conversations of family members, friends, and the church more than ever. It is common for Newlyweds to get isolated without realizing it. The cheers of being married make them selfish and not think too much about the future and the importance of social connections in their lives.
I know for some of us, it's lovely to be alone. I am one of those people who enjoy and look forward to their time of solitude, but not everyone likes to be alone.
Women are more vulnerable to experiencing a sense of loneliness once they are married, especially when the children come, and they have decided to stay at home. The best advice I can offer you is to start building your social connections now. This is the perfect time to replace those toxic relationships from the past with authentic, emotionally healthy friends. Take advantage of this new season!
money, money
The Bible never tells us that money is bad for us, but the love of money. "For the love of money is the root of all evil." 1 Timothy 6:10.
Money is essential in your marriage because it is one of the leading causes of divorce.
Reaching financial freedom is one of the greatest blessings a marriage can experience.
I know the temptation to ask for a $1,000,000 loan to cost your wedding! Maybe you are not that crazy, but what about a loan for the honeymoon? or the furniture for the new home? That sounds more reasonable, right? But NOPE!
Make everything in your power not to fall into debt, and start making a habit of saving money and investing for the future. Yeap, because your marriage will last a lifetime.
Don't start your marriage falling into debt.
Please resist the temptation to accept credit cards with your new last name; believe me, you don't need them. Don't welcome them into your home, and you will have rest for your soul.
Bride, I don't have my life all put together, and I wish someone like me would have told me not to go into debt but guess what? I received bad advice from people that loved me. They told me the same lies they had believed all their lives: "No one can have anything good in life unless they ask for credit." " Live today, and tomorrow will be in charge of tomorrow."Yes, they even missed Bible verses to wash my brain.
They told me I needed to have my first nest full of furniture because people could talk about it. So, I ran off to the first place I saw to ask for financing.
Ah! and how to forget it! They told me to spend all of my savings on my dream wedding because, well, you marry just once in a lifetime. And yes, I did it and he did it too.
Thank God, after 12 years of marriage, I finally understand the importance of not having debt and that my real value comes from the person I am, not from the things I possess that give me value before people that don't even love me. My value comes from the fact that God loves me because I am HIS. I no longer need to drain myself trying to pretend and live a life that doesn't belong to me. And guess what?
I am almost reaching the state of financial freedom, and I am enjoying it so much!
Now that you are about to start a new season in your life, try to get rid of every debt you have, and learn from the beginning of your marriage to live with the money you receive from your work or business. NO LOANS!
Contentment is the key to a happy marriage :)
Don’t neglect your career
I missed those old times when women just cared about caring for their husbands and children. They cleaned with joy and were masters in cooking holiday pots and chicken soups that got to the soul.
They had a strong women's community where they shared tea afternoons while quilting. . .Old times♥ I am in love with those stories of wives and mothers, but unfortunately, we live in very different times today.
Since the 70s, women have been becoming more financially independent to the point that now, women support half of the expenses that marriages have at home. Does that mean that men have delegated some of their responsibilities to us, or that our expenses have increased? Or maybe it is that we are overspending on things that we don't need. I don't have an idea.
The thing is that a working mom is becoming the norm. You can work outside the home or be a stay-at-home working mom, like me! Yei : )
Whatever path you choose in your future life, please, don't bury your passions, career, experiences, and skills once you are married or once you become a mother.
I always say that every woman needs a husband to love, children to love, things she enjoys doing, and a career or dream to pursue. Some women don't like the idea of continuing to work but decide to stay home even when they don't have kids, and that's ok, but they will need to grow in learning new things and develop the abilities they have to bring value to the people that surround them. They deserve our best! so, never stop growing!
Remember when you heard that women could have it all? Well, they lied to you. Our daily energies are depleted, and we have to be wise in how and with whom we will spend those energies.
Investing all of your energy in your job and leaving nothing for your husband and children does not have to be an option for you. What is the answer?
Learning what your priorities are and working around them.
Leave always space for your old dreams. Don't bury those diplomas you put so much effort into getting but creatively use them. You did not happen to graduate from college for anything.
God intended for you to use them to bless the lives of your husband, children, and others, and why not? Bring some food to the table.
Women need to know that their skills and knowledge are valuable.
So, if someone has told you that you studied for nothing, that's a lie.
Don't limit yourself to applying your career to working for a company, but open your mind and see how you can open a way to give your full energies to your family while doing that thing you enjoy so much.
Well, we have reached the end of today's blog. I continue applying these essentials in my marriage and they still work for me.
Applying these essentials of well-being will make your marriage a warm nest that will keep your future little birds safe, and that's my dream for you.
Don't feel overwhelmed if you don't have all of the essentials yet because having them all is a process that takes time.
You will need time to master every one of them to get to the point of enjoyment :)
In the same way, you need time to save money to be financially free; and you need time to develop a solid and healthy mind, body, and soul.
The good news is that as you invest time and effort in one of these essentials, you invest in all of them. Just imagine the sensation of not having any debts and how that simple step can work out to improve your mental and emotional health in ways you did not think about before.
Does that strengthen your mind and emotions?
It all starts by sowing a tiny seed of intentionality.
What do you think, bride?
