Your wife deserves to be loved!
1. GO BACK TO SCHOOL :
You need to become a student of your mate. Watch her life and get a sense of her potential, goals and dreams. Determine how to give encouragement or empowerment to overcome a fear.
2. AFFIRM HER STRENGTHS :
As I said, we all need a cheerleader in our corner, and no one should be a bigger fan of your spouse than you. When you see an area of competence and excellence in her life, tell her! Be specific in giving examples of where you have seen her being wise and discerning.Praise her for whatever she does well, whether it’s cooking, decorating your home, caring for the children, helping people, excelling at work, or being a person of character. Your enthusiasm will put a smile on her face and give her a confidence to pursue her goals.
3. CRITIQUE CAREFULLY :
If we are serious about helping our spouse become a better person, there will be times when some constructive criticism is necessary. This is dangerous territory — tread carefully!There is a fine line between exhorting and destroying. Our job is to build one another up, not tear one another down. Communicate your intentions to help in the best possible light so your spouse does not become defensive or feel put down.
Paint the picture of a diamond in the rough; it just has to be mined — polished, cleaned up, refined. Focus on the diamond, not the rough — remember that it takes seven positive comments to outweigh one negative.
4. PRAISE HER PUBLICLY :
One of the most damaging things we can do to our spouse is to criticize them in front of others. On the other hand, there is nothing as empowering and uplifting as public affirmation.A lot of people today seem to enjoy cutting down their spouse in the presence of others, whether friends, acquaintances or children. Instead, always speak well of your mate, whether or not your spouse is present.
5. WORK AS A TEAM :
Seek your mate’s input in your decision-making. God brought you together because you complement one another. Work as a team, and you will not only make better decisions, you will communicate, “I value you.” You will also discover how often God will speak to you through your spouse.
6. PROVIDE SECURITY :
Dave Currie, a frequent speaker at marriage conferences, makes the excellent point that you should be a safe place for your mate to land.Create an environment where your mate knows she can share anything openly and freely without the slightest hesitation.
Be sure to remind your spouse often how much you love and cherish her. I tell my wife Eleanor all the time how much I admire her and want her. Assure your mate that you will always be there for her and you will never leave her.
The security of knowing that there is someone who is always behind you, no matter what, creates an environment that encourages a person to take the necessary risks to chase their dreams.
7. Support and encourage her dreams :
A man shows respect for his wife when her dreams become his priority. In little things in big things, men should encourage and support their wives to achieve their hopes and dreams.
8. Work hard to provide for the family :
When a man works hard, it communicates respect to his wife. A lazy man is incapable of communicating true respect to his wife (or anyone else).
9. Help out around the house :
Each household is different, but in the homes where the wife manages the domestic duties, the husband should still be willing to jump in and help out. Doing the dishes or folding laundry is a simple way to show respect to your wife.
10. Engage in conversation with her and listen when she is talking:
believe the typical wife’s need for communication is every bit as strong as the typical husband’s need for sex.
A husband shows respect to his wife when he turns off his phone, turns of the TV and engages in meaningful conversation and he ALWAYS tells her the truth. Dishonesty is the ultimate form of disrespect.
11. Make time with your wife a priority :
A man shows respect for his wife when he makes her a consistent priority on his calendar. A husband should give his best energies to his wife; not his leftovers after he has given his best to hobbies, career or other pursuits.
12. Continuously pursues her :
Most guys are great at pursuing during the dating phase of the relationship, but we get lazy, inconsistent and unromantic in marriage.We show our love and respect to our wives when we continuously give them the best of ourselves and keep growing better with every season of life together.
