Ongoing List of Dares

• 2/7/11
• First Dare - Resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all
• 2/8/11
• Second Dare - In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness
• 2/9/11
• Third Dare - Restrain from negative comments and to buy your spouse something that says, "I was thinking of you today"
• 2/10/11
• Fourth Dare - Contact your spouse sometime during the business of the day.  Have no agenda other than asking how he or he is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.
• 2/11/11
• Fifth Dare - Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you.  You must do so without attacking them or justifying your behavior.  This is from their perspective only.
• 2/12/11
• Sixth Dare - Choose to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation.  Begin by making a list below of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule.  Then list any wrong motivations that you need to release from your life.
• 2/13/11
• Seventh Dare - Get two sheets of paper.  On the first sheet, write out positive things about your spouse.  On the second sheet, write out negative things about your spouse.  Place both sheets in a secret place for another day.  Each will be used in later dares.  At some point during the day, pick a positive attribute from the first list and thank your spouse for having this characteristic.
• 2/14/11
• Eighth Dare - Determine to become your spouse's biggest fan and to reject any thoughts of jealousy.  To help you set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements, take yesterday's list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it.  Then share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed.
• 2/15/11
• Ninth Dare - Think of a specific way you'd like to greet your spouse today.  Do it with a smile and with enthusiasm.  Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for them.
• 2/16/11
• Tenth Dare - Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse - something that proves (to you and to them) that your love is based on your choice and nothing else.  Wash her car.  Clean the kitchen.  Buy his favorite dessert.  Fold the laundry.  Demonstrate love tot hem for the sheer joy of being their partner in marriage.
• 2/17/11
• Eleventh Dare - What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? Can you run an errand?  Give a back grub or foot massage?  Is there housework you could help with?  Choose a gesture that says, “I cherish you” and do it with a smile.
• 2/18/11
• Twelfth Dare - Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse.  Tell them you are putting their preference first.
• 2/19/11
• Thirteenth Dare - Talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement.  If your mate is not ready for this, then write out your own personal rules to “fight” by.  Resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs.
• 2/20/11
• Fourteenth Dare - Purposefully neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse.  Do something he or she would love to do or a project they’d really like to work on.  Just be together.
• 2/21/11
• Fifteenth Dare - Choose a way to show honor and respect to your spouse that is above your normal routine.  It may be holding the door for her.  It might be putting his clothes away for him.  It may be the way you listen and speak in your communication.  Show your mate that he or she is highly esteemed in your eyes.
• 2/22/11
• Sixteenth Dare - Begin praying today for your spouse’s heart.  Pray for three specific areas where you desire for God to work in your spouse’s life and in your marriage.
• 2/23/11
• Seventeenth Dare - Determine to guard your mate's secrets (unless they are dangerous to them or to you) and to pray for them.  Talk with your spouse, and resolve to demonstrate love in spite of these issues.  Really listen to them when they share personal thoughts and struggles with you.  Make them feel safe
• 2/24/11
• Eighteenth Dare - Prepare a special dinner at home, just for the two of you.  The dinner can be as nice as you prefer.  Focus this time on getting to know your spouse better, perhaps in areas you’ve rarely talked about.  Determine to make it an enjoyable evening for you and your mate.
• 2/25/11
• Nineteenth Dare - Look back over the dares from previous days.  Were there some that seemed impossible to you?  Have you realized your need for God to change your heart and to give you the ability to love?  Ask Him to show you where you stand with Him, and ask for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination.
• 2/26/11
• Twentieth Dare - Dare to take God at His word.  Dare to trust Jesus Christ for salvation.  Dare to pray, "Lord Jesus, I’m a sinner.  But you have shown your love for me by dying to forgive my sins, and you have proven your power to save me from death by your resurrection.  Lord change my heart, and save me by your grace."
• 2/27/11
• Twenty First Dare - Be intentional today about making a time to pray and read your Bible.
• 2/28/11
• Twenty Second Dare - Love is a choice, not a feeling.  It is an initiated action, not a knee-jerk reaction.  Choose today to be committed to love even if your spouse has lost most of their interest in receiving it.  Say to them today in words similar to these, ‘I love you.  Period.  I choose to love you even if you don’t love me in return.’
• 3/1/11
• Twenty Third Dare - Remove anything that is hindering your relationship, any addiction or influence that’s stealing your affections and turning your heart away from your spouse.
• 3/2/11
• Twenty Fourth Dare - End it now.  Identify every object of lust in your life and remove it.  Single out every lie you’ve swallowed in pursuing forbidden pleasure and reject it.  Lust cannot be allowed to live in a back bedroom.  It must be killed and destroyed – today – and replaced with the sure promises of God and a heart filled with his perfect love.
• 3/26/11
• Twenty Fifth Dare - Whatever you haven’t forgiven in your mate, forgive it today.  Let it go.  Just as we ask Jesus to “forgive us our debts” each day, we must ask Him to help us “forgive our debtors” each day as well.  Unforgiveness has been keeping you and your spouse in prison too long.  Say from your heart, “I choose to forgive.”