This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
Conversation Starters.
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
Romance Builders.
Relationship Builders.
Personal reflections.
Date ideas.
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
904.239.8937 A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL Follow us on:
Everyone can see Jesus’ love for them – they only need to look to the cross. If one cannot see the love of Christ, it is only because they choose not to. While Jesus lived on the earth, His love for us was conspicuous, meaning He showed love everywhere He went by healing people, empathizing with them, teaching them about God, and dying for them. He continues to demonstrate His love for us every day – sometimes in ways we don’t even see.
Rooted in Love
1 John 4:7 tells us that love is from God. Therefore, to fully understand love, we must be a child of God. The world has a version of love, but the only way to understand unconditional, sacrificial love is to know God. As a child of God, we are then rooted in love and it springs up from within us out of our relationship with Him. It then blooms and blossoms for all to see.
Conspicuously loving your spouse
Think for a moment about how you speak to your spouse. Now think about how you speak about your spouse. How do you treat your spouse? Do your words and actions reflect the love of God? When people see you together, they should be able to see the love you have for each other both in how you treat each other and how you talk to each about and about each other. They should also be able to see the love of God because love is from God.
The word conspicuous means “standing out so as to be clearly visible.” When the world looks at you as a couple, do they clearly see the love you have for each other? Do they see Jesus in how you love each other. Does your love for each other stand out against the world’s definition of love?
If you want to know just how conspicuous your love is, ask people who know you if they can see the love you have for each other and ask them to give examples of what they see.
Based on and exerted from Day 221 of God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce You can purchase this book from Westbow Press by click the logo >>>>>>
Read more about this book at the bottom of this page.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
Conversation Starters.
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
Romance Builders.
Relationship Builders.
Personal reflections.
Date ideas.
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
904.239.8937 A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL Follow us on:
“We are troubled on every side…” 2 Corinthians 4:8 (KJV)
Pressure and Trouble calls for Self-Care
Any person who works in a helping profession is in danger. Paul put it his way in 2 Corinthians 4:8: “We are pressured in every way…” (HCSB). The King James words it, “We are troubled on every side.” Pressured and troubled. If the ministry you are in feels like pressure and trouble, then hear Jesus say to you the same words he said to the disciples in Mark 6:31, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Jesus knew it was time for His disciples to practice some self-care.
Being target practice calls for Self-Care
Unfortunately, pressure and trouble isn’t all there is to ministry. There is an even dark danger – one we can’t see, but we can feel. When we say “yes” to God’s call for some type of ministry, you can bet that there instantly appears an invisible target that we wear 24/7 and we become target practice for Satan. Satan is constantly throwing flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:16) at us with the sole purpose of either destroying the ministry we have surrendered to, or to tarnish it, or to get us so discouraged that we wave the white flag of surrender and walk away, defeated. Therefore, those of us in helping professions need to know what self-care is and how to practice self-care every day.
What is a helping profession?
A helping profession is any profession that nurtures the physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional or spiritual well-being of the people they are helping. These professions include medical personnel, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors, social workers, teachers, life coaches, mentors, and those of us in ministry. It is any profession that helps other people throughout the various stages and circumstances of life. When we surrender to the ministry that God has called us to, we have said “yes” to helping others.
Just because we tie it up with a pretty bow of “a calling from God,” does not mean we are excluded from the dangers that come with helping others. People in ministry empathize with the hurting. Sometimes they experience secondary trauma as they listen and counsel the people to whom they are ministering. There are overwhelming demands on their time, emotions, and energy. They endure malicious intentions and hurtful accusations. It takes a toll on their well-being, relationships, and ministry. Self-care in ministry helps us navigate life with others while keeping ourselves anchored in Christ as we draw our strength from Him.
Doing Ministry on Empty Tanks
Often, people in ministry serve and give until they have nothing left to give. At that point, they either give up or keep on in the ministry but operating on empty tanks and therefore have become less effective. They lose sight of the passion, the purpose, and the call that God gave them. They go through the motions of ministry without the real joy of serving Christ. Doing ministry on empty tanks is much like this cartoon my daughter drew for me.
Satan wants us down for the count, sitting on the sidelines, defeated, discouraged, exhausted, and dreading stepping up to the plate of ministry. And he will do anything he can to keep us down.
Satan wants people that serve in ministry down for the count, sitting on the sidelines, defeated, discouraged, exhausted, and dreading stepping up to the plate of ministry. And he will do anything he can to keep us down. — Julia Bruce
The dangers people in ministry face are daily and they come at us from all directions and from all kinds of sources, just as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8. The biggest danger comes from the attacks that Satan hurls our way and often those are manifested through the very people to whom we are ministering.
These attacks comes through the people who are never happy no matter what we do. It comes through those who make accusations (truth or lies). It comes through attacks on your emotional well-being. Satan can attack in our physical well-being, emotional well-being, and mental well-being. It comes through attacks on our faith when Satan tries to get us to doubt the call we receive from God.
Sometimes what we face is God testing us, growing us, and preparing us for the next step of our journey as we go through trials. However, during the trial, we feel the effects just as much. Sometimes ministry just feels like one battle after another.
What do we do? We follow Jesus’ instructions for self-care
Perhaps you’re new to ministry and wonder how anyone in ministry can feel like this – just wait – it will come. However, Jesus told us what to do so that we can take care of ourselves and continue ministering – not out of responsibility and dread, but out of anticipation and joy.
After sending the disciples out to do ministry in Jesus’ name, they were excited over the miracles they had done. Yet, they had been so busy they hadn’t even had to time to eat. Listen to what Jesus said to them in Mark 6: 31.
Jesus understands. He knows we need to rest, renew, and recharge. If we are going to effectively care for and minister to the people God places in our paths, we need to be sure we are taking care of ourselves spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually, sensory, and socially. To be fully charged and ready to face whatever Satan throws our way, each of these areas of our lives needs to operating on full tanks. So be sure that you are taking the time to self-care before you “other-care.”
If we are going to effectively care for and minister to the people God places in our paths, we need to be sure we are taking care of ourselves spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually, sensory, and socially. — Julia Bruce
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
Conversation Starters.
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
Romance Builders.
Relationship Builders.
Personal reflections.
Date ideas.
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
904.239.8937 A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL Follow us on:
We have a new product line of Christian apparel and gifts on Teespring.com. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more. All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries. Thank you for helping us grow! Click here to view the store.
Have you seen Julie’s new book: God, Love and Marshmallow Wars? This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel
Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events. Book with us now.
Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants.
Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.
With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities.
We have a new product line of Christian apparel and gifts on Teespring.com. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more. All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries. Thank you for helping us grow! Click here to view the store.
Have you seen Julie’s new book: God, Love and Marshmallow Wars? This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel
Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events. Book with us now.
Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants.
Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.
With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities.
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Have you seen Julie’s new book: God, Love and Marshmallow Wars? This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. 
To request more information or a booking, 
