Confession: I don’t know the actual start date of the “Advent Season.” I always assumed it began on December 1st, but I’ve read articles and devotionals that claim it has already begun. Oops. If you are strict about the start date, let’s pretend I posted this yesterday or you can mentally change the title from “Marriage Advent Calendar” to “Countdown to Christmas: Marriage Style.”
A few years ago, the Lord gave me the idea of doing a Scripture-based Advent Calendar for my husband. It continues to be one of my most viral posts. Today, I am reposting along with additional Scriptures and ideas!
Marriage Advent Calendar!
Until 2013, Advent calendars were never a part of our Christmas celebration. On a whim (also read: after spending enough time on Pinterest), I threw together a quick calendar for my children which included 24 activities accompanied by 24 Scriptures. Within minutes of creating one for the children, I made a second one for my husband. Both ideas were so successful, they have become family traditions.
When originally prepping Jason’s advent calendar, I considered filling the days with things for us to do together: dancing to Christmas music, buying an ornament that reminds us of the year, snuggling by the fire, ice skating, and sleeping under the Christmas tree. However, when I went to write out his Advent cards, the Lord took the idea in a whole new direction. To follow the same pattern as the calendar I made for our children, I wanted to include a daily Scripture for my husband to read. As I began reading and choosing which verses to include, my activities quickly modeled God’s Word rather than my previous cookie-cutter ideas. And I like it better this way!
For those who may be interested, here is my complete list (in no particular order):
- Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. ~Proverbs 21:9
I will feed the children dinner and put them to bed while you get the night off. I won’t quarrel about it! - But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.~ Mark 10:6-9
Tonight let us pray for our “one flesh” to deepen. - Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. ~Psalm 85:10
You be righteousness, and I will be peace and kiss for 30 seconds! - Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. ~ Hebrews 12:3
Let’s invite someone we don’t know very well over for dinner and fellowship. - What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate. They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. ~Matthew 19:6-8
Tonight we are going to watch (fill in with a title of a movie). If we see anyone with a hard heart, let’s verbalize our commitment to this marriage so that we stay far away from developing a hard heart. - Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ~ Genesis 24:67
Thank you for loving your wife so well. I am going to share with you the top three things I love about you. - He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord. ~Proverbs 18:22
I want to be a good wife. You are a good husband who is good at (fill in the blank with a hobby). I want to be a good wife and allow you time to do that today! - Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ~ 2 Corinthians 6:14
I am thankful that we are equally yoked. Let’s visit the prayer room at our church and spend time in prayer together. - A loving doe, a graceful deer– may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. ~ Proverbs 5:19
May my breasts satisfy you… TONIGHT! - You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ~ Galatians 5:13
Let’s take any free time we were going to spend on ourselves today, and find ways to serve others with that time instead. - Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. ~Matthew 1:18-25
Tonight we are going to watch The Christmas Experience (or substitute for your favorite true-meaning-of-Christmas movie). - A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. ~Proverbs 12:4
Share with me specific ways I can be a jewel in your crown. - Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. ~Genesis 2:18-22
I want to be a suitable helper for you… pick something from your to-do list and let’s tackle it together. - Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. ~ 1 Timothy 3:8-12
Let me pray for you to strengthen in theses, already present, qualities in your life. - We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. ~1 John 3:16-18
Let’s make a list of people around us, and specific ways we can be generous towards them with our money, time, and love. - Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. ~ Ezekiel 16:8 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. ~Revelation 19:7-8
I am so thankful that I married you! Tonight, let’s watch our wedding video (or look through wedding photos). - However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.~ Ephesians 5:33
Allow me to share the many reasons I respect you. - Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:11
While “in the Lord” we aren’t independent of each other… we can spend a night independently. After the children go to bed I will do my thing, and you can do yours. - Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. ~Song of Solomon 2:3
My comments are too personal for public sharing. Write your own love note to your husband describing how you love the feel and taste of his body! - But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:3
How can I help support you and pray for you as the leader of our home? - Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Is there something I can make easier for you? Allow me the privilege of lightening your load. - As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. ~ Isaiah 62:5
Since marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, today we are going to have our pictures taken by a professional! - And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ~Luke 2:7
The Word became flesh and first appeared as a helpless infant in a barn! Let’s discuss the humility of Christ and pray for us to develop that same humility. - Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another. ~John 15:9-17
Will you join me in the kitchen as we dance to “We Are In Love” by Harry Connick Jr. - If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. ~Deuteronomy 24:5
Even though we aren’t recently married, and we can’t take a year off, but I’ve arranged for an all-day (or overnight) babysitter so we can take a day off! - Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Let’s share which areas of love we want to improve on and praise each other for our areas of strength. - For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6
To help us prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace, we are going to attend (insert a Christmas play/music special/something that requires tickets.) - The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. ~ 1 Corinthians 7:3-4
Let me fulfill your needs tonight!
If this concept is new to you, don’t assume it is too late for you to prepare an advent calendar/countdown to Christmas. It’s not! It is okay if you start a day late (I’m the legalistic type that needs permission not to be perfect). Use the list above to help you brainstorm your own Scriptures and activities or use the list above in its entirety. It can also take as little or as much time as you want to spend putting it together. It is not Pin-Worthy, but here is mine:
I does not accurately display my crafting abilities, but my budget was $0.00 and my time is equally as limited. I used scrap wrapping paper on a cork board that I already had. I made library style pockets out of previously purchased scrapbook paper and use 3×5 index cards to write the verses and acitivies. You can also skip the handwriting and crafting altogether by texting your husband while he’s at work! There is no wrong way to enjoy this marriage advent calendar because it is the thought that counts. In a season that is hectic and demanding, it is fun to schedule and plan intimate moments with your husband!
Make this an Advent Season/Christmas Countdown your husband will never forget!
If you enjoyed this post, don’t miss my 12 Days of Christmas for Your Husband.
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