You are looking for the perfect spouse. You want her to think about you, serve you and center her life around you. She doesn’t exist.

You are looking for the perfect spouse. He cleans, he cooks, he listens and he smells good all the time. He doesn’t exist.

You are looking for the perfect relationship. No arguments. No trials. No dwelling in the past. It does not exist.

So go ahead and get over the fact that the perfect wife is not out there. Love and serve the one you promised your life to. Pray for her. She is who you need to love.

And go ahead and get over the reality that the perfect husband is not out there. Forgive the one you promised to forgive. Pray for him. He is who you need to love.

And while you are at it, go ahead and get past the fact that your marriage is not and will not ever be perfect. Work through your differences. Persevere through your trials. Let go of the past. Today you have a gift.

Last night I posted a video discussion with my wife “Did I Just Buy A Mini-van?” and asked people to vote on whether or not what we bought was a mini-van.  The comments were pretty funny.  And I think the jury is still out.  Today I received news from Vince Marotte on Twitter that our car was Celine Dion’s! Here is the evidence:

Ok, what do you say now??? I’m speechless. For once.

Some other man point loosing posts are: Should Dude’s Wear Sleeveless Shirts, 50 Things That Take Away Man Points & 50 Ways to Blow it As a Husband or Father

TheWayItCouldBe.com is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right. – Chad

I grew up in East Texas- not entirely rural, but definitely small town. From a young age, I saw churches of all shapes and sizes struggle to stay alive.  Hanging on to “sacred cows” churches stuck to “because this is the way we’ve always done it.”  Even today, churches cling to the past and struggle to write a new chapter for themselves and their communities.  

As a Pastor at LifeChurch.tv, I’ve seen the importance of breaking free from the status quo and charting out into to untested waters.  I recently read Transforming Church in Rural America, a new book by Shannon O’Dell.  If you are a church leader, innovator or believer looking to have influence in any town or city, you need to get a copy of this book!  Here are a few reasons:

1. You will hear O’Dell talk about “transformed lives” as the best marketing plan any church can have.
2. You will hear his story of leaving a large metropolitan area to move to a small town of under 100 people to answer a call to ministry!
3. You will laugh. The book (and online videos) are loaded with colorful illustrations from real life.
4. You will discover the value of honoring people and being faithful with God has entrusted to your church.
5. You will develop boldness for being an agent of change in your church and community.

As part of my review I’m going to be giving away a FREE copy of Transforming Church In Rural America.  One out of every ten comments will win a copy.  Read carefully; here is how you get your FREE copy.  Take these three steps:

1. Leave a comment below. State that you would like a copy of this book in your own words of course and share why you would like one. We dig comments.

2. Fill out the form to enter HERE. New Leaf Publishing will send you a free copy if you win and they will need your address. Click this link and fill in your information, so New Leaf Publishing Group will know where to send your FREE copy in the mail.

3. Send a link to this post through Twitter or Facebook.  If you aren’t on either, just say so in the comments and we will feel sorry for you, ha!   Use this status update:   Get a FREE Copy of @shannonodell’s new book, Transforming Church in Rural America, from @chadmissildine at http://bit.ly/aMAcLX #TCIRA

Ok.  Ready, Set, COMMENT below…