Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Show and Tell
Ladies, don't focus on what your man is not doing or what you want him to do. Focus on what he is doing and appreciate him for that. Today is show and tell, let him know how much you appreciate him.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Renew Your Mind
Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you could change your marriage? What it would take. How much work it would require? Would you have the energy to do so? Do you even think that your marriage is worth it? If you are willing to work on it, is your spouse willing to work on it? If you do the work, will your spouse even notice? Will your spouse participate in making the marriage better? What if you do all this work and they remain the same? Would you still be willing? Take the time to set the stage for change to renew your mind to a positive workable state of mind. Be willing to take responsibility and make some changes.
Monday, November 2, 2009
An Obama State of Mind
An article was published on Sunday, November 1, in The New York Times that talks about the Obama marriage. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/magazine/01Obama-t.html Days before and since, there has been much debate about whether they should be getting as much press about their marriage or whether their relationship is worth looking at as different than any other. I want to add my two cents to the conversation.
The article discussed many aspects of their marriage including a time that was their roughest, when they were having trouble. The highlights from this article, if used in the right context, could give us a glimpse into how a couple even with such high demands as the first couple can continue to love one another even through the tough times. The article may even be able to give the rest of us cues on how to make a marriage work and by understanding how to make a marriage work we can be inspired to make some changes in the devastatingly low statistics surrounding marriage in the Black community.
This summer, there was a study published, called the Marriage Index, which was developed by the National Center on African American Marriages and Parenting as well as the Institute for American Values. The Marriage Index proposes that there needs to be a national index to track marriages, just like we track everything else. In this index, marriage is highlighted in five areas, which are percentage of adults married (ages 20-54), percentage of married persons “very happy” with their marriages (ages 18 and up), percentage of first marriages intact (ages 20 – 59), percentage of births to married parents, percentage of children living with own married parents. These five areas highlighted in the index show some troubling information especially in the Black community. Here are some of the statistics:
- In 1970, 70.3% of African American adults (ages 20 – 54) were married but by 2008 the number of African Americans adults that were married (ages 20 – 54) had dropped dramatically to 39.6%.
- In 1970, the percentage of first marriages that were intact was 69.7%, but by 2008, the number of first marriages intact was 50.1%, which means that 50% of all marriages in the Black community ended in divorce.
- The last area that I will highlight is the percentage of births to married parents, in 1970 this was 62.4% but in 2008 the numbers had dropped drastically to 28.4%. This means that the majority of African American children are being born to unmarried parents, single parent households, or cohabiting couples. This is possibly one of the most alarming trends because the numbers are low enough for the first marriages but now our children are seeing that marriage doesn’t have to be an option and that the stability that a marriage can bring is no longer the norm in the black community.
“If my ups and downs, our ups and downs in our marriage can help young couples sort of realize that good marriages take work. . . .” Michelle Obama said a few minutes later in the interview. The image of a flawless relationship is “the last thing that we want to project,” she said. “It’s unfair to the institution of marriage, and it’s unfair for young people who are trying to build something, to project this perfection that doesn’t exist.”
Here are some insights that I gleaned from the interview that could help any marriage:
- A good marriage is worth fighting for.
- Everyone has differences.
- Acceptance of what your marriage looks like. If you don’t like what it looks like, you have to put in the work to change it.
- Marriage is a team approach, not a one man or one woman sport.
- Support of one another’s goals and dreams.
- The “I got your back mentality”.
- Communication is key.
- Do whatever it takes to make the marriage work, even doing away with the traditional roles mindset.
- Always wanting the best for one another.
- Supporting one another even through failures, not throwing it up in the other one’s face, no I told you so.
- Be protective of your wife and be protective of your husband.
- We need each other to truly succeed.
- Intimacy is key.
- Continue to date one another.
- The love the two of you share should be evident to those around you.
- Seek the support of others who support the success of your marriage.
- Marriage is a lifetime of renegotiations.
- Marriage can be good and can be happy.
These are just some of the key points that I took away from the article. Ultimately, the article shows a couple who has had some bumps in the road of their relationship, but is continuing to shape the future of their marriage in a very positive way not only for their children, but for ours. The Obamas are truly an inspiration to all of us of what a happy marriage can look like. Can you say the same about yours? Take some of these key points to create your own Obama state of mind, your own happy marriage and become a role model for marriage in your community.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Just Junk It
We were recently on a family vacation and were traveling along when we began to hear these funny noises coming from the truck, neither one of us could figure out what was going on. The noises were getting louder and louder. We eventually had to stop to have the truck checked because some of the lights warning you when something is wrong were flashing. Well this is after midnight on the New Jersey Turnpike and we are on our way to Virginia. We pull over to the service station and the guy says, let me hear what’s going on with your truck. We turned the truck on and he said, oh no shut it off. I know exactly what it is, he said, your engine is gone. What!!! The engine was gone, the heart of the truck was broken. Can you imagine being at a service station in the middle of the night with your entire family husband, wife and three children? This was anyone’s worst nightmare. The guy said you could either let the truck go or because it was in such good condition in all other respects, we could replace the old engine and get a new one. The guy said we would not make it back to New York and certainly not to Virginia, but he thought we could make it to the next exit four or five miles away. He said if you go there you can get a hotel for the night and figure out what you need to do in the morning. After saying all of this, he then said make sure that you take your time and only drive about 20 – 30 miles per hour because if you don’t you could completely blow out the engine and be stuck on the side of the road on the turnpike. Oh my God, is all I could think. What have we gotten ourselves into? Well, we decided to take our chances and get to the nearest hotel and get the kids to a safe place so that we could make a good decision the next morning. I know you know that I was praying the whole way.
The next morning my husband was on the phone calling our mechanic at home, family nearby who was wondering where we were and how we were doing, and local tow services. Many of them had all kinds of advice including one that stuck out to me. Just junk it. Hmmm. That statement says a lot about how our society thinks today. When something is too hard or gets to be too much of a burden, we want to just junk it. When a rift occurs that appears to be too much of a hassle we want to just junk it. What about those people who have at times in their marriage gotten to a place where it seemed like there was no room for repair of the relationship because it would take too much work, it was too hard, the heart of their relationship was broken, so they want to just put it away and just junk it.
Marriage is not one of those things that when it gets too hard that you just junk it. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and covenant between that man, that woman and God. In Mark 10:1-12 the Bible talks about how the Pharisees were asking Jesus about Moses allowing people who were married to divorce. Jesus answered them saying that Moses only allowed this because of the hardening of their hearts, but this was never the intention of God. He meant for marriage to between one man and one woman who would be joined together as one and not separate. Yes once the heart or the engine of a marriage is hardened it takes a lot of work to make repairs. It takes a lot of effort. There may even be some sweat and a whole lot of tears. However, if you to take it slow, get the help and support that you need, seek the Lord in prayer, don’t listen to outsiders who tell you it’s not worth it and ultimately make the decision that you want to work on your marriage and keep your covenant, you won’t come to the conclusion to just junk it.
The next morning my husband was on the phone calling our mechanic at home, family nearby who was wondering where we were and how we were doing, and local tow services. Many of them had all kinds of advice including one that stuck out to me. Just junk it. Hmmm. That statement says a lot about how our society thinks today. When something is too hard or gets to be too much of a burden, we want to just junk it. When a rift occurs that appears to be too much of a hassle we want to just junk it. What about those people who have at times in their marriage gotten to a place where it seemed like there was no room for repair of the relationship because it would take too much work, it was too hard, the heart of their relationship was broken, so they want to just put it away and just junk it.
Marriage is not one of those things that when it gets too hard that you just junk it. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and covenant between that man, that woman and God. In Mark 10:1-12 the Bible talks about how the Pharisees were asking Jesus about Moses allowing people who were married to divorce. Jesus answered them saying that Moses only allowed this because of the hardening of their hearts, but this was never the intention of God. He meant for marriage to between one man and one woman who would be joined together as one and not separate. Yes once the heart or the engine of a marriage is hardened it takes a lot of work to make repairs. It takes a lot of effort. There may even be some sweat and a whole lot of tears. However, if you to take it slow, get the help and support that you need, seek the Lord in prayer, don’t listen to outsiders who tell you it’s not worth it and ultimately make the decision that you want to work on your marriage and keep your covenant, you won’t come to the conclusion to just junk it.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Welcome
Welcome to our blog, I Love Being Married. This blog will contain information to help you in your dating, engaged and married relationships. We hope that you will use this information to help better your relationships. Ultimately, we would like for everyone who reads this blog to find some tools to help them one day be able to join us in the movement of people that are saying, "I Love Being Married".
Rules of Engagement
When you are in conflict with your spouse, how do you view it? Do you see conflict as a healthy part of every marital relationship that needs to happen in order for your relationship to grow, or do you see it as a battle that you must win in order to get what you want? Your answer to this may answer your question of why is it every time you and your spouse are in conflict, it becomes a heated battle that no one really wins.
Every marriage will have conflict, it is just a matter of how you deal with the conflict that will determine (1)how much conflict you will have or (2) the outcome of that conflict. When engaging in discussion on issues with your spouse, you can view it from one of two angles, which is either positve or a negative. The positive definition of engagement is a promise or pledge, to bind yourself to marry, to attract and hold attention. The negative definition is to enter into conflict with the enemy. Which one has been the definition of your conflict with your spouse? Often times when you are in conflict with your spouse you forget that you are in a union that you pledged to stand together with your spouse and not stand apart as if the two of you are at war.
Even though you have conflict and you may feel that nothing is being accomplished, there is a way to have your engagement in discussion be from a positive standpoint and not the negative. You can deal with conflict from a loving standpoint rather than an adversarial one. You can come from a position of giving agape love, which is defined as a self-giving love, gift love, the love that goes on loving even when the other becomes unlovable. Agape love is the kind of love that Christ gave to us. His love was sacrificial and unconditional and we are to pattern our love for one another after the love that Christ has for us. According to 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 love suffers long and is kind, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. From this kind of love we can take clues on how to handle conflict with our spouse even in the midst of anger. The model that we created will help you remember the bottom line when dealing with conflict which is to deal with the conflict from a spirit of AGAPE LOVE. The acronym AGAPE LOVE stands for:
A – Always create a safe place to talk (by setting ground rules ahead of time)G – Gather your thoughts and feelingsA – Accept responsibility for your role in the conflictP – Produce effective communicationE – Eliminate negative talk (speak the truth in love)
L – Listen carefully and repeatO – Openly discuss the problem involved in conflict (one at a time)V- Vow to resolve the issue and Follow up ( at least one week for smaller issues or an agreed upon time for larger issues)E – Experience the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer
A – Always Create a Safe Place to Talk (by setting ground rules ahead of time)Some examples of ground rules are no cursing at each other, no bringing up hurtful things from the past, not allowing others into the conflict unless it is an impartial third party, we will talk on Sundays after church which will be our set time every week. What are some ground rules that you have set up for your communication with your spouse? Both of you need to feel that you can communicate without feeling like your words will come back to haunt you. You should be able to be free to communicate openly without fear of reprisal from your spouse or anyone that they may have confided in. Bible verse: Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
G – Gather Your Thoughts and FeelingsSometimes we don’t take the time to gather our thoughts and feelings and it can be disastrous. We need speak with love in hearts and on our tongue. Bible Verses: Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath,But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. Proverbs 21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
A – ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY for YOUR Role in the ConflictOften times we want to place blame on the other person and not take responsibility, but we must take responsibility for our actions. When you accept responsibility you are committed to coming to a conclusion that is best for your marriage, you look to resolve issues through problem solving and when things go wrong you are willing to own up to your role and essentially bear the burden of the decisions that you have made. Bible Verse: Galatians 5:1-5 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
P – Produce Effective CommunicationCommunicate at an agreed upon time that is good for both of you. For example, not after 9pm because one of you will get too sleepy, or only after the kids are in bed. This does not mean that you consistently say that this is not a good time so that you can avoid the conversation. If you say that this is not a good time you must come back with a time that is good for you. Talk to each other without distractions, such as the TV, cellphones, children in order to give your undivided attention to what is being said. If someone does call during your conversation, don’t pick up let them leave a message. This will send a message to your spouse that they are important to you. In order to effectively communicate, you need to be able to express your thoughts and feelings so that it does not put the other person on the defensive. One technique to do this is called using I- statements. For example, I felt hurt when you didn’t come home after work it makes me feel like you take my time for granted. This is very different from you don’t care anything about me because you always come home late. Additionally you want to make sure you don’t bombard your partner with information by talking on and on. You should speak in two to three sentences at a time like speaking in bite sized pieces. If you feel like you have said a mouthful you have said too much. Speaking in bite sized pieces gives your mate an opportunity to absorb what you have said and gives them an opportunity to make sure they fully understand the thought that you are trying to convey.Things to avoid during communication are 1. allowing the conversation to escalate. In fact this can be one of your ground rules in that you will honor one another enough to only speak in love without raising your voice. However, if things do begin to escalate take time away form each other to calm down and then come back when you can follow through with the conversation from a place of honoring your spouse. Other things to avoid are 2. thinking that your spouse can read your mind. You must communicate how you feel in order for him to understand how you feel. 3. You must also be willing to engage in the conversation even when it may be difficult. It does not help if you withdraw from the conversation, because over time there will be resentment around the issue and towards you because you continue to avoid it. 4. Accept what your spouse is saying as truth about how they feel. Don’t shrug off their feelings as inconsequential or treat them like oh here we go again. We must honor each others feelings without ridicule. Bible Verses: Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver. Proverbs 15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
E- Eliminate Negative Talk ( speak the truth in love)We must speak to each other from a place of honor and of love. Sometimes we can get so bogged down in our negative beliefs about our spouses that we can’t see the good in them or the words that they speak. With negative talk and negative thoughts you are putting a negative spin on what your spouse does and says. You are allowing the devil to take a foothold in your marriage. By doing this we are allowing the negativity to creep in and distort the words and actions of our spouses. By doing this we put ourselves in the position to feel justified in returning the negative talk or actions. However, we must eliminate the negative talk and thoughts. By eliminating the negative talk I mean the talk that you verbally speak as well as the talk that you have in your mind. Take the time after reading this newsletter to notice the good things that your spouse says or does and see how that outlook will change the way that you see them. Bible Verses: Ephesians 5:25-27,29 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
L – Listen Carefully and RepeatJust like there is an art to communicating there is an art to listening. When listening to our spouses we must be able to hear what has been said but repeat it back so that we can clarify what they have just said. This is why you only want to speak in bite sized pieces to not only be fair to yourself but to the listener so that they can correctly repeat back what you have said as they understand it. When listening you want to give your undivided attention in our nonverbal body language as well as when we repeat back what they have said. Take on an open posture and one the shows that you are interested. In listening carefully, you can’t be thinking of whatever your response is or you will have completely missed what is being said. Bible Verses: Proverbs 18:13, 15 He who answers a matter before he hears it ,It is folly and shame to him. 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
O- Openly Discuss the Problem Involved in the ConflictThis is the time to discuss the problem openly and honestly. This is the time to discuss what the biggest concerns are pertaining to the conflict at hand. During this time, only discuss the issues, don’t try to resolve them yet. When discussing the issues, you will employ the effective communication and active listening skills to make sure you are accurately portraying both of your concerns, so that you can come up with the root causes of the issues. After doing this, it is now time to move on to the problem resolution stage. Bible Verses: Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
V – Vow to Resolve the Issue and Follow UpThis is now the time where the two of you must determine which factor has the biggest impact on the issue at hand. You can do this by selecting the top 3 and then address the one that you both agree is the #1 factor affecting the problem. After doing this, the two of you need to discuss how you will go about dealing with this factor that suits both of you. Now, set a timetable to complete the work so that you can follow up. This element is key so that you can ensure that the resolution is working and if it is not, you can address what is. This element is also key so that neither of you feels like your spouse does not recognize the efforts you have made which can cause resentment. When you follow up go over your wins as well as your challenges so that you can keep track of what is working and what is not. When you discover something isn’t working you can go back to your discussion and choose another element that may be affecting the problem at hand. When you discover what is working don’t forget to celebrate in a way that you both enjoy. In order to come to a resolution that is best for the marriage and not one individual you must remember that marriage is a covenant before God. In your covenant to God you have agreed to die to self or selfishness and give way to the two becoming one flesh. Issues can not be resolved from a selfish point of view.
E – Experience the Power of the Holy Spirit Through PrayerPrayer changes things. Sometimes we are in prayer to change the other person and in the end we are the one that is convicted and changed. Prayer is one of the greatest tools God has given us to be in connection with Him. We use prayer as communication with God. Our prayers are also petitions for the health and success of our marriage. In our prayers we should pray from an unselfish standpoint and for the overall benefit of your marriage. Pray prior to entering into the discussion to allow the Holy Spirit to take over. Pray for your anger and other emotions to be under control when speaking to your spouse so that you can convey what it is that you are feeling. Pray that you have an open mind to hear what your spouse is saying from their heart and remove any negative filters or distractions that may get in the way. Pray with confidence that He hears us and that our prayer is according to His will. Bible Verses: 1 John 5:14-15 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Ultimately, when engaging in conflict with your spouse, do it from a place of unselfish love and watch the results of the fruit of your labor.
(c) The Marriage Coaches 2009
Every marriage will have conflict, it is just a matter of how you deal with the conflict that will determine (1)how much conflict you will have or (2) the outcome of that conflict. When engaging in discussion on issues with your spouse, you can view it from one of two angles, which is either positve or a negative. The positive definition of engagement is a promise or pledge, to bind yourself to marry, to attract and hold attention. The negative definition is to enter into conflict with the enemy. Which one has been the definition of your conflict with your spouse? Often times when you are in conflict with your spouse you forget that you are in a union that you pledged to stand together with your spouse and not stand apart as if the two of you are at war.
Even though you have conflict and you may feel that nothing is being accomplished, there is a way to have your engagement in discussion be from a positive standpoint and not the negative. You can deal with conflict from a loving standpoint rather than an adversarial one. You can come from a position of giving agape love, which is defined as a self-giving love, gift love, the love that goes on loving even when the other becomes unlovable. Agape love is the kind of love that Christ gave to us. His love was sacrificial and unconditional and we are to pattern our love for one another after the love that Christ has for us. According to 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 love suffers long and is kind, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. From this kind of love we can take clues on how to handle conflict with our spouse even in the midst of anger. The model that we created will help you remember the bottom line when dealing with conflict which is to deal with the conflict from a spirit of AGAPE LOVE. The acronym AGAPE LOVE stands for:
A – Always create a safe place to talk (by setting ground rules ahead of time)G – Gather your thoughts and feelingsA – Accept responsibility for your role in the conflictP – Produce effective communicationE – Eliminate negative talk (speak the truth in love)
L – Listen carefully and repeatO – Openly discuss the problem involved in conflict (one at a time)V- Vow to resolve the issue and Follow up ( at least one week for smaller issues or an agreed upon time for larger issues)E – Experience the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer
A – Always Create a Safe Place to Talk (by setting ground rules ahead of time)Some examples of ground rules are no cursing at each other, no bringing up hurtful things from the past, not allowing others into the conflict unless it is an impartial third party, we will talk on Sundays after church which will be our set time every week. What are some ground rules that you have set up for your communication with your spouse? Both of you need to feel that you can communicate without feeling like your words will come back to haunt you. You should be able to be free to communicate openly without fear of reprisal from your spouse or anyone that they may have confided in. Bible verse: Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
G – Gather Your Thoughts and FeelingsSometimes we don’t take the time to gather our thoughts and feelings and it can be disastrous. We need speak with love in hearts and on our tongue. Bible Verses: Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath,But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. Proverbs 21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
A – ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY for YOUR Role in the ConflictOften times we want to place blame on the other person and not take responsibility, but we must take responsibility for our actions. When you accept responsibility you are committed to coming to a conclusion that is best for your marriage, you look to resolve issues through problem solving and when things go wrong you are willing to own up to your role and essentially bear the burden of the decisions that you have made. Bible Verse: Galatians 5:1-5 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
P – Produce Effective CommunicationCommunicate at an agreed upon time that is good for both of you. For example, not after 9pm because one of you will get too sleepy, or only after the kids are in bed. This does not mean that you consistently say that this is not a good time so that you can avoid the conversation. If you say that this is not a good time you must come back with a time that is good for you. Talk to each other without distractions, such as the TV, cellphones, children in order to give your undivided attention to what is being said. If someone does call during your conversation, don’t pick up let them leave a message. This will send a message to your spouse that they are important to you. In order to effectively communicate, you need to be able to express your thoughts and feelings so that it does not put the other person on the defensive. One technique to do this is called using I- statements. For example, I felt hurt when you didn’t come home after work it makes me feel like you take my time for granted. This is very different from you don’t care anything about me because you always come home late. Additionally you want to make sure you don’t bombard your partner with information by talking on and on. You should speak in two to three sentences at a time like speaking in bite sized pieces. If you feel like you have said a mouthful you have said too much. Speaking in bite sized pieces gives your mate an opportunity to absorb what you have said and gives them an opportunity to make sure they fully understand the thought that you are trying to convey.Things to avoid during communication are 1. allowing the conversation to escalate. In fact this can be one of your ground rules in that you will honor one another enough to only speak in love without raising your voice. However, if things do begin to escalate take time away form each other to calm down and then come back when you can follow through with the conversation from a place of honoring your spouse. Other things to avoid are 2. thinking that your spouse can read your mind. You must communicate how you feel in order for him to understand how you feel. 3. You must also be willing to engage in the conversation even when it may be difficult. It does not help if you withdraw from the conversation, because over time there will be resentment around the issue and towards you because you continue to avoid it. 4. Accept what your spouse is saying as truth about how they feel. Don’t shrug off their feelings as inconsequential or treat them like oh here we go again. We must honor each others feelings without ridicule. Bible Verses: Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver. Proverbs 15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
E- Eliminate Negative Talk ( speak the truth in love)We must speak to each other from a place of honor and of love. Sometimes we can get so bogged down in our negative beliefs about our spouses that we can’t see the good in them or the words that they speak. With negative talk and negative thoughts you are putting a negative spin on what your spouse does and says. You are allowing the devil to take a foothold in your marriage. By doing this we are allowing the negativity to creep in and distort the words and actions of our spouses. By doing this we put ourselves in the position to feel justified in returning the negative talk or actions. However, we must eliminate the negative talk and thoughts. By eliminating the negative talk I mean the talk that you verbally speak as well as the talk that you have in your mind. Take the time after reading this newsletter to notice the good things that your spouse says or does and see how that outlook will change the way that you see them. Bible Verses: Ephesians 5:25-27,29 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
L – Listen Carefully and RepeatJust like there is an art to communicating there is an art to listening. When listening to our spouses we must be able to hear what has been said but repeat it back so that we can clarify what they have just said. This is why you only want to speak in bite sized pieces to not only be fair to yourself but to the listener so that they can correctly repeat back what you have said as they understand it. When listening you want to give your undivided attention in our nonverbal body language as well as when we repeat back what they have said. Take on an open posture and one the shows that you are interested. In listening carefully, you can’t be thinking of whatever your response is or you will have completely missed what is being said. Bible Verses: Proverbs 18:13, 15 He who answers a matter before he hears it ,It is folly and shame to him. 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
O- Openly Discuss the Problem Involved in the ConflictThis is the time to discuss the problem openly and honestly. This is the time to discuss what the biggest concerns are pertaining to the conflict at hand. During this time, only discuss the issues, don’t try to resolve them yet. When discussing the issues, you will employ the effective communication and active listening skills to make sure you are accurately portraying both of your concerns, so that you can come up with the root causes of the issues. After doing this, it is now time to move on to the problem resolution stage. Bible Verses: Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
V – Vow to Resolve the Issue and Follow UpThis is now the time where the two of you must determine which factor has the biggest impact on the issue at hand. You can do this by selecting the top 3 and then address the one that you both agree is the #1 factor affecting the problem. After doing this, the two of you need to discuss how you will go about dealing with this factor that suits both of you. Now, set a timetable to complete the work so that you can follow up. This element is key so that you can ensure that the resolution is working and if it is not, you can address what is. This element is also key so that neither of you feels like your spouse does not recognize the efforts you have made which can cause resentment. When you follow up go over your wins as well as your challenges so that you can keep track of what is working and what is not. When you discover something isn’t working you can go back to your discussion and choose another element that may be affecting the problem at hand. When you discover what is working don’t forget to celebrate in a way that you both enjoy. In order to come to a resolution that is best for the marriage and not one individual you must remember that marriage is a covenant before God. In your covenant to God you have agreed to die to self or selfishness and give way to the two becoming one flesh. Issues can not be resolved from a selfish point of view.
E – Experience the Power of the Holy Spirit Through PrayerPrayer changes things. Sometimes we are in prayer to change the other person and in the end we are the one that is convicted and changed. Prayer is one of the greatest tools God has given us to be in connection with Him. We use prayer as communication with God. Our prayers are also petitions for the health and success of our marriage. In our prayers we should pray from an unselfish standpoint and for the overall benefit of your marriage. Pray prior to entering into the discussion to allow the Holy Spirit to take over. Pray for your anger and other emotions to be under control when speaking to your spouse so that you can convey what it is that you are feeling. Pray that you have an open mind to hear what your spouse is saying from their heart and remove any negative filters or distractions that may get in the way. Pray with confidence that He hears us and that our prayer is according to His will. Bible Verses: 1 John 5:14-15 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Ultimately, when engaging in conflict with your spouse, do it from a place of unselfish love and watch the results of the fruit of your labor.
(c) The Marriage Coaches 2009
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