I JUST BOUGHT THIS BOOK : THE LOVE DARE, AND HAVE DECIDED TO BLOG IT OUT! I HOPE THAT EACH PERSON THAT READS THIS FEELS THAT THEY CAN TAKE FROM THE PASSAGES I WRITE TO USE TOWARDS THEIR OWN LIFE. MY HUSBAND AND I DONT HAVE A BAD RELATIONSHIP, AS IN THE MOVIE FIREPROOF, BUT EVERYONE HAS ROOM TO IMPROVE. WHEN I WATCHED THAT MOVIE, IT WAS RIGHT AFTER DAVE AND I HAD OUR REAL FIRST BIG FIGHT. WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 7 YEARS, BUT I HAD NEVER LET AN ARGUMENT WITH HIM GO FOR MORE THAN A DAY. WE WERE ARGUING AND NOT SPEAKING TO EACHOTHER FOR OVER A WEEK. THEN MY FRIEND SAT ME DOWN TO WATCH THIS MOVIE AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A MESSAGE FROM GOD. SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE SAME. IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE MOVIE, YOU SHOULD. IF YOU ARE MARRIED, DOESNT MATTER IF THINGS ARE GOING WELL OR NOT, I RECOMMEND THE MOVIE TO EVERYONE....SO I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU ENJOY MY BLOGGING;)
DAY 1
LOVE IS PATIENT
"BE COMPLETELTY HUMBLE AND GENTLE; BE PATIENT BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE-EPHESIANS 4:2 NIV
LOVE IS PATIENT
"BE COMPLETELTY HUMBLE AND GENTLE; BE PATIENT BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE-EPHESIANS 4:2 NIV
LOVE WORKS. IT IS LIFES MOST POWERFUL MOTIVATOR AND HAS FAR GREATER DEPTH AND MEANING THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE. IT ALWAYS DOES WHAT IS BEST FOR OTHERS AND CAN EMPOWER US TO FACE THE GREATEST PROBLEMS. WE ARE BORN WITH A LIFELONG THIRST FOR LOVE. OUR HEARTS DESPERATLY NEED IT LIKE OUR LUNGS NEED OXYGEN. LOVE CHANGES OUR MOTIVATION FOR LIVING. RELATIONSHIPS BECOME MEANINGFUL WITH IT. NO MARRIAGE IS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT IT.
LOVE IS BUILT ON TWO PILLARS THAT BEST DEFINE WHAT IT IS. THOSE PILLARS ARE PATIENCE AND KINDNESS. ALL OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF LOVE ARE EXTENSIONS OF THESE TWO ATTRIBUTES. AND THATS WHERE YOUR DARE WILL BEGIN. WITH PATIENCE.
LOVE WILL INSPIRE YOU TO BECOME A PATIENT PERSON. WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO BE PATIENT, YOU RESPOND IN A POSITIVE WAY TO A NEGATIVE SITUATION. YOU ARE SLOW TO ANGER. YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE A LONG FUSE INSTEAD OF A QUICK TEMPER. RATHER THAN BEING RESTLESS AND DEMANDING, LOVE HELPS YOU SETTLE DOWN AND BEGIN EXTENDING MERCY TO THOSE AROUND YOU. PATIENCE BRINGS AND INTERNAL CALM DURING AN EXTERNAL STORM.
NO ONE LIKES TO BE AROUND AN IMPATIENT PERSON. IT CAUSES YOU TO OVERREACT IN ANGRY, FOOLISH, AND REGRETTABLE WAYS. THE IRONY OF ANGER TOWARD A WRONGFUL ACTION IS THAT IT SPAWNS NEW WRONGS OF ITS OWN. ANGER ALMOST NEVER MAKES THINGS BETTER. IN FACT, IT USUALLY GENERATES ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS. BUT PATIENCE STOPS PROBLEMS IN THEIR TRACKS. MORE THAN BITING YOUR LIP, MORE THAN CLAPPING A HAND OVER YOUR MOUTH, PATIENCE IS A DEEP BREATH. IT CLEARS THE AIR. IT STOPS FOLLISHNESS FROM WHIPPING ITS SCORPION TAIL ALL OVER THE ROOM/ IT IS A CHOICE TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS RATHER THAN ALLOWING YOUR EMOTIONS TO CONTROL YOU, AND SHOWS DISCRETION INSTEAD OF RETURNING EVIL FOR EVIL.
IF YOUR SPOUSE OFFENDS YOU, DO YOU QUICKLY RETALIATE, OR DO YOU STAY UNDER CONTROL? DO YOU FIND THAT ANGER IS YOUR EMOTIONAL DEFAULT WHEN TREATED UNFAIRLY? IF SO, YOU ARE SPREADING POISON RATHER THAN MEDICINE.
ANGER IS USUALLY CAUSED WHEN THE STRONG DESIRE FOR SOMETHING IS MIXED WITH DISAPPOINTMENT OR GRIEF. YOU DONT GET WHAT YOU WANT AND YOU START HEATING UP INSIDE. IT IS OFTEN AN EMOTIONAL REACTION THAT FLOWS OUT OF OUR SELFISHNESS, FOOLISHNESS, OR EVIL MOTIVES.
PATIENCE, HOWEVER, MAKES US WISE. IT DOESNT RUSH TO JUDGEMENT BUT LISTENS TO WHAT THE OTHER PERSON IS SAYING. PATIENCE STANDS IN THE DOORWAY WHERE ANGER IS CLAWING TO BURST IN, BUT WAITS TO SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE BEFORE PASSING JUDGEMENT. THE BIBLE SAYS, "HE WHO IS SLOW ANGER HAS GREAT UNDERSTANDING BUT HE WHO IS QUICK-TEMPERED EXALTS FOLLY" (PROVERBS 14:29)
AS SURE AS A LACK OF PATIENCE WILL TURN YOUR HOME INTO A WAR ZONE, THE PRACTICE OF PATIENCE WILL FOSTER PEACE AND QUIET. "A HOT-TEMPERED STIRS UP IN STRIFE, BUT THE SLOW TO ANGER CALMS A DISPUTE" (PROVERBS 15:18) STATEMENTS LIKE THESE FROM THE BIBLE BOOK OF PROVERBS ARE CLEAR PRINCIPLES WITH TIMELESS RELEVANCE. PATIENCE IS WHERE LOVE MEETS WISDOM. AND EVERY MARRIAGE NEED THAT COMBINATION.
PATIENCE HELPS YOU GIVE YOUR SPOUSE PERMISSION TO BE HUMAN. IT UNDERSTANDS THAT EVERYONE FAILS. WHEN A MISTAKE IS MADE, IT CHOOSES TO GIVE THEM MORE TIME THAN THEY DESERVE TO CORRECT IT. IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO HOLD ON DURING THE TOUGH TIMES IN YOUR RELATIONSHP RATHER THAN BAILING OUT UNDER THE PRESSURE.
BUT CAN YOUR SPOUSE COUNT ON HAVING A PATIENT WIFE OR HUSBAND TO DEAL WITH? CAN SHE KNOW THAT LOCKING HER KEYS IN THE CAR WILL BE MET BY YOUR UNDERSTANDING RATHER TAHN A DEMEANING LECTURE THAT MAKES HER FEEL LIKE A CHILD? CAN HE KNOW THAT CHEERING DURING THE LAST SECONDS OF A FOOTBALL GAME WONT INVITE A LOUD-MOUTHED LAUNDRY LIST OF WAYS HE SHOULD SPEND HIS TIME? IT TURNS OUT THAT FEW PEOPLE ARE AS HARD TO LIVE WITH AS AN IMPATIENT PERSON.
WHAT WOULD THE TONE AND VOLUME OF YOUR HOME BE LIKE IF YOU TRIED THIS BIBLICAL APPROACH: "SEE THAT NO ONE REAPYS ANOTHER WITH EVIL FOR EVIL, BUT ALWAYS SEEK AFTER THAT WHICH IS GOOD FOR ONE ANOTHER" (I THESSALONIANS 5:15)
FEW OF US DO PATIENCE VERY WELL, AND NONE OF US DO IT NATURALLY. BUT WISE MEN AND WOMEN WILL PURSUE IT AS AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIANT TO THEIR MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIPS. THATS A GOOD STARTING POINT TO DEMONSTRATE TRUE LOVE.
THIS LOVE DARE JOURNEY IS A PROCESS, AND THE FIRT THING YOU MUST RESOLVE TO POSSESS IS PATIENCE. THINK OF IT AS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. BUT ITS A RACE WORTH RUNNING.
THE FIRST PART OF THE DARE IS FAIRLY SIMPLE. ALTHOUGH LOVE IS COMMUNICATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, OUR WORDS OFTEN REFLECT THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART. FOR THE NEXT DAY, RESOLVE TO DEMONSTRATE PATIENCE AND TO SAY NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AT ALL. IF THE TEMPTATION ARISES, CHOOSE NOT TO SAY ANYTHING. ITS BETTER TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE THAN TO SAY SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET."
LOVE IS BUILT ON TWO PILLARS THAT BEST DEFINE WHAT IT IS. THOSE PILLARS ARE PATIENCE AND KINDNESS. ALL OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF LOVE ARE EXTENSIONS OF THESE TWO ATTRIBUTES. AND THATS WHERE YOUR DARE WILL BEGIN. WITH PATIENCE.
LOVE WILL INSPIRE YOU TO BECOME A PATIENT PERSON. WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO BE PATIENT, YOU RESPOND IN A POSITIVE WAY TO A NEGATIVE SITUATION. YOU ARE SLOW TO ANGER. YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE A LONG FUSE INSTEAD OF A QUICK TEMPER. RATHER THAN BEING RESTLESS AND DEMANDING, LOVE HELPS YOU SETTLE DOWN AND BEGIN EXTENDING MERCY TO THOSE AROUND YOU. PATIENCE BRINGS AND INTERNAL CALM DURING AN EXTERNAL STORM.
NO ONE LIKES TO BE AROUND AN IMPATIENT PERSON. IT CAUSES YOU TO OVERREACT IN ANGRY, FOOLISH, AND REGRETTABLE WAYS. THE IRONY OF ANGER TOWARD A WRONGFUL ACTION IS THAT IT SPAWNS NEW WRONGS OF ITS OWN. ANGER ALMOST NEVER MAKES THINGS BETTER. IN FACT, IT USUALLY GENERATES ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS. BUT PATIENCE STOPS PROBLEMS IN THEIR TRACKS. MORE THAN BITING YOUR LIP, MORE THAN CLAPPING A HAND OVER YOUR MOUTH, PATIENCE IS A DEEP BREATH. IT CLEARS THE AIR. IT STOPS FOLLISHNESS FROM WHIPPING ITS SCORPION TAIL ALL OVER THE ROOM/ IT IS A CHOICE TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS RATHER THAN ALLOWING YOUR EMOTIONS TO CONTROL YOU, AND SHOWS DISCRETION INSTEAD OF RETURNING EVIL FOR EVIL.
IF YOUR SPOUSE OFFENDS YOU, DO YOU QUICKLY RETALIATE, OR DO YOU STAY UNDER CONTROL? DO YOU FIND THAT ANGER IS YOUR EMOTIONAL DEFAULT WHEN TREATED UNFAIRLY? IF SO, YOU ARE SPREADING POISON RATHER THAN MEDICINE.
ANGER IS USUALLY CAUSED WHEN THE STRONG DESIRE FOR SOMETHING IS MIXED WITH DISAPPOINTMENT OR GRIEF. YOU DONT GET WHAT YOU WANT AND YOU START HEATING UP INSIDE. IT IS OFTEN AN EMOTIONAL REACTION THAT FLOWS OUT OF OUR SELFISHNESS, FOOLISHNESS, OR EVIL MOTIVES.
PATIENCE, HOWEVER, MAKES US WISE. IT DOESNT RUSH TO JUDGEMENT BUT LISTENS TO WHAT THE OTHER PERSON IS SAYING. PATIENCE STANDS IN THE DOORWAY WHERE ANGER IS CLAWING TO BURST IN, BUT WAITS TO SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE BEFORE PASSING JUDGEMENT. THE BIBLE SAYS, "HE WHO IS SLOW ANGER HAS GREAT UNDERSTANDING BUT HE WHO IS QUICK-TEMPERED EXALTS FOLLY" (PROVERBS 14:29)
AS SURE AS A LACK OF PATIENCE WILL TURN YOUR HOME INTO A WAR ZONE, THE PRACTICE OF PATIENCE WILL FOSTER PEACE AND QUIET. "A HOT-TEMPERED STIRS UP IN STRIFE, BUT THE SLOW TO ANGER CALMS A DISPUTE" (PROVERBS 15:18) STATEMENTS LIKE THESE FROM THE BIBLE BOOK OF PROVERBS ARE CLEAR PRINCIPLES WITH TIMELESS RELEVANCE. PATIENCE IS WHERE LOVE MEETS WISDOM. AND EVERY MARRIAGE NEED THAT COMBINATION.
PATIENCE HELPS YOU GIVE YOUR SPOUSE PERMISSION TO BE HUMAN. IT UNDERSTANDS THAT EVERYONE FAILS. WHEN A MISTAKE IS MADE, IT CHOOSES TO GIVE THEM MORE TIME THAN THEY DESERVE TO CORRECT IT. IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO HOLD ON DURING THE TOUGH TIMES IN YOUR RELATIONSHP RATHER THAN BAILING OUT UNDER THE PRESSURE.
BUT CAN YOUR SPOUSE COUNT ON HAVING A PATIENT WIFE OR HUSBAND TO DEAL WITH? CAN SHE KNOW THAT LOCKING HER KEYS IN THE CAR WILL BE MET BY YOUR UNDERSTANDING RATHER TAHN A DEMEANING LECTURE THAT MAKES HER FEEL LIKE A CHILD? CAN HE KNOW THAT CHEERING DURING THE LAST SECONDS OF A FOOTBALL GAME WONT INVITE A LOUD-MOUTHED LAUNDRY LIST OF WAYS HE SHOULD SPEND HIS TIME? IT TURNS OUT THAT FEW PEOPLE ARE AS HARD TO LIVE WITH AS AN IMPATIENT PERSON.
WHAT WOULD THE TONE AND VOLUME OF YOUR HOME BE LIKE IF YOU TRIED THIS BIBLICAL APPROACH: "SEE THAT NO ONE REAPYS ANOTHER WITH EVIL FOR EVIL, BUT ALWAYS SEEK AFTER THAT WHICH IS GOOD FOR ONE ANOTHER" (I THESSALONIANS 5:15)
FEW OF US DO PATIENCE VERY WELL, AND NONE OF US DO IT NATURALLY. BUT WISE MEN AND WOMEN WILL PURSUE IT AS AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIANT TO THEIR MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIPS. THATS A GOOD STARTING POINT TO DEMONSTRATE TRUE LOVE.
THIS LOVE DARE JOURNEY IS A PROCESS, AND THE FIRT THING YOU MUST RESOLVE TO POSSESS IS PATIENCE. THINK OF IT AS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. BUT ITS A RACE WORTH RUNNING.
THE FIRST PART OF THE DARE IS FAIRLY SIMPLE. ALTHOUGH LOVE IS COMMUNICATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, OUR WORDS OFTEN REFLECT THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART. FOR THE NEXT DAY, RESOLVE TO DEMONSTRATE PATIENCE AND TO SAY NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AT ALL. IF THE TEMPTATION ARISES, CHOOSE NOT TO SAY ANYTHING. ITS BETTER TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE THAN TO SAY SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET."
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