Power struggle. Desire for control. The schism in the dynamic between one and the other. These are not the most hopeful and optimistic ways of viewing relationships, but you probably have a good idea of a number of interactions between people who for whatever reason are close whose engagements are defined by these terms. When […]
Read More A Start To Enjoying Healthy RelationshipsHow do you know when you’re made to feel welcome? What do you look for? Jesus was made to feel welcome whenever he visited a place called Bethany. He knew he would be welcome there because of three people – Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Martha evidently took a leading role in hospitality. She knew that […]
Read More Is He Welcome Here?What do you believe? Why do you believe it? Can we explore it? Can we talk about that? When we disagree, how will we handle that? Is there agreement on the value of truth and respect? Can we have a conversation about it? What is there worth valuing in life? How do you define those […]
Read More Dryden Shorts: Have A Conversation About ItIt’s one of the best things about praying together. Praying together and joining our hearts and minds on the same matter can cultivate a closer relationship with those in the group. That closer relationship can give permission for greater vulnerability and honesty. So it was as we connected to pray that one of the group […]
Read More The Difference A Word Can MakeSo many issues. With them. With me. Makes it so difficult to forge deep relationships. Some are cool with that. Some are happy to live with the partial and superficial. At least I can talk to you. I am not perfect, I have my issues. I am not open at the best of times and […]
Read More Dryden Shorts: At Least I Can Talk To YouNo marriage is perfect. This does not stop people getting married. There is an idea of marriage worth pursuing that can keep it thriving. Not that I had this at the forefront of my thinking in the early years of marriage. Previously on this series of detaching and attaching, I remarked on the amazing attachment […]
Read More A Journey In Marriage: Detach and Attach Part 4Jesus gathered them together and then sent them out in pairs. After He ascended and the Pentecost experience launched the collection of believers to a new phase of existence an episode took place. In it, a pair of the apostles encountered a beggar who was lame and they healed him in the name of Jesus […]
Read More Was Jesus Onto Something? The Partnership ApproachThis part of the journey, as you might have guessed, follows the first part and the second part and it’s worth clicking the links to see where the journey has come to this point. We celebrated our wedding anniversary recently. We used the time to reflect on God’s goodness to us in our life together. […]
Read More A Journey in Marriage: Detach and Attach Part 3Tom had a light bulb moment. When he was struggling for a hint of inspiration as to how he would complete the essay on the works of William Wordsworth, he knew just the guy to visit. Matt and Tom had been friends ever since they met each other on the first day in the university […]
Read More About the Light BulbPreviously in this exploration of the journey, I reflected on the strong model of marriage I saw in my parents. As you might appreciate, the strength of that relationship was something that I grew to acknowledge with each passing year in retrospect. As I became aware of how other marriages existed and sadly ended, my […]
Read More A Journey in Marriage: Detach and Attach Part 2
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