This week in the Dispatch:
Quick Hits: Movie Trivia and Facts
”Barking Up the Wrong Tree” in Books
This Week’s YouVersion Plan is “Three Questions for Husbands”
On the Awesome Marriage Podcast we talk about communication and feelings
This week’s Vlog looks at “Flirting”
Insights: “A Single List”
As always Next Steps and a Challenge to grow your marriage
Read:
Barking Up The Wrong Tree by Eric Barker
In this book, Eric Barker takes a different look at success by revealing the science behind it and emphasizing that everyone can achieve it. The book is full of fascinating stories and practical tools. Why do some people never quit and why do some get depressed? Why do high school valedictorians so rarely become the number ones in real life? Why do nice guys finish first and last (and not in the middle), and why are high achievers rarely active in their social media accounts? While I do not endorse everything in this book, it was very interesting and a really fun read!
YouVersion Plan:
This reading plan is short and to the point. Most of us guys don’t have a lot of ideas when it comes to improving our marriages. In this plan, we look at three important questions about being a husband and then practical ways to be an awesome one!
Listen:
Awesome Marriage Podcast: Achieving Awesome Communication: Dealing With Feelings
In this week’s podcast, Christina and I look at the effect our feelings have on our communication. What is healthy and what becomes unhealthy? What happens when our feelings take over? Join us!
Watch:
This week on the Awesome Marriage YouTube Channel, I will look at The “Art of Flirting.” Flirting often becomes a lost art as we get into marriage but keeping flirting as an active part of your marriage is a great way to keep that fire burning!
Insights:
A Single List
Most of what I write is for married couples but I have a passion for dating couples and singles. If you are single, this is for you. If you are dating, this is for you. If you are married, read this and then pass it on to a friend that could use it.
If you are single or dating and you hope to be married, what do you hope your marriage will look like? What do you need to do today to make that happen? What is really important to you and what can you be flexible with? For example, your future spouse being a Christian is probably non-negotiable. It is an essential. Whether that person has blonde, brown, black, or red hair is something that most of us can be flexible with: It’s a non-essential. You may prefer red hair, but you know that you can compromise on that.
What values, beliefs, personality types and family of origin are important to you? Remember, this is your list. You do not have to show it to anyone. Start making your list. Divide it into essentials and non-essentials. It is so easy for us to talk about what we want and yet do nothing to get to that goal. We procrastinate. We get lazy. We can come up with a myriad of excuses for why we do not do the things we need to do. It’s time to act.
Have you ever stopped to think that every marriage starts with a first date? Whether you have been on one recently or not, take time to make your list. If you are dating, now you have a template for that person. Do they meet all of your absolutes? If so, great. If not, it might be time to reevaluate the relationship.
If you are not dating, what if you commit to make your list before you go on another date? Now you, too, have a template to place over anyone that could be a date prospect. Your list can protect you from wasting your time and theirs if they don’t meet the standards on your essentials list. Set your standards, then do not compromise them. I have never talked to anyone who regretted sticking to their list. On the other hand, I have talked to many singles who compromised and later regretted it.
After you’ve made your list, get going on preparing yourself to be in a healthy marriage. Here are some tips:
Ask God to help you become more of who He wants you to be. Sell yourself out to this.
Be diligent and persevere. It will make a difference.
Do not change your list unless God tells you to.
Read or listen to good books and/or podcasts on being a wife or a husband.
Ask someone who is in a great marriage to mentor you on how to become a great wife or husband.
Be patient and wait for the right person.
Trust God. He can make it happen. Trust His choice for you. Trust His timing. Trust His
incredible love for you and His desire for you to have the best.
Next Steps:
Spend time in prayer as you make your list.
Separate your essentials from your nonessentials.
Challenge:
Use your list with every person you date or consider having a date with. If they don’t fit your template, don’t go!
Movie Trivia Answers:
d. Stephen King
b. King Kong
c. Monster, starring Charlize Theron
a. Barbara Streisand
d. Oldest actor or actress to win an Oscar
The Tough One
“Adventures of Luke Starkiller, As Taken From the Journal of the Whills, Saga 1: The Star Wars”
*Some links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Every dollar made goes directly to the ministry of Awesome Marriage to help couples build awesome marriages. We only promote products we truly recommend.
