Helping engaged, pre-engaged, or recently married couples develop a strong foundation for a healthy, happy marriage. A Cord of Three Strands is a faith-based, preparatory program designed to help engaged, pre-engaged, or recently married couples develop a strong foundation for healthy, happy marriage, built around husband, wife, and God. Using lecture and discussion, the prep for marriage course helps couples learn about each other while focusing on communication skills, conflict resolution, financial management, and both sexual and spiritual relationships.
Communication
April 21st, 2008 adminLast Wednesday on the Internet LifeChurch.tv “Preparing for the Marriage of a Lifetime” class we talked about communication. There are different types of communication, but no matter whether we are talking about a serious topic or simply in casual conversation, we want to be heard. When we are heard we feel closer to the other person and feel affirmed. When we feel we are not heard, we can feel distant and that what we said was not important to the listener. So, what is our solution? Get away from distractions! Distractions can be the TV, music, kids, books, newspapers – you get the idea. Distractions are anything that interferes with communication. Sometimes the biggest distraction is in our own head. We can think five times faster than someone can talk, so what we do with this extra time is very important. Obviously, there are times we cannot do anything about distractions. We can’t just send the kids off because we need to talk. We may have to wait until they are in bed before we can sit down and communicate. Some distractions are easier to take care of. It may simply mean turning off the TV or putting down the newspaper. The bottom line is this: 1. Communication between couples is essential and has to be a priority. 2. Eliminating distractions sets the stage for good communication and lets the other person know how important they are to you. Last week I asked the class this question, “What is different about the person you are taking this class with than anyone else you ever dated?” If you are in a relationship headed toward marriage, this is a great question to ask. Here are some of the answers I received: “He has a giving spirit.” “I can say anything to her and not be judged.” “He is a believer.” “Trust.” “Complete openness and honesty.” “She listens to my rant.”
What would you say?
