Wait for It

by | Jun 30, 2023 | resources

RESOURCES  (Day 6 of 7)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

Over the last couple of years, God’s been teaching me that His plans are better than mine. I know, kind of a no-brainer, but I like my own way and God had a little (thankfully gentle) teaching to do.

Love does not insist on its own way.  1 Corinthians 13:5

After a while, I learned to be patient with God’s “no,” because my thoughts were tempered by the understanding that God’s way was so much better.

And that concept bled out into my other relationships because being patient with God’s handiwork has so many perks (I didn’t say it was always comfortable).

The other resource that has helped me a great deal is a book called The 3rd Alternative by Stephen R Covey.

affiliate link / The 3rd Alternative

It’s sort of business-y, but there are plenty of relationship applications. Basically, it helps you see options so that a lot of wants and needs are met without a lot of fuss. Lots of listening and learning. No insisting needed.

 

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Image credit – book © Amazon
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A God Adventure

by | Jun 29, 2023 | second try

SECOND TRY  (Day 5 of 7)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

Take today and listen to your thoughts.

Love does not insist on its own way.  1 Corinthians 13:5

When you feel a bit of stress or inner push, pause and pray.

girl letting balloon fly away

Ask God to help you see creative options and give you the ability to trust Him for what you need. See it as an adventure and watch God work through your willingness to let go.

 

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Image credit © NoName_13 / Pixabay
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I’m Fine, Really

by | Jun 28, 2023 | road blocks

ROADBLOCKS  (Day 4 of 7)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

So what’s stopping you?

Love does not insist on its own way.  1 Corinthians 13:5

One of the biggest roadblocks for me is when a particular thing becomes a reflection of my worth and value. I “need” this thing to prove to myself or others that I’m OK. I may be nice about it on the surface, but I’m stealthily pushy.

I used to feel overwhelmed by the outside of my house. I “needed” for everything to look nice all the time. I think I was afraid the neighbors would be upset if things got a bit messy. What would they think of us? Poor Paul, he got a bit of fussiness over it, and I was pretty angry and stressed over it much of the time.

stressed cat

It took a bit, but I finally teased my worth out of the appearance of our yard and now I care, but I have saner expectations and nicer attitudes. I’m not demanding my own way. I’m inviting my husband to build the home and yard that blesses us and our guests.

Where do you feel stress? Are you pushing for your agenda? What’s underneath all that? Talk to God about why you feel the need to push. 

 

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Image credit © classy graphic / Creative Fabrica
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Ask Graciously

by | Jun 27, 2023 | first try

FIRST TRY  (Day 3 of 7)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

As you go through your day, look at your needs and wants.

Love does not insist on its own way.  1 Corinthians 13:5

How do you ask for those things? How do you respect other’s time and their needs and wants?

wife handing question mark to husband

Look for gracious ways to ask and a willingness to creatively get those needs met.

One of the things I do is ask for what I want with a few caveats. For example, “Paul, sometime this week can we get the last of the quail in the new cages?” or “Paul, what’s your week looking like? There are some things I’d like to do, but I’m open to finding a good time for them.”

 

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Image credit © Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash
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My Way, Your Way?

by | Jun 26, 2023 | self-examination

SELF-EXAMINATION  (Day 2 of 7)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

So I spent the day thinking about “my way” and “other’s way” and then I realized I also needed to add “God’s way.” Lots of “ways” goin’ on.

Love does not insist on its own way.  1 Corinthians 13:5

Certainly we need God’s direction in life, though what I was thinking about mostly is when there are everyday preferences involved.

When I ran our kitchen, I got to set up how it ran in a way that worked for me. Now that Paul does most of the cooking, the kitchen reflects what he needs. It’s a love thing, a courtesy thing.

husband cooking in kitchen

I think also, I’m trying to be more aware of space within the house. I need beauty and order and Paul needs practicality (though I get practicality). Out of love we try to make room for each other. I used to be totally in charge of how the house looked and ran. Now I’m trying to be a bit more sensitive to things that Paul might like. It’s his home too, and he needs to have some say.

Take the day and examine how you handle your wants. Can you give a little when it comes to having things done your way?

 

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Image credit © Jason Briscoe / Unsplash
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Let’s Not

by | Jun 25, 2023 | concept

CONCEPT  (Day 1 of 7)

This week’s concept comes from the love passage in 1 Corinthians.

Love does not insist on its own way.

Do notice that in love we can talk about what we want. The problem here is the “insist.”

insist: to demand something forcefully, not accepting refusal

Spend the day talking to God about the difference between demanding your own way and graciously talking about what you want (and taking into account what others want, especially your sweetie).

Let’s start getting a handle on this concept.

 

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Image credit © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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