Relationships

How Health Affects Marriage

Did you know that the better you feel about your life, the better spouse you will be. The best way to be a good spouse is to take care of YOU first. You are your best friend when it comes to your health and emotional well-being–physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Are you taking care of you? Last week I talked to several different women who were experiencing health difficulties like bipolar syndrome, addiction, diabetes, and heart problems.

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To the Family: Rebuilding Relationships after Addiction

Psalms 23:6 KJV
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Recovery from addiction and alcoholism provides many rewards and gifts that help you on the spiritual journey through the good and bad times you will encounter living life on life’s terms. Nobody said the road would be easy so you we have to remember that God does not give you more than you can manage. Put your trust in God and God will take care of you.

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Sticks and Stones

Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.

Really? I think that innocent childhood adage should be revised. Sticks and stones can break my bones but words … can break my heart. Broken bones will mend, but surgery can’t heal a broken heart.

This week I’ve been thinking about criticism. I’ve discussed Criticism vs Feedback and Keys to Responding To Criticism. One additional thought seems crucial to the basic premise of SetFreeToday.

You might guess that an event in my own life has prompted this analysis, and you’d be correct. I’ve been watching someone close to me in a wrestling match with criticism disguised as feedback.

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Criticism vs. Feedback

    If you have no heart to change it, you have no right to criticize it.

I’m skeptical whenever someone wants to provide “constructive criticism.”

I think criticism is a passive-aggressive form of boasting, an easy way to attract attention while trying to appear concerned. Critics often claim that they’re trying to help, but the real intent is to find fault, to highlight some flaw or failure.

In a sadly transparent admission of impotence, the critic tries to cast himself as the expert and raise his perceived status by tearing down someone else. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Any fool can criticize, complain, and condemn, and most fools do.”

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Teamwork of Marriage

When you get married you become connected with another person in such a way that everything you do, constructive or destructive affects the other person, and everything they do, good or bad affects you. So then knowing this, we should know that when we abuse the marriage in any way it would affect the both of you. What is God’s purpose for you as a married person? I believe He wants His children to encourage and support one another through the difficult times as well as the good.

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Submission to Others

Romans 15:1-2, 5-7
We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. . . . Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

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Marriage: Taking Responsibility For Your Actions

If you do something against your marriage, you need to take responsibility for your actions. Don’t say your spouse made you have an affair. How often do I hear, “I had an affair because my wife did”. Or, “I won’t have sex with him because he is controlling me.” “I want a divorce because my husband looks at pornography.” “My wife is an alcoholic and will never stop drinking, so I am having an affair, I deserve it.”

All of the above common marital situations can be rectified and you can both learn from these mistakes and grow into a more loving and giving marriage partner for each other.

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