The best marriages are those where the distinct uniqueness of each partner works in a beautiful symmetry that enhances the other’s strengths while compensating for the weaknesses. The worst marriages are those partners who do not know how to help each other become a mature picture of Christ and His church. Their strengths do not support the other spouse, while their weaknesses become annoying interruptions.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/let-me-draw-you-a-picture-of-a-marriage-in-trouble/

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Let Me Draw You a Picture of a Marriage in Trouble

Even with the best intentions and truest love, a marriage can go to some dangerous and dark places. Ours went there, which is why I decided the best thing we could do is blow up our marriage, reboot, and start over again, hoping to rebuild our covenant on a surer foundation. A caveat may appropriately modify the seeming hyperbole you just read. Lucia and I have always been best friends. From the moment we met on July 24, 1994, we clicked. There was hardly a time we didn’t enjoy each other. Though we did have a few common interests, more things were uncommon between us, which I believe is vital for two people to maximize all that God would have them to be. Initially, our differences did not matter because of our desire to be together, even though some of them were starkly antithetical.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-day-i-intentionally-blew-up-my-marriage/

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The Reason We Blew Up Our Marriage

One of the most practical things a parent could do for their children is to love them just because. You don’t need a reason other than they are your kids. God loves you that way.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-14-love-your-children-just-cause/

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Parenting Day 14: Love Your Chidlren, Just Because

When you think about your heavenly Father, you are immediately aware of His kindness, patience, forbearance, and affection for you. These thoughts about your heavenly Father are fundamental because how He treats you is how you are to treat others, especially your children.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-25-a-parents-secret-weapon-to-motivate-a-child-to-change/

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Parenting Day 25: A Secret Weapon to Motivate a Child to Change

When your children are young, it can seem as though all you’re doing is correcting them. As soon as they begin walking upright and stringing syllables together, there appears to be no right or wrong that they cannot do or say. Parents can quickly find themselves saying, “No,” “Stop,” “Don’t,” and “Stop talking” at every turn of their day.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-27-when-it-seems-all-youre-doing-is-correcting-your-child/

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Parenting Day 27 – When All You’re Doing Is Correcting Your Child

Parents have the responsibility and privilege of guiding their children into a practical experience of knowing and loving God. Though all children are born with limited God awareness, you can cooperate with the Lord in connecting that immature, innate awareness of God in practical ways that could lead to their salvation and progressive sanctification.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-29-one-reason-children-rebel-against-their-parents/

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Parenting Day 29: One Reason Children Rebel Against Their Parents

If our children learn not to take themselves too seriously, it will be easier for them to live in relationships with others today and after they become adults. Not thinking too highly of yourself is to think humbly of yourself. A lack of gospel-centered humility keeps an individual from living well with God and others.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-30-teach-your-children-to-laugh-at-themselves/

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Parenting Day 30: Teach Your Children to Laugh at Themselves

The gospel practicalized is a transcendent lifestyle that overrides cultural and religious traditions, preferences, and expectations. The convolution between primary and secondary things can be dizzying, especially in a world that works overtime to invert what is good with evil. A practicalized gospel teaches us to live well with others, especially those who make choices that are different from ours. In a world gone mad, all Christians must work hard to distinguish the negotiable from the non-negotiable.

Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/how-to-live-with-people-with-different-preferences/

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How to Live with People with Different Preferences

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master's University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).

New tracks tagged #relational dynamics