Not For Lazy Relationist

Overview:
Love at Last Sight is about improving the most important relationships in your life in just 30 days. It was written by the same authors as One Month to Live. The book is broken down into chapters, and is meant to be read one chapter a day for thirty days. Each chapter deals with a different key to make the relationship in your life (husband-wife, parent-child, etc.) work and to make them richer and stronger.

My Thoughts:
Love at Last Sight is well written and gives many key insights into what will help to keep your relationships growing and flourishing. In this book you are encouraged to take the Love at Last Sight Challenge. There is a whole website dedicated to the challenge and filled with valuable resources to help you meet the challenge. Much of what you will read in Love at Last Sight won’t be new to you. The overarching theme is that it takes hard work to maintain relationships. The book does focus on ways to make all your work more beneficial so you get the best results for the work you put into the relationships. No more wasted relationship energy…hopefully. As mentioned before, you will also find additional resources on the Love at Last Sight Challenge website to help take the book one step further.

I recommend Love at Last Sight to anyone who is really serious about improving their relationships. If you are only interested in having casual relationships or don’t want to put in the work then this book is not for you.

A free copy of this book was provided to me by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing for review purposes.



Kerry & Chris Shook are also the well known authors of One Month to Live.

Valentines Day Special: Part Three

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
(a.k.a. Singles Awareness Day according to some SBU alumni)


Today I wanted to write one more blog about L-O-V-E. I could go to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, but I think that would be a little too cliche. Instead I want to share with you what I consider to be one of the greatest love verses in the Bible.

"But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

This verse is short and to the point and that point is that God loves us. In fact He loved us so much that He gave up His perfect and only Son to come and die a horrible death on the cross so that He could have a relationship with us. If that's not love then I don't know what is.

Today, on Valentine's Day, celebrate your love for one another. Share the love with a friend who may not be married or dating yet. But most of all remember the love of Christ and share that with someone who needs that love today.

Other Resources:

These are a few other resources that can improve your marriage, dating, and life in general.

Valentines Day Special: Part Two

Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day where we celebrate the love in our life. Unfortunately it can also be a horrible day for those without the One in their lives. What would you say to me if I told you that everyone has the opportunity to be loved by the One everyday? It's true. It can happen. First, I want to talk about the five Greek words for love and then we will talk about the One.


When I think about the FOUR Greek words used to explain love I realize just how limited the English language can be. The Greek language uses the four different words at its disposal to explain the difference between the love you feel for your husband and the love you feel for your cheeseburger. In English it's just love. What a shame. No wonder people don't really understand what love means.


The first Greek word for love is Storge (στοργή) his means affection. I think when most people talk about their love for their cheeseburger they are talking about storge love...I hope.


The second Greek word for love is Philia (φιλία) this is a love between friends. You love your best friend, that's philia love. Ever wondered why the City of Brotherly Love is called Philadelphia well I think you are starting to get the picture now.

The third Greek word for love is Éros (ἔρως) this is romantic love or could also be translated erotic love. It is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing, but it doesn't have to be strictly sexual in nature. When we think about the commercialized version of Valentines Day the ad agencies are more than happy to sell us eros love. It can strong and passionate but it is often short lived. This is the love used to describe dating and marriage.


The final Greek word for love is Agápe (ἀγάπη) this is the unconditional love of God. Agape transcends any other kind of love out there. It is perfect and unconditional. Many people believe they agape their spouse or their boyfriend or girlfriend, but in reality the only person truly capable of perfect agape love is God. It is a sacrificial love.


Now...about everyone being loved by the One...


If you haven't figured it out by now, the One that I am referring to is God. God is waiting for each of us. He gave himself sacrificially to bring agape love to us. If we are willing to accept His sacrifice and ask forgiveness for our sins, He will never stop giving us the agape love we crave and were in fact created to receive. He wants to have a real and living relationship with us. He wants to be our Valentine, our love, and our desire. Even when we as humans fail, His agape love never will!


As husbands, wives, boyfriends, and girlfriends, we should be doing our best to give our significant other agape love. We should be willing to forgive and work through problems. Yes, there are times it won't be easy. Yes, we will fail. We are not God! We can only try to imitate and practice His agape love the best way we can. Thankfully, He is there to set the example in our lives if we will only start a relationship with Him.


Make God your Valentine this year and you will never be alone again!

Valentines Day Special: Part One

Obviously everyone is talking about Valentine's Day because it is just around the corner. Yesterday I was reading She Seeks--another awesome blog geared toward women--and the post was all about being Committed. Just so you know, She Seeks is a blog written by a community of female authors. Committed is this weeks post by Lisa Whittle.

The post itself was awesome but as I was reading the comments I was hit smack in the face with all the problems facing our marriages. Woman after woman talked about their struggles in their marriage. Sometimes they were the problem, sometimes it was their spouse, and your heart just breaks.

That's when I decided that my next few posts will be my Valentine's Day specials and will deal exclusively with love, dating, and marriage. It all starts today.



This song I have included here is called "Dancing in the Minefield" by Andrew Peterson. This first time I heard the title of this song I didn't have a clue what it was about. So take a good listen before you write it off. It's an awesome song about marriage. In a lot of ways, I think the chorus really sums up what marriage should be.

We went dancing in the minefields
We went sailing in the storm
And it was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that’s what the promise is for

No matter whether you find yourself in the good times, the bad times, or the in between times don't give up. You are not alone! Cling to Jesus. Cling to your spouse. Be committed! Live by the promise you made to each other on your wedding day. Seek prayer and support. Your marriage is worth it.

More to come...

Married to the Funny Guy

My husband, Jimmy, has started a new blog. While I was reading it this morning, I laughed at all of his jokes and rolled my eyes at some of the things I know he said just to get a rise out of me. Jimmy is the funny guy. Right now he has undertaken a challenge to watch 365 different movies in one year--not one per day exactly--and blog about them. Part of this came from his own conviction about us owning just over 360 movies not to mention the ones we rent, Netflix, and see in the theaters. We're three posts into this blog and his posts are really good. He just has a way of drawing people in and making them laugh that I find more than a little intimidating. His quickness to laugh and be crazy--to be the funny guy--is a natural icebreaker. It amazes me! I wish I had a little bit of his natural, God given talent for making new friendships. It would make life so much easier.

As Christians, we should exude Christ in a way that draws people to Him--much the same as Jimmy uses humor. We are the light of the world. When all else is darkness people naturally gravitate toward the light. We shouldn't hesitate to share the good news with them. We shouldn't use the fact that it might not come naturally to us as an excuse to push people away or not share the love of Christ with them. It can't come naturally to all of us. Some of us--like me--will have to work really hard to build those relationships with people, but that doesn't mean I should give up. Don't let your fears and doubts about who you are or the gifts you have or don't have hold you back. Be who God created you to be--even if it isn't the funny guy--and share Christ in anyway you can!

If You're Interested...

• to learn more about Jimmy and his 365 day movie challenge, visit his blog  the 365 Blog Challenge.
• to learn more about the design work that I do, please visit my website Mustion Design