"How to get a grip on a drowning Relationship"

5 ways to get a grip, before you jump ship;

*we are navigating our way through life

1. The Art of Knowing your mate:

*there has to be a ongoing interchange, you have to watch them

*you need to forever be a student of the person who you are in love with.

*being a student means you are still learning

*for the person being watched, you have to make yourself interesting

*not being an investigator

*periodically you have to amend the constitution and continue to get to know them

*you have to continue to date them, go through the whole relationship process again

2. The Art of Listening:

*Communication is not as important as Listening

*each one is waiting on a break to get their point in

*”what do you mean? I want to be sure I understood what you said.”

*there is no Higher Education Course on Listening

*people generally leave each other for small things, they are miserable over little things

*most of the time people are too busy to listen

*so we pay a counselor to explain what she means

3. Your Ability to Wait:

*patience

*it takes time to become one, “leave your parents and cleave to your wife”

*wait on some things to manifest themselves in your life

*a waiting man is a man who hasn’t given up

*he’s waiting to see what God is going to do

*waiting on him to show some interest

*if you don’t wait for it you will mess it up

*everybody is happy and in love at first

*we have to develop the Art of waiting

*he’s fighting off women who will do what his wife won’t do. It’s not just about sex, it can be about kindness and attention.

*when he gets tired, gives up and move on, he is called a dog.

*men don’t mind waiting as long as they see progress, it becomes difficult.

*if you’re waiting, don’t give up

4. The Ability to Forgive:

*must have the attitude of forgiveness

*he’s going to blow it, giving you what you used to need

*some folk don’t have a reference for forgiveness, it wasn’t modeled

*we like much mercy from God, but do we forgive? Christian are forgiving people.

5. The Art of Openness:

*there is only one test for nerve damage.

*The test and process for detecting nerve damage is painful

*after you have been hurt, you have to learn to open back up

*you have to understand and exercise the art of openness

*if you do not learn this, you will never be fulfilled

*God won’t put His Word in you until you have learned to be open, present in the moment

*openness has nothing to do with wealth

*we are focusing on all the external things but they had mates

*some people didn’t get hurt until they got married, flinch, relax

*feelings will fail you

*Do you have the courage to open up?

*if you don’t open up you will never be fulfilled

*if you’re not open, there cannot be intimacy

*it’s a never ending cycle