Marriage Growers (part 2)

Last week we had the privilege of having Leslie Eichler from Marriage Growers International come to speak to us.

Her biggest point was that feeling understood and accepted leads to closeness and affection, which leads to more strength in marriage.

She showed us a tool that I personally can't wait to use. It's called the Start, Stop, Continue exercise. In brief, it allows each person to list things that they would like their significant other to start, stop, and continue and opens up a conversation to discuss things that are important to each person without seeming negative or threatening.

I can't wait to use this tool with not only my Husband, but my kids! I'm excited to really listen to what each child feels is important.

For more information on their ministry, you can see Pastor Ken and Leslie Eichler at www.marriagegrowers.com and you can read Leslie's blog at www.godfamilychickens.com.

Let's start opening up hopeful communication with the people that we love!

Pastor Ken on Marriage

We were so blessed to have Pastor Ken Eichler of Marriage Growers International stop by to give us some amazing insight on marriage and our men!

He said that intimacy (not always in the romantic way :) ) is at the root of all successful marriages and also the lack of intimacy is a leading indicator for divorce.

Pastor Ken's definition of intimacy is: A close and affectionate relationship that reaches deeper regions of the heart, resulting in feeling understood and accepted.

We need to view our hearts as holding the treasure of intimacy and do whatever we can to help our husbands reach that treasure...we need to create a pathway for him.  We must be aware of the obstacles that are blocking him.  These obstacles can be issues from our family of origin, past hurtful words or experiences, and fears or pressures.  Be aware of them and communicate about them!

Along those lines, here are some important points to remember:

•  Men are more relationally underdeveloped
•  How close we feel to one another predicts marital happiness and success
• Another predictor of divorce is the way we communicate with our spouses, which is an indicator of relational closeness
• We need to be strategic in our interactions with our husbands
• Avoid placing blame or assigning motives to his actions
• It is never right to do what's wrong...if you do, it's YOUR sin, even if HE did it first!
• Forgive as you've been forgiven!
• Talk to your husband with the assumption that he knows nothing :)

We wives are the greatest instrument to speak faith into our husbands so he can become what God has called him to be.

Remember, we do not need to draw on our own strength...God will give us the strength, wisdom and patience needed to have happy, effective, and long-lasting marriages.

Proverbs 18:21-- Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

To contact Ken, email him at Ken@marriagegrowers.com

Mom2Mom is on Pinterest!

One of my favorite things about Mom2Mom is the food. I'm not going to lie. When I'm at home, I'm lucky to scarf down an egg or two in between getting the kids to school, cleaning up the kitchen, and making sure my littles don't injure themselves or each other. Not to mention the fact that as soon as we become parents our plates seem to turn communal. Am I right?

I love being able to show up and eat super yummy food (that I didn't have to prepare) while enjoying adult conversation and not being interrupted by tiny hands or upward gazing eyes, as adorable as they might be.

So I thought that I would link to a couple of dishes that are super easy and super yummy, in case you were having a hard time finding something when it's your turn to bring food.

And then I thought, "Hey! It would be super cool if Mom2Mom had a Pinterest account so I could just go on there and see if they had any ideas or favorites from previous weeks to make." So I made our own Pinterest account (with co-leader approval, of course).

So, if you find a recipe that you love, let one of us know, and we'll happily add it to the appropriate Pinterest board. Of course, you don't have to share, and we'll just be in love with you when it's your turn to bring food, and that's okay too.

At our first meeting, Kristen Valenti brought a super yummy hash brown casserole for a hot dish. She gave me the link, so I pinned it!! Super easy!

Find us on Pinterest ... username...  Mom2Mom (super original, I know)
http://www.pinterest.com/mom2momt/