Feeling A "God Disconnect"? This Can Get You Back On Track.
Something that I think I can say for just about everyone who grew up "religious" yet decided to embark upon their own spiritual journey at some point in their adult life, it's that you start to see your relationship with God in a way that is similar to human beings in the sense that—sometimes things are really great, other times things are super challenging, and then there are moments when all you've got is your commitment and faith to stand on. It's during those "category C" seasons when, no matter how much you love the Lord, you can still find yourself feeling somewhat…disconnected.
2020 tried us in every way, including when it came to the growth and even stability of our spiritual lives. And so, if you love God with all that you are and yet, something seems a little "off" right now, I want to share with you 10 practical things that can help you feel closer and more connected to Him again.
1. Meditate. In the Morning.
If you want to become more self-aware, meditate. If you want to be less stressed out, meditate. If you want to be more creative, learn how to live in the moment and be a more positive individual, meditate. If you want to learn how to become a more patient and tolerant individual, meditate. Y'all, it's wonder why King David once advised us to, "Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still." (Psalm 4:4—NKJV) Taking time out to get quiet, breathe deeply and reflect on your life, yourself and your spirit are all things that can help you to focus on the day ahead with great insight and clarity. That's why, I personally think it's a great idea to devote 10-20 minutes, each and every morning, to do a little meditating. When's the last time you put it on your "take care of me and my spirit" to-do list?
2. Do Some Prayer Journaling
Prayer has different approaches. One approach that I've enjoyed participating in over the years is a practice that I call prayer journaling. I have a few journals where I write what I think or feel in black or blue ink and then, after I complete my thoughts (or feelings), I sit and wait to see if anything comes into my spiritual psyche. Whether it's a Scripture or something that I believe my conscience is advising me to do, I will write that down in red ink. I make sure that all entries include the date and time and every week (or a couple of weeks), I will look back on the entries to see what patterns have brought me inner peace or the answers that I was looking for. I also check to see how similar or different the black/blue ink is vs. the red (more times than not, they aren't similar at all which is a good sign because that means that "my flesh" isn't trying to manipulate the Spirit).
For me, prayer journaling has been one of the best forms of spiritual communication that I have ever come across. And when you stop and think about the fact that journaling helps us organize our thoughts, plan and achieve goals, improve our moods, process traumatic events, and reduce tension and also since prayer is a form of communication with the Most High—doesn't it make complete and total sense that prayer journaling would be a beneficial spiritual practice?
3. Take a Hike
One of my favorite books of all time isThe Celestine Prophecy. It's way too layered to break down all of the reasons why here. However, the reason why I'm bringing it up for this particular piece is that there's a part of it that says spending time in nature can help to give you messages that you're looking for. Hmph. That actually makes a lot of sense when you reflect on the fact that our first biblical introduction to the world was the creation of a garden (the Garden of Eden—Genesis 1-2). Anyway, it's one thing to take a stroll around your neighborhood. It's another matter entirely different to go on a hike. When you're surrounded by nothing but the sun, trees, and terrain, it can mentally calm you, physically strengthen you and spiritually revive you. And since I'm a firm believer that we're our own trinity—mind, body, and spirit—and our trinity thrives when all parts of it are in sync, making the time to get off of the grid and connect with God's other creation (nature) can be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Him on levels you didn't even know that you needed, until you put on your sneakers and tried it.
4. Bless Someone. Anonymously.
The Good Book tells us that it's more blessed to give than it is to receive (Acts 20:35). A fun fact here is the Hebrew word for bless is "barak" (yes, similar to Barack Obama); it actually means to bless or to kneel. Yet in the context of Acts 20:35, the more appropriate Hebrew word would probably be "ashar" which means "happy" in Hebrew. Put all of this together and it means that we tend to be happier when we give to others rather than seek for ways to get things from them. I can certainly attest to that because there is something that is very…shoot, exciting about surprising someone with a gift or being a vessel who is able to help someone in need.
There are a lot of miserable people out here in the world. Many of them are selfish and greedy which isn't good because the Bible also says that love isn't selfish (I Corinthians 13:5) and greediness takes away the life of those who live that way (Proverbs 1:19). Not only that but the Good Book tends to be extremely practical too. I John 3:17(NKJV) says, "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" If lately, you haven't been feeling as close to God as you would like, try giving to another person. As the Scripture that I shared just said, it's a great way to abide in God's love and since abide means "remain" and "stay"—it makes perfect sense that giving (anonymously, so that you don't make it be about you—Matthew 6:1-2) would help us to feel closer to the Lord.
(By the way, the reason why the Hebrew wording for things is so relevant when it comes to Scripture is because the Bible was originally written in that language.)
5. Take Your Purpose Up a Notch
I was just telling someone not too long ago that it would probably trip a lot of people out if they knew that one definition of entertainment is to "distract". Lawd, a lot of us are straight-up distracted by entertainment (and entertainers) too. So much, in fact, that we spend (or is it waste?) more time, effort, and energy on what they are doing/not doing, that we're not nurturing our own gifts, talents, and purpose.
As more and more time goes by, "purpose" has really come to be one of my all-time favorite words. It's because it's literally "the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc."; not only that but it's "an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal".
All of us have a limited and designated amount of time on this planet—time to live out why God decided to make us, along with time to set goals and then reach them. Believe you me when I say that one of the best ways to feel closer to God than you ever have is when you put everything aside to make sure that you're living in your individual purpose. Shoot, not just that you are living it but that you are making the kinds of choices to illustrate that you are striving to thrive in your purpose as well. Because how can you not feel intimacy with the Creator when you're honoring him by doing just what you were put on this earth to do in the first place?
6. Go on a Detox
Remember how I said I believe that we're all our own trinity? Remember how I also said that if one part of us is out of wack, it tends to throw the other parts off-kilter too? This is one of the reasons why I also think it's a good idea to detox your system, at least a couple of times a year. And just what are some of the signs that you need to detox your body? If you're always feeling tired or drained. If you can never seem to get over a cold. If you have frequent headaches or skin breakouts. If your moods are all over the place or your digestive system is irregular (or if you've been eating a lot of fast food).
Fasting is biblical. Matthew 17:14-21 tells us that some things only come that way. From a biblical standpoint, fasting from food is a way to yes, detox your body while also controlling your appetite for food as you focus more on your spiritual health and well-being. Yet even if you choose to not go such an extreme route, detoxing from sugar, meat, or junk, or doing some sort of cleanse can help to "reset" your body so that you can think with a clearer perspective.
While we're here, it can also be a good idea to "detox" from something that has nothing to do with your diet. It could be fasting from a relationship, a time-waster, or a bad habit. When it comes to the nature of God, one of my favorite Scripture is, "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6—NKJV) Something that is pure is something that isn't contaminated, something that is very clear and—I really like this—something that is straightforward (God is not the author of confusion; His character and His words and quite straightforward—I Corinthians 14:33). And so, if something in your life seems muddied, super complicated, or outright baffling, taking some time away to clear your mind can help to get your spirit back into a place where you feel "purified" again. You can hear more clearly what God wants you to do and not be confused about how to go about doing it.
7. Write Down Something That You Fear. Then Do It.
2020 came with a lot of words that were used in excess. One of them is "doom-scrolling". You know, sitting on social media all day and just looking for negativity to take in for hours on end. Not only can that train your mind to see things from a "life totally sucks" perspective but, if you're not careful, it can make you quite fear-filled as well. That's not good because the Bible also tells us that "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (I John 4:18—NKJV) Did you peep that first part? According to this Scripture, the opposite of love isn't hate (one definition of hate is to be unwilling); it is fear.
And how do we overcome fear? More times than not, it's by facing it. So, take out some time to really think about what you're afraid of. Is it to set some boundaries? Is it to end a toxic friendship? Is it to leave a dead-end job? Is it to try something new? I really do wish more sermons were spoken on the fact that if you want to grow in love, removing fear makes that happen. That said, do yourself a really big favor and attempt something that you fear, just as soon as you possibly can. The farther away you move from fear, the closer you will get to love—and only spiritual greatness and abundance can come from that, sis.
8. Read I Corinthians 13. Apply It to Yourself First.
People who know me know that it irks me to absolutely no end, whenever someone says something like "love hurts" or "love sucks". The Bible tells us that "God is Love" (I John 4:8&16) and I choose to not see Him and His intentions for me from a negative space or in a toxic fashion. That said, if you don't feel the most loved at the moment, it can never hurt to (re)visit the Love Chapter in the Bible. I'm going to share the Message Version of it today.
"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies."—I Corinthians 13:4-8(Message)
Any time when I want to see if I'm growing in love—which is essentially growing in God—I look at this list. I kid you not, pretty much every time, I see a line that has me like, "whoa". For instance, right through here, I'm focusing on "love doesn't want what it doesn't have". This doesn't mean that love doesn't have desires (Psalm 37:4) so much as love learns to be in a state of contentment (I Timothy 6:6) in whatever season that it's in. It's similar to the part where it says that "love puts up with anything". That isn't a cosign to tolerate abuse so much as it means that you extend to others the kind of mercy, grace and compassion that you want to receive. If you want people to take a lot of your stuff…well, exactly.
It's hard to not feel closer to someone when you learn more about them. The more I study love and then try and live out what I learn about it, the closer I feel to God, automatically so. Funny how that works, huh?
9. Forgive. Also, Apologize.
I doubt that you will ever see me write on spiritual health and well-being and not reference the importance of forgiveness. From a biblical standpoint, we are clearly told that God doesn't forgive us unless we forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15). Yet even beyond that, learning to release people and the painful feelings towards them that we may harbor can provide a level of healing that is truly incomparable.
Know what else is healthy? Freakin' apologizing. I don't mean deflecting. I don't mean justifying or excusing. I don't mean trying to find manipulative ways to place the blame on others. Spiritually and emotionally mature people know how to humble themselves enough to take full accountability and responsibility for their actions, address them, and—this is also key—seek out a way to make things right.
Proverbs 22:4(NKJV) says, "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life." It requires humility to know that others are worthy of forgiveness because we also need it (from God and other people). At the same token, it requires humility to apologize because ego maniacs and narcissists are the kind of folks who feel as if they are never wrong. And you know what? The more you humble yourself, the more God is pleased with you. The more pleased He is, the more He can trust you with things like riches and honor. I'm not making that up. That Bible says so.
Forgiving and apologizing aren't always easy. Humility never is. Yet when you think about all of the freedom and blessings that come from doing it—why not at least give both actions a shot?
10. Make God a Vow. Commit to Keeping It.
It's a trip, and not in a good way, how comfortable human beings are with making a promise or vow and then breaking it—not just to one another but to God too. If you read the New King James Version of Ecclesiastes 5, the title of it is "Fear God, Keep Your Vows". In other words, if you respect God, when you make a commitment to Him, keep it.
Just think what our spiritual lives would be like if God was as fickle and unreliable with His word as we are when it comes to interacting with Him—and with others. I'm telling you, when I was in my 20s, I was quite "meh" about honoring people's time, fully following through with what I said I would do, or keeping my commitments. Yet one of the greatest compliments I've received in my 40s is folks telling me that they feel like I am reliable; that my word can be trusted.
Something that has come from that is, that the more trustworthy I am, the more self-confidence that builds, and the more I feel like I'm becoming like my Creator. And yes—that makes me feel more connected to Him because, when you're similar to someone in any way, closeness tends to manifest.
Everything that I mentioned here today? None of these suggestions are necessarily easy. However, if you want to reconnect with God, they are all things that can help that to happen. Maybe not immediately, but definitely sooner than you think.
In the meantime, know that by merely wanting to get closer to God, you're already more intimate with Him than you are giving yourself credit for. Unfortunately, a lot of His children are out here, not even thinking about Him in this way. The longing alone has set you on the right path. Now all you need to do…is walk it. The speed doesn't matter. One step at a time, one day at a time is progress.
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Different puzzle pieces are creating bigger pictures these days. 2024 will mark a milestone on a few different levels, including the release of my third book next June (yay!).
I am also a Professional Certified Coach. My main mission for attaining that particular goal is to use my formal credentials to help people navigate through the sometimes tumultuous waters, both on and offline, when it comes to information about marriage, sex and relationships that is oftentimes misinformation (because "coach" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, oftentimes quite poorly).
I am also still super devoted to helping to bring life into this world as a doula, marriage life coaching will always be my first love (next to writing, of course), a platform that advocates for good Black men is currently in the works and my keystrokes continue to be devoted to HEALTHY over HAPPY in the areas of holistic intimacy, spiritual evolution, purpose manifestation and self-love...because maturity teaches that it's impossible to be happy all of the time when it comes to reaching goals yet healthy is a choice that can be made on a daily basis (amen?).
If you have any PERSONAL QUESTIONS (please do not contact me with any story pitches; that is an *editorial* need), feel free to reach out at missnosipho@gmail.com. A sistah will certainly do what she can. ;)
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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These 11 Married Couples Share Their Keys To Long-Term Marital Success
The late actor Audrey Hepburn once said something that I think a lot of married couples who have at least 10 years under their belt will agree with: “If I get married, I want to be very married.” In my mind, this means very committed, very complementary, and very willing to go the distance — otherwise, what’s the point?
Really, what’s the point?
Thing is, with the divorce rate still being higher than it ever should be (for the record, a husband is not a boyfriend, and a wife is not a girlfriend; a marriage is serious business, y’all) and acting married being praised (or at least acknowledged) more than actually being married seems to be — folks who 1) are married and are looking for some hacks that will help with relational longevity or 2) want to be married someday and want insight on how to make their future marriage last are constantly seeking truly beneficial material.
Can you Google articles with random bullet points? Sure. And I’m not discouraging it. Every little bit of wisdom that you can pull, I fully support. However, the reason why I like to do articles like this one from time to time is there is something to be said from hearing real talk from multiple sources on the same topic who have some solid wisdom and knowledge on a particular topic.
Today? 11 married couples who were willing to talk about how they’ve been able to make it to several wedding anniversaries with a smile on their face and no regrets for choosing who they chose. Let’s all sit at their feet for just a moment.
*Middle names are always used in my content that’s like this so that people can speak freely*
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1. Kyle and Adrienne. Married 12 Years.
Kyle: “Some of your readers aren’t going to want to hear this but it’s worked for my marriage: people need to lower their expectations sometimes; I mean, men and women. We go into marriage with stuff that movies told us, social media told us, friends who are always single told us about what we should expect from someone, and then want to fault the person when they’re not what we made up in our head. Everyone should have standards but if you’re expecting your spouse to be some living version of a fairy tale character, you’re going to be disappointed almost every day of your life. Drop those expectations some and watch your relationship be a lot less stressful.”
Adrienne: “Talk to people who respect your man about your marriage. I’ve never believed that you shouldn’t ever go to anyone when you need some support. Even the Bible says that there is safety in wise counsel [Proverbs 11:4]. Too many women talk to women who don’t respect men, in general, let alone their husbands, and so that’s where things go left. Sometimes, you need an ‘outside in’ perspective. But if that woman is always taking shots at men, doesn’t respect marriage, or isn’t someone who holds your man in high regard, don’t ask her for advice. Really, you should ask yourself why you’re friends with her at all.”
Shellie here: I’m big on engaged and married couples having a “village” of sorts for their relationship, too. Check out “Why Every Engaged Couple Needs A 'Marriage Registry'” to get a good idea of what I mean.
2. Levi and Paulette. Married for 15 Years.
Levi: “Some of you have probably heard of the 7-7-7 rule. It’s where couples go on a date every seven days, have a weekend getaway every seven weeks, and go on a romantic trip of some sort every seven months. My wife and I do the 2-2-2 rule instead because sometimes our schedule and budget make ‘7’ difficult. It has gotten easier since Shellie told us about the sex jar. Bottom line, if you’re waiting for time to just open up to be with your spouse, that ain’t gonna happen. Schedule intimacy, including sex. Prioritizing it is better than saying you’re gonna be spontaneous and…never are.”
Paulette: “Initiate sex, dammit. When Shellie told us that men initiate sex most of the time, and then I thought about how often I used to push my husband away whenever he did it — I never really thought about how that made him feel until I put myself in his shoes. We’ve got to stop having all of this understanding for why women cheat when it comes to them not feeling desired or not getting attention when we’re the same way to our husbands. Your marriage isn’t ‘Young and the Restless’, where you’re just supposed to wait for your man to make the move. If you want to feel wanted, do the same thing for him.”
Shellie here: What’s a sex jar, you ask? You can read more about it via “5 Reasons Why Every Married Couple Needs A Sex Jar.”
3. Matthew and Gaia. Married for 17 Years.
Matthew: “Reenact some of your favorite times together. My wife and I do that semi-often. We’ll go back to where we had our first date, or we’ll go back to the hotel where we had some of the best sex before. Bringing back memories of when you felt the best together can give you the motivation to stay together to create some new memories to ‘play out’ later on.”
Gaia: “If you want to ‘mom your husband,’ you need to have kids — or at least get a dog! I didn’t realize how bossy I was until I got married. It’s because I saw my mom be that way with my dad. In my eyes, I thought that’s what love looked like until I watched how my in-laws were. They don’t try to change each other, and they definitely don’t make any demands. They’re very polite. I think a lot of married people are rude to their partner. Don’t be that.”
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4. Joseph and Carletta. Married for 10 Years.
Joseph: “Go to therapy for your childhood. I’m dead serious. No one is going to show you yourself like your wife will, and I realized that a lot of my hang-ups came from unhealed childhood stuff. It’s hard to be an adult in your marriage when you’re still emotionally a kid in a lot of ways. If you’re at the point where you think therapy is needed, go alone and deal with your childhood first. It did miracles for me and mine.”
"No one is going to show you yourself like your wife will, and I realized that a lot of my hang-ups came from unhealed childhood stuff. It’s hard to be an adult in your marriage when you’re still emotionally a kid in a lot of ways."
Carletta: “Meditate together once a day. Even if it’s just for 5-10 minutes, you need to carve out a moment to be mindful, focus on each other, and slow the world down. [Joseph and I] have been doing it for a couple of years now; it’s totally changed the way we communicate. Meditation reminds us to put each other first; that if we’re focused on each other, we can take on…whatever.”
5. Zeke and Rachelle. Married for 12 Years.
Zeke: “An argument is not a fight and a debate is not an argument. Learn that and you’re home-free. That’s all I got.”
Rachelle: “That advice that you just got? That sums up what it’s like to live with my husband. He’s very cut-and-dry, direct, and not wordy. That used to bug the hell out of me until I realized how wordy I was and then accepted that I wouldn’t want ‘two of me’ in the house [LOL]. He’s right. You can have a difference of opinion, and it be a debate. You can not find a middle ground on something and it turns into an argument. Neither of those is a red flag. It just comes with being with someone who is as much of an individual as you are.”
6. Taurus and Madison. Married for 22 Years.
Taurus: “Be prepared for your partner to change — not a couple of times, quite a bit. And when they change, that alters the relationship because now it’s not the person you stood with on your wedding day; it’s someone else. People get divorced so much because they are inflexible; they expect their spouse to never switch up and that’s just not how life is. If you’re rigid, controlling, or don’t know how to adjust, you don’t need to marry anybody. You’re gonna be miserable, and so will they.”
Madison: “Pray before sex. Before my husband and I got married, we had quite a bit of sexual history that caused us to do some comparing, and that led to resentment. In marriage, we had to adjust to how it’s more than just what we’re getting from another person. Married sex comes with so much more spirituality and responsibility. Prayer before sex reminds us to see it from a spiritual lens — and that makes the experience more intense and sacred. It might sound weird at first. Just try it. I don’t think you’ll regret it at all.”
"Married sex comes with so much more spirituality and responsibility. Prayer before sex reminds us to see it from a spiritual lens — and that makes the experience more intense and sacred."
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7. Karl and LaTasha. Married for 9 Years.
Karl: “Check in with your partner twice a day. In the morning before leaving the house and at night before going to sleep. If you work outside of the home, a lot can happen during the course of one day, so you shouldn’t assume that the person you left in the morning is who you are coming home to. I don’t mean sharing each other’s schedules or to-do lists. I mean, asking your spouse, ‘How are you doing? How are you really doing?’. It’s a smart way to take note of their mood and needs so that you are never blindsided.”
LaTasha: “Give each other some privacy. I have never been the kind of woman to go through a man’s phone, and I won’t start. If you think that you have to be a detective in your relationship, why are you in it in the first place? I know that Karl would give me codes and passwords if I wanted them because we’ve talked about it all before. Knowing that he would is enough for me. Marriage is an institution, but damn, it shouldn’t feel like jail.”
8. Thomas and Wynter. Married for 15 Years.
Thomas: “Ask your partner what their sexual needs are. Never assume that they haven’t changed because if we all agree that we are constantly growing and evolving as people, why would sex be exempt? Don’t personalize what they say about it either. All of us have sexual fantasies and interests that we keep to ourselves because we don’t know what our partner will think or ‘cause we think that they will create stories in their head about what made us think that way. I’ve learned that intimacy is feeling okay with sharing the deep stuff. The more comfortable a man, especially, is with doing that, the better the sex will be for everyone because talking about stuff like that is like taking down some walls.”
Wynter: “It’s okay to take one vacation a year with your girls and one by yourself. Just don’t go with people who don’t have the same standards as you, and as far as your solo venture, it doesn’t need to be longer than a long weekend. One thing that they don’t tell you about marriage is how there are times when you will feel like it is monotonous because of the routine of everything. A girls’ trip reminds you to get back to you outside of being someone’s wife or mom, and the trip alone is when you can sit around and do whatever you have to negotiate most of them. And yes, your man should be given the same courtesy.”
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9. Allen and Yvette. Married for 11 Years.
Allen: “STOP. BRINGING. UP. OLD. SH-T. SH-T. Nothing creates walls in a marriage more than you telling someone that you forgave them, and then the minute something else happens, here you go with the rap sheet of wrongs. Forgiving someone means that you are pardoning them, and that’s not what you’re doing if you’re constantly holding stuff over their head. One thing that marriage will show you is how bad of a forgiver you are. Most people suck at it, if we’re gonna be real about it.”
Yvette: “I already know that some women are going to assume that my man must’ve done something to say all of that (LOL). He’s a much better forgiver than I am, believe it or not. The real plot twist is, what gets on his nerves more than anything, is when I bring up stuff that he’s forgiven me for. Allen is the kind of man [who] hates to live in the past. I’ve grown a lot because of that. I think my advice would be to stay focused on solutions and tomorrow instead of problems and yesterday.”
Allen: “Sh- t, that’s bars, babe!”
Shellie here: INDEED.
10. Brennton and Danyelle. Married for 16 Years.
Brennton: “Why anyone who is trash at forgiving would get married is beyond me. It’s delusional to the nth degree to think that you are worthy of forgiveness and others aren’t — or that what you do isn’t ‘as bad,’ and that’s why you deserve forgiveness and others don’t. My wife and I have a lot of time under our belts. I’m here to tell you that there will be something, daily, that you will need to forgive your partner for on some level. If you can’t see yourself being open to that, marriage simply isn’t for you.”
Danyelle: “I don’t know who taught so many of us that being passive-aggressive will get us what we want, but it’s a damn lie. If something is wrong, stop saying ‘nothing’ when your man asks you what’s up because, if you’ve got a man like mine, he’s gonna say ‘Okay’ and go on about his day. Brennton often says that my refusing to speak isn’t his responsibility, it’s mine. That used to piss me off because, deep down, I knew that he was right. Oh, and chill on the grudge-holding too. With guys, that’s not going to get you anywhere either.”
11. Christopher and Yvonne. Married for 26 Years.
Christopher: “Have more loyalty for your spouse than you do your closest friend. Too many people don’t think like that. If you’ve got a friend since college, you’ve been through some things and you’ve learned to forgive and move past it. If you can’t see your wife or husband in this way, why did you get married? You should never have more grace for someone who you didn’t take vows with; that’s ludicrous. Before anyone else, I’m going to prioritize reconciling with my wife. It’s because I value her more than anyone. That’s what marriage is.”
"Before anyone else, I'm going to prioritize reconciling with my wife. It's because I value her more than anyone. That's what marriage is."
Yvonne: “Even if you’re not about ‘traditional gender roles,’ discuss what the expectations are for the home. People don’t divorce over cheating as much as getting sick of beard clippings in the bathroom sink or cars that look like pocketbooks. When you sign up for marriage, you are doing daily life with another person. Articulate your expectations. Listen to theirs. Be flexible until you both can make it work. Do that, and you’ll look up, and it’s been 20 years already.”
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Gems. Pure gems, y’all.
You know, popular consultant Barbara De Angelis once said, “Marriage is not a noun; it’s a verb. It isn’t something you get. It’s something you do. It’s the way you love your partner every day.” And love? Love is a choice.
And so, whether you’re married, engaged, or simply desire marriage in the future, hopefully, these tips will help you to choose how you love your spouse (or future spouse)…better.
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