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Transcript

Making Time to Talk - Part 5: Rebuilding Love Through Intentional Conversations & God’s Help · Couples’ Journey Podcast Channel

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  Have your conversations with your spouse become routine or surface level over time.
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  Welcome to the final part of the series, Making Time to Talk.
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  Today, Ray and Annie remind us that true love and genuine connection are rooted
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  in intentional conversations anchored in God's truth and guided by the Holy Spirit.
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  As we reflect on how love is defined and renewed through Him,
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  we invite you to examine your heart and consider how the Holy Spirit can help
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  transform your communication and your relationship.
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  Here's the final part. When we're just in the dating stage or the early season
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  of marriage, our intentionality to have in-depth conversations with our partner exists.
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  Over time, however, being together and facing life challenges may affect the
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  sincerity and genuineness of these conversations.
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  Eventually, we find ourselves surviving marriage with just surface-level communication.
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  We can't deny the great importance of having intentional conversations with your spouse.
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  Not just in the context of dealing with circumstances, but above all,
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  this is a major contributor to the love foundation between the couple.
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  Our understanding of love is defined by how we deal with the factors contributing
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  to its foundation, such as making time to converse with our spouse.
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  As we reflect on our own experiences and how we've witnessed life unfold,
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  we realize that we've often selfishly defined love.
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  It was not until we decided to accept Jesus Christ and started reading the Bible
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  that we gained a clearer understanding of how we misunderstood love.
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  Furthermore, we initially thought that simply adding religious activities to
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  our lifestyle would easily shift our perceptions of love.
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  Yes, there were discoveries and realizations, but the full cycle of redefining
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  love will not be complete until those discovered truths are translated into our actions.
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  Intentionality in simple things, like making time to talk, serves as a strong
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  foundation for love between spouses.
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  If you are still living today without consulting biblical truths to define love,
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  you will face a more challenging journey ahead.
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  Choices will depend on your definition and perception of love.
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  Love is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as noted in Galatians 5 verses 22 to 23.
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  Our understanding and connection to the Holy Spirit define our perceptions of these fruits.
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  If we focus on the role of the Holy Spirit by measuring these fruits alone,
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  we risk falling into the temptation of good works.
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  In our desperation to improve our circumstances, particularly in our marital
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  relationships, we may jump to present ourselves with those so-called fruits,
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  overlooking the important role of the Holy Spirit, the helper that God,
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  The Father, sent in Jesus' name, as noted in John 14 verse 26.
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  Let's not forget that these fruits are brought forth by the Holy Spirit.
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  They are the products of how we are connected to and influenced by the Holy Spirit.
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  It is a journey of connecting ourselves to the Holy Spirit that leads to our
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  progression towards these fruits.
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  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness.
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  Goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
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  Against such things there is no law.
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  Galatians 5 verses 22-23. When we face the challenge of being intentional and
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  having genuine conversations with our spouse,
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  conversations that contribute to the love foundation, we must address our hearts
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  and minds to God and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance.
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  Our spouse also needs to have a similar encounter with God's truth.
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  Making our sensitivity to the guidance of the Holy Spirit greatly important
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  because God alone knows our hearts and minds.
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  While it may seem tricky, a simple yet consistent effort to initiate conversations
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  about how our spouse is doing at work or any matter that interests them can
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  greatly facilitate good communication and give us room to grow in grace.
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  It's a journey of restoration and relearning, but it will not begin if we do
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  not commit to a radical change anchored in grace.
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  Let's embark on this journey in the right direction.
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  With the Holy Spirit that God the Father sent in the name of Jesus Christ.
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  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name.
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  He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
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  John 14 verse 26.
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  Before we close, we want to invite you to engage with us and support the Couples
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  Journey blog series podcast.
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  By following this channel, leaving comments, and sharing episodes with your family and friends.
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  You're helping us in our mission to transform marriages today.
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  Your support encourages more couples to seek God's guidance and grow stronger together.
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  Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can make a difference.
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  Here's the final part of today's episode.
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  Thank you for journeying with us through this series. Remember,
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  meaningful conversations that build a strong love foundation are not just about
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  words. They're about inviting the Holy Spirit into our hearts and into our conversations.
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  It takes intentionality, humility, and dependence on God's grace.
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  But through His Spirit, we can cultivate love, patience, and understanding in our marriages.
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  As you move forward, may your conversations be filled with grace,
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  guided by the Holy Spirit, and rooted in the love of Christ.
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  Until next time, keep making time to talk and to love well. Join us next week
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  for another impactful series as we continue learning how to build marriages
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  anchored in Christ. God bless.