How to Talk So Your Husband Will Listen and Listen So Your Husband Will Talk by Rick Johnson

So, I think that everyone may benefit from having someone in her life whom she share information with. Someone who listens, offers advice, shares, solicits advice, encourages.....

Well, that's what my sister, Tracy, and I do for each other; We are constantly evaluating ourselves, giving and receiving advice, encouraging one another etc.

Tracy is a sucker for books that are discounted. She saw this book on the sale racks and decided to read it because it sounded interesting, and she also thought that she may be able to use it as an aid to counsel people. (Yep, she's a minister who counsels people.) After she started to read this book, she sent me a text to tell me that it was really good, and she wanted me to read it so that we could discuss it.

You know that I am a sucker for a good book, so I downloaded this book, and I found it surprisingly enlightening.

Tracy and I both agree that this book should have been given a different title. Yep, the title is misleading, because this book is about sooooo much more than how to talk and listen to your husband. We tried to come up with a more appropriate title, and as of right now, we have not come up with one.

This book uses quite a few scriptures to explain the qualities of a good man, gives women the opportunity to reflect on their relationship with their fathers, and also provides insights about men and women that gave me a lot to think about.

I definitely think that this book would be great for married women to read, but I also think that single, dating women would benefit even more from this book. This is one of those books that I will reach for over and over for help with navigating through dating...

I know that there are women out there who are reading this post and thinking "I would never read something like this," but I challenge you to open your mind and grow....

Happy Reading People!!!

By the way, I also just finished reading Song of Solomon for the 1 millionth time, and my thoughts about this go around will be coming soon.

Knowledge is Power...... 

Faith Comes Through Hearing.........

I went out last night, and this morning my alarm went off at 6:30am which meant that it was time to get up and go to church. My body was like "you got to be kidding me," and I checked the church's website to make sure that Pastor Wesley was preaching before I got out of the bed. (I am still a work in progress.) When I read the church bulletin and it stated that he was preaching today, I jumped up and hurried to get there early so that I could sit in the front.

When I got to church this morning, I received a few bonuses besides the awesome word: the whole "grown folks choir" was singing today, and they were being backed up by the entire orchestra; and it was communion Sunday, and I got to hear one of my favorite communion songs: "The Blood will NEVER lose it Power" being played by the orchestra and sang by the "grown folks choir." (Church was awesome today.)

Pastor Wesley is a master with words and is such a great storyteller. When he told the story of Mary and Jesus and so many other stories today, I felt so excited. There are some things that I am believing God for, and Pastor Wesley preached about "waiting." Now, I am a Master at waiting, but after a few disappointments this week, I needed that confirmation today, and I got it. (Faith comes from hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing of the word.) 

Pastor Wesley: Young, Gifted and Talented!

Pastor Wesley stated that his son has a birthday coming up, and he asked his son what did he want for his birthday. His son really did not have an answer. Pastor Wesley stated that he had to dig deeper and his son stated: "You love me, you always buy me good gifts, so do what you do." When he stated this, I did shed a few tears, because I needed that confirmation today that "God loves me, he has always given me good gifts, and I must trust him to do what he do." I wanted to run around the church at this point, but the orchestra was in the way. (Just playing.) Wasn't going to run, but you get my point; I was a little excited. (Faith comes from hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing of the word.) 

Pastor Wesley also made the point that "Christmas is confirmation of the reality that God shows up," and my sister, Pastor Tracy, backed this up.

Let me get off topic for a minute. My sister, Pastor Tracy, and I have what I would like to call "church" on Sundays after church. We will recap both of our services and tell stories and talk over each other because of the excitement that we get from the word. Also, Tracy is my fact checker. I will tell her what Pastor Wesley said, and if she says "that's awesome" or something else along that line, then I know that Pastor Wesley is on point, and then I can call and tell anybody who will listen, or I write it out, because I must get the information out of my head.

Back to Christmas being confirmation. Tracy and Pastor Wesley stated that "the people" had been waiting on Jesus. They were not sure what he would looked like, but they were waiting. Pastor Wesley stated that they had been waiting for about 500 years, and guess what? Jesus showed up humbly in a manger, and did just what they thought he would do: heal the sick, give the blind sight, raise the dead, give us the opportunity to have everlasting life. (Faith comes from hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing of the word.) 

I  have not been waiting for 500 years for the things that I am believing for, but I got my confirmation today that God does show up and show out. (Faith comes from hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing of the word.) 

When I upgraded my cell phone, podcast was one of the application that was already installed, and you know that I instantly signed up to get the FREE, weekly Joel Osteen podcast. I listen to Joel Osteen in my house and in my car almost all of the time. Those messages keep me excited, and I listen to them over and over. I hear him telling me that "I am God's masterpiece," Be quiet or Be Positive" and on and on and on. I also have "church" with Tracy quite often during the week, and I get my refueling every Sunday, because Faith comes from hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing of the word.

We normally can't hear something one time and get it, we must hear it over and over and over and practice it until it becomes a part of who we are.

However, make sure that what you hear over and over and over is positive, because negative thoughts can be reinforced just like positive thoughts.

Refuel your mind and spirit all of the time because faith comes from hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing of the word.

Be Blessed and Renewed ALWAYS my people!!!