Do you have challenges in relationships? Are your relationships working for you? Relationships are a part of God’s design for our lives. No matter how successful we are in life, family or business, we will virtually be incomplete without healthy relationships.
During my Master’s Degree coursework, I took a class on relationships. This class literally changed my life and the way I viewed relationships. It gave me an opportunity to view various studies and their outcomes. It gave me an opportunity to take a closer look at what various relationship experts thought on this subject. This has helped me tremendously in my pursuit of lifelong relationships.
Growing up, I’ve always prayed that God would send someone in my life who would first be my best friend. Developing a relationship built on friendship was very important for my marriage because no matter what challenges my husband and I faced, we would look at the covenant we made each other and not our problems. I would ask myself the question: Was this misunderstanding so important that I would allow it to tear our relationship apart? When our friendship grew into a relationship, my best friend Wil gave me a friendship ring with my ruby birthstone. This was not an engagement ring. It simply meant he was serious about me. The next ring I received was an engagement ring, which meant I was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. My husband Wil proposed to me after receiving the blessings of my father, mother and pastor. This was the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the best friend I prayed to God for at an early age. There is a bond between us that runs deep. That bond keeps us accountable to God and each other.
Researchers have conducted extensive studies on what makes people happy. The answer was not health, success, wealth, personal achievement or good looks. But, the clear winner was close relationships. We need love, affection, companionship, and a sense of belonging to thrive and survive. According to nationwide surveys, a quarter of all Americans have said they have felt lonely in the last month. Two-thirds of Americans say close relationships with other people are always on their minds.
God’s perfect plan for our lives was that we follow His perfect will for our relationships on our way to a victorious life. Follow me in next month’s issue as we continue our journey through relationships.