BE A STAR

Great relationships need more than just good communication. To keep your relationship intact and alive, be a ‘STAR’.

Support – Support each other on a variety of levels.

For example, supporting each other’s life goals is important over the long term, while sharing household chores fairly is a way to provide day-to-day practical help.

Trust – You have to be able to trust each other in order to strengthen a loving partnership. Trust grows when behaviours go well together with values.

Showing that you will do what you say you will.  Acting in honest and trustworthy ways.

This is an essential aspect of demonstrating that the relationship remains a priority.

Appreciation – Sincere appreciation expressed at the right moment is vital.

After being in a relationship for years, couples often assume that their partner knows they are appreciated.

They may stop expressing thanks or compliments. They can fall into the trap of taking one other for granted.

Expressions of appreciation do not have to be big or expensive to be valuable. A simple “thank you” goes a long way.

Respect – In healthy relationships, people respect and accept one another, warts and all.

It is important to value each other’s opinions and understand that even if you love someone, there are bound to be disagreements.

Accepting one another’s differences and finding constructive ways to resolve them are keys to long-term success.

If one person feels they must always “give in” to the other’s opinions or decisions, this provides a breeding ground for resentment.

Over the long term, such resentments have the potential to destroy the love and joy in a partnership.

No relationship is blissful all of the time! Most couples experience ups and downs as a normal part of living.

In other situations, relationship difficulties can feel overwhelming.

In this part of the world, the practice is for couples to tell only the good sides of their stories.

It has been observed that most of the time, when a man or woman is confident enough as to tell the real bad side of their relationship story to others, more often than not, such relationship is as good as over.

While it is not encouraged to let 3^rd parties into your home with their opinions, it cannot be over emphasized that in the multitude of counsel, there is safety.

The caution therefore is, where do you seek counsel?

·        No matter how great or small a person is, you must have someone you respect and whose opinion matters.

·        Find that person as it pertains to your spouse.

·        Understand the reason why such a person is reverend by our spouse.

·        With God’s wisdom, endeavour to transfer same reverence to such a person.

When you and your partner are feeling “stuck”, consider accessing relevant information from God’s Word; make research on the subject in books of renowned authors.

-Godfrey