Love Is Long-Suffering

The Bible's definition of love includes a couple of character qualities couple of attitudes that are sometimes absent from our marriages. Patients and kindness hears and Wilson.

I wish I would have applied that mark as a young wife. As we look at love is patient and kind. I think what I was hears Dave. I had expectations. What I thought he should be like, or what he should do in our marriage in one of those ways, especially when we had little kids I needed his help, but instead of just going to him talking to him being patient and kind.

In my approach.

I would be like what you doing I'm doing everything around here and you're not doing anything. This is family life to the hosts are Dave and Ann Wilson on Bob Lapine. You can find us online@familylifetothe.com would you say your marriage is characterized by patience and kindness. You kind and patient with one another.

That's what love looks like. According to the Bible talk more about that today's day with us and welcome to family life to day. Thanks for joining us.

So we talk about what a loving marriage. Looks like actually were talking about God letting you move the bed and this is really sweet for the book is just coming out this week exciting. That is pretty exciting. So I wrote a book called the Christian husband back 20 years ago. That was 20 or 20 years ago while and along the way people of said to me, are you read another book and you guys know I've been busy here with work on the art of marriage, video series, your parenting video series family life. The day like heroes.

All of the things that we been on so I've I've had ideas.

In fact, the idea for this book, which is called love like you mean it, which by the way is the name of the cruise window (I think our listeners know that perfect title but first Corinthians 13, which is all about love. I thought we really need to dive deep into this and think what are the implications of these verses for marriage. You mentioned this week that this gets read it weddings a lot and it gets read, because it sounds so poetic.

As you say, that I can picture myself in the chapel at our church and when it's red there's just this in the room and because I know what it means. I want to go away with stuff a minute saying that it's not why are you hearing what you're saying when you start off by saying love is patient, what we hear is it would be so wonderful if somebody would just be patient with me all the time right but when the Bible says love is patient, it's saying this is your job. It's your job to be patient with somebody else. It's your job to an end.

The word for patients and in this is the first quality that gets talked about on the list. You know for another patient. This is where it starts in the weird place to start if you're sitting down with somebody and they said to tell me what describe love for me. Well, let me describe it for you.

Love means that you're going to have to be committed through suffering for a long long time. The word for patients. Here is the word that gets translated long-suffering, which is so interesting. I started a Bible study one year with straight lines blank and I asked them to define love for me just to find what he think it is almost every single person related a feeling with love and yet when you look at this.

Love is patient, what you just described, long-suffering, it's this hard grueling people are attracted to fact, I had the same experience. I set them with a couple for premarital counseling. This was many years ago and I said on the first letter premarital counseling is to get out of a piece of paper and write me a paragraph and define love for me so they wrote it down and the handed and we didn't read it to one another.

I suggest to him that inward and look at it after the session together. I looked at it and it read like like a Hallmark card mixed with poetry by Rod McEwing. The 60s writer, and I thought homemade on these kids.

They got a long way to go before they understand what real love looks like because it's more rugged back when we were first talk about this book we thought maybe we should call it rugged love. Maybe call it durable love. Those were some of the words and then we thought and want to buy a book of love rightly say marriage is like this torturous beauty which cuts like people to transcribe our run did not find me when you think like you just said Bob Paul's first is long-suffering.

Most people think I'm out, I'm not signing up for that or you kid me.

I think when I go to amusement park and I got the fast cars that are you jump in and you just race around and then you get the classic old 40s and 50s little pup up up up right everybody was dubbed a fast car and that's like love is adrenaline rush it's feelings. It's fast, it starts yesterday and I'm in love by the end of the weekend and I think marriage is going to be the same way.

And yet it's much more like slow putt putt valleys, hang on rugged right. Love is you guys know this, we used to give out an award every year from family life called the Robertson welcome and it was for committed sacrificial love because at the core of it when were talking about biblical love. I think there are two words that come back to me.

One is commitment and the other self-sacrifice. So, put those two together you have agape love, commitment and self-sacrifice. I'm not going anywhere and I'll die for you. That's what agape love is so we would give this award to people who demonstrated long-suffering in marriage. The first person we gave it to was a woman who lived in Northern California.

Her name is Lucy Whitmire and Lucy's husband Charlie.

At that point was the longest surviving ALS patient in America, and Lucy was a little bitty thing had taken care of her football player husband with ALS lifting him in and out of bed as she could because he was no longer able to function for himself her whole life had been caring for Charlie as his body began to shut down and then it wasn't just a case of his body begin to shut down and in two years he was gone he lived for a couple of decades with ALS in the wheelchair and I remember interviewing her early on family life today. In fact, you can go to our website.

Family life today.com and you can listen to this interview that was done decades ago with Charlie and Lucy and its powerful and profound.

The sacrificial committed love.

That did involve a level of suffering, but Lucy said no I love him.

Course I'm going to do this. This is the love of my life.

This is this is what I promised to do and I'm looking to renege on that promise because he's my husband that's long-suffering on a physical level, but Paul starts off by saying love this is that the foundation of what love is, that were were committed and were gone the distance and were not going anywhere, even when it costs us something you know it's hard touch of the wife talk to the man who's been working all day. Her husband's work tell Dana come home, he sits in front of the TV. This is been years since he's doing everything he is just not engaged he's not helping. He's not doing anything to really add to the relationship one family, yet it is hard when your job is poor out and you think what would sure help if I get a little positive response to this.

That's much nicer than I like it would sure help for if you'd pitch in a little bit. Yeah, it would sure help. If this wasn't all on me. And so what you do in those moments while I I think first of all, you have to think biblically you have to think about what counsel did Scripture get because the culture will say here's what you do you tell them off. You say I'm outta here.

You you tell until you start pulling your weight. I'm not going to punish him. You freeze them out. You said no sugar in your coffee Morgan on until you start to act in right around here. That's the way the culture would have us respond to swear flesh would have us respond and so Jesus says okay let's respond differently, think about Romans 58 God demonstrated his love for us. How well we were still his enemies. He sent his son to die for us to catch up. Well we were doing nothing to pursue him to add to the relationship. In fact, we were on the other sides and I could care less about you and he says THEM A SON TO DIE FOR YOU THAT'S HARD TO HEAR BECAUSE WE GOT MARRIED FOR ONENESS AND IF YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING ONENESS AND END YEAR SUMMARY OF THE RADIOS AND WILL YOU JUST GOTTA KEEP POURING OUT DUCKY BORNE OUT UNDERSTAND THAT HERE'S HERE'S WHAT I'D SAY TO SOMEBODY FIRST AND YOU GOT DO IS GET REMEMBER THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES YOU WHO SEES YOU AND KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND WHO IS COMMITTED TO YOUR GOOD AND WHO IS IN CONTROL OF THINGS AND SO DON'T FORGET THAT, DON'T ABANDON THAT. DON'T GIVE UP ON THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HARD. YOU GOTTA KNOW THAT IN THIS HARDNESS, GOD IS WITH YOU AND THEN SECONDLY, GOD HAS PUT YOU HERE FOR A PURPOSE AND YOUR PURPOSE IS TO BE AN AMBASSADOR OF GRACE A DISPENSER OF LOVE TO SOMEBODY WHO DESPERATELY NEEDS IT AND AND THIS ISN'T JUST WIVES WITH DEADBEAT HUSBAND'S.

THIS CAN BE A HUSBAND WHO'S GOT A WIFE WHO IS NOT PARTICIPATING THE WAY HE'D LIKE FOR HER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RELATIONSHIP.

SO YOUR QUESTION IS HOW CAN YOU BE AN AMBASSADOR OF GRACE AND HOW CAN YOU MINISTER TO THAT PERSON IN A WAY TO TRY TO BREAK THROUGH THE WOUNDEDNESS AND HARD HEARTEDNESS THAT IS KEEPING THEM SEALED OFF FROM YOU. WHY WOULD A PERSON BE PASSIVE. I THINK THERE ARE CONTEXT AND SCARS AND WOUNDS THAT ALL OF US BRING IN A MARRIAGE THAT SHAPE HOW WE RESPOND IN RELATIONSHIP SOME OF US HAVE NEVER GOTTEN TRAINING SOME OF US DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER. SO THIS IS WHERE A LOVING SPOUSE CAN HELP CALL OUT OF YOU SAY I'M A SAFE PLACE TO HELP HEAL THESE WOUNDS TO HELP YOU BE THE BETTER PERSON THAT GOD INTENDS FOR YOU TO BE SO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IN BEING PATIENT, YOU JUST PUT UP WITH BEHAVIOR THAT IS WRONG BEHAVIOR THAT YOU DON'T TRY TO HELP YOUR SPOUSE GET BETTER.

I'M JUST SAYING YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO FLOURISH, NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO FEEL BETTER AND THAT'S A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IF IF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SAYING YOU NEED TO ACT THIS WAY. IN THIS WAY BECAUSE THEN I'LL FEEL BETTER NOW WHEN I THINK BIBLICALLY BEFORE SAYING YOU NEED TO ACT BETTER BECAUSE COTTON MEANS YOU TO BE THIS BETTER PERSON. GOD HAS SO MUCH MORE FOR YOU AND I SEE THE POTENTIAL THERE IS IN YOU AND I'M JEALOUS TO SEE IT, IT GROW AND DEVELOP IN YOU THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. I WISH I WOULD HAVE APPLIED THAT MORE AS A YOUNG WIFE BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND.

I THINK WHAT I DID WISE HERE STATE I HAD EXPECTATIONS. WHAT I THOUGHT HE SHOULD BE LIKE, OR WHAT HE SHOULD DO IN OUR MARRIAGE IN ONE OF THOSE PLAYS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAD LITTLE KIDS I NEEDED HIS HELP, BUT INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO HAND TALKING TO HIM BEING PATIENT AND KIND. IN MY APPROACH. I WOULD BE LIKE WHAT YOU DOING I'M DOING EVERYTHING AROUND HERE AND YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING INSIDE WASN'T PATIENT ARE KIND, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT. I'M DOING SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU ARE. I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE THAT POWER OF TAKING IT TO GOD KIND OF REALIZING AND LOOKING AT THAT AND THEN APPROACHING UNIFIED APPROACH TO YOU IN A WAY BETTER WAY OF SAYING HEY HERE'S WHAT WOULD REALLY HELP US AS A FAMILY. IF YOU COULD DO THIS AND THAT BUT I WOULD HOLD AGAIN BOTTLE IT UP AND THEN WOULD ALL SPEW OUT IN ALL KINDS OF BAD WAYS. SO EVEN TAKING IN APPLYING LOVE IS PATIENT DIED TODAY.

HELP ME TO BE PATIENT AND SUPPORT OURSELVES TO LET GOD'S WORD SEEKING TO LIST DAILY. CONTINUALLY I THINK I CAN CHANGE THINGS YET. I JUST THINK THERE SOMETIMES IT GETS SO HARD. YOU'RE SO EXHAUSTED YOU'VE TRIED. YOU'VE TRIED YOU SAID IT THE RIGHT WAY YOU SAID IN THE WRONG WAY. HE DOESN'T CHANGE. SHE DOESN'T CHANGE, AND THAT IT ANYTHING QUELL THE CHRISTIAN THING TO DO IS BE PATIENT. EVEN THOUGH I'M LOOKING AT OTHER PEOPLE THINK AND THEY'RE HAPPY.

I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THAT HAPPINESS WILL YOU SAY BOB BECAUSE THERE'S THERE'S A WOMAN LISTEN RIGHT NOW THERE'S A MAN LISTENS AND THIS SOUNDS GREAT. I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE GOT ENOUGH IN ME TO TO MAKE IT ANOTHER DAY, LET ALONE A MONTH. I DO WANT TO BE PATIENT. I THINK I HAVE BEEN TO A FAULT AND NOTHING'S CHANGED WELL OR TALK ABOUT LONG-SUFFERING AND I THINK THE QUESTION IS SO, HOW LONG DO YOU SUFFER YEAH I'M IN AN AND IT GETS THEM, THE LONGER WE SUFFER OUR PATIENTS WEARS THEM.

I MEAN WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE WHERE IT'S LIKE OKAY I'M I'VE PUT UP WITH THIS FOR ABOUT AS LONG AS I CAN AND I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU'RE AT THE BREAKING POINT. EVEN BEFORE YOU GET TO THE BREAKING POINT CRY OUT TO GOD AND DO WHAT DAVID SAID IN PSALM 13 DAVID SAYS, LORD, HOW LONG ARE YOU CAN FORGET ME. I WANT TO GO AND WITHHOLD YOUR FAVOR FROM ME THINK ABOUT A HUSBAND OR WIFE WHO'S IN A FRUSTRATING MARRIAGE OR HOW LONG YOU TO FORGET THE SITUATION. HOW LONG AGO WITHHOLD YOUR FAVOR FROM ME.

HOW LONG WILL MY ENEMY TRIUMPH OVER ME BECAUSE YOU CAN FEEL LIKE YOUR SPOUSE IS YOUR ENEMY. AND GOD SAYS I CAN HANDLE THIS, YOU BRING IT TO ME CRY OUT AND THEN IN THE FELLOWSHIP WITH ME AND IN THE INTERACTION AND THE LAMENT. I'M IN A MEET YOU THERE WITH A FRESH SUPPLY OF GRACE AND I THINK ABOUT PATIENTS IS GRACE FUELED BY LOVE. WHEN WE SAID THAT LOVE IS COMMITMENT AND SELF-SACRIFICE. YOUR GOOD IS MY GOAL AND SO PATIENCE IS THAT'S MY GOAL, AND IT'S FUELED BY GRACE WHEN I'M RUNNING LOW ON GRACE. WHERE DO I GO I GO TO THE DISPENSER OF GRACE AND SAY LORD POUR MORE GRACE INTO ME SO I CAN BE A DISPENSER OF GRACE TO MY HUSBAND. HERE'S WHAT I WANT MAKE SURE LISTENERS UNDERSTAND PATIENT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE BECOME PASSIVE ENABLERS OF DYSFUNCTION IN ANOTHER PERSON.

YOU'RE NOT LOVING ANOTHER PERSON.

IF YOU ARE ENABLING THEM TO CONTINUE IN SINFUL PATTERNS AND HABITS IN THEIR LIFE. YOU ARE LOVING THEM WHEN YOU ARE HELPING THEM AND CALLING THEM AWAY FROM THOSE HABITS AND PATTERNS GENTLY, KINDLY, GRACIOUSLY, HUMBLY CALLING THEM AWAY FROM THOSE HABITS AND PATTERNS. SO WHAT YOU DESCRIBE DAVE'S NOT HELPING OUT WITH THE KIDS. HE'S ESPN ON IT ALL NIGHT LONG YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THE BOYS AND ALL THAT RATHER THAN GOING AND SAYING NO AND MY GOING TO SOME HELP AROUND HERE YOU COME HOME EVERY NIGHT. YOU'RE DOING THIS AND THAT SO THAT'S NOT THE APPROACH BUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND SANDY TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU IS NOT GOOD FOR THE BOYS. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR MARRIAGE AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTS US TO BE.

I DON'T GETS WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE. I'M COMMITTED TO DOING WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP YOU BE THE HUSBAND AND THE DAD THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE.

I'M HERE FOR THAT.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE I HAVE AN ALLY WHO WANTS ME TO GET BETTER. I'M NOT JUST MARRIED TO A NAG.

WHO WANTS A NIGHT OUT YET I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THIS TIM KELLY'S BOOK THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE WHERE HE QUOTED A STUDY OF COUPLES THAT WERE UNHAPPY WERE CONSIDERING DIVORCE THESE COUPLES DECIDED TO FIGHT IT OUT. HANG ON FOR FIVE YEARS IN THE STUDY SAID THEY GOT TO A PLACE OF HAPPINESS.

THEY NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THEY JUST WERE PATIENT. IN A SENSE THEY DECIDED I'M NOT THROWING TO TELL HIM TO FIGHT FOR THIS, EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING IN MY SOUL IS SAYING GIVE UP. I REMEMBER IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO'S COMING TO ME.

THESE WERE PEOPLE HAD FILED DID NOT GO THROUGH ON IT, AND FIVE YEARS LATER, THEY ASKED THEM SCORE YOUR MARRIAGE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 5 AND 83% OF THE PEOPLE GAVE EITHER FOUR OR FIVE. THESE ARE PEOPLE GET DIVORCED FIVE YEARS EARLIER.

NOW THERE GIVEN THE MARRIAGE OF FOUR OR 583% OF THEM ARE AND WHAT CHANGED. THEY WERE COMMITTED. THEY MADE THE SACRIFICES AND THEY WERE PATIENT WITH ONE ANOTHER. I'M NOT THE SAME PERSON I WAS BY GOD'S GRACE, 20, 30 YEARS AGO RIGHT AND MARION'S BEEN A PART OF THAT PROCESS IN HELPING ME BECOME A MORE GODLY MAN THAT'S GOD'S WORK IN BOTH OF OUR LIVES. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR IF WE'D SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST IRRITATING AND I'M OUT OF THIS ITEM NEVER BENEFITED FROM THIS SANCTIFYING WORK THAT MY WIFE HAS BEEN IN MY LIFE AND I'D THINK SHE'D SAY THE SAME THING. I WATCH THIS PLAY OUT IN MY HOME, MY PARENTS WERE MARRIED AND WOULD'VE BEEN 70 YEARS AND THEN BEFORE MY MOM PASSED AND I THOUGHT GOING UP. MY MOM WAS THE WEAKEST WILL SEE THAT MY DAD WALK ALL OVER HER.

SHE DID EVERYTHING AROUND THE HOUSE. HE WAS THE KING AND SHE SERVED HIM LIKE HE WAS THE KING AND I REMEMBER AS A TEENAGER THINKING, HEINEMANN HANSEN BACKBONE YOU NEED TO STAND UP TO DAD YOU HE DID NOT DO THIS. YOU'RE BASICALLY A SLAVE AS THEY CONTINUED IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP, AND I WATCHED HER AND I REALIZE HOW STRONG SHE JUST USED HER STRENGTH AND SHE SERVED ALL OF US.

IT WASN'T JUST MY DAD. IT WAS ALL OF US IN A WAY THAT WITH IT WOULD TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT OR NEED ANY PRICE SHE FOUND SO MUCH FOR FILMING AND LOVING US IN LOVING HIM CONCERNING HIM AND SO THEN WHEN SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND SHE HAD IT FOR 15 YEARS I NEVER FORGET WATCHING MY DAD STEP UP START COOKING, CLEANING, SERVING HER TAKING CARE OF HER AND I REMEMBER SAYING THIS IS AMAZING AND HE SAID VERY MUCH LIKE ROBERTSON THE QUILTING WHERE HE SAID YOUR MOM HAS SERVED ME HER WHOLE LIFE.

HOW COULD I NOT SERVE HER NOW AND DO ALL THE SAME FOR HER WHEN I THOUGHT WAS WEAKNESS. IT WAS STRENGTH. IT WAS BEAUTY WAS PERSEVERANCE IT WAS PATIENTS. IT WAS LONG-SUFFERING. I WAS JUST LOOKING INTO A WINDOW INSTEAD OF THIS BEAUTIFUL LEGACY THAT SHE WAS BUILDING AND LET'S BE CLEAR WHERE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY PERSEVERING UNDER PHYSICAL ABUSE RIGHT AND MY DAD BUT NEVER VERBALLY ABUSIVE IN ANY WAY. IF YOUR SPOUSE HUSBAND OR WIFE IS PHYSICALLY ABUSIVE.

IF THERE IS EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION AND CRUELTY. IT IS NOT IN HIS OR HER BEST INTEREST FOR YOU TO SIMPLY LONG-SUFFERING. YOU NEED TO GET TO SAFETY FOR YOURSELF AND I WHAT I WOULD SAY THAT INCLUDES BOTH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SAFETY.

AND THEN YOU NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO HELPING YOUR SPOUSE BREAK. WHAT IS A SIN PATTERN IN HIS OR HER LIFE. YOU NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO HELPING THE ABUSER BREAK THIS PATTERN. THIS HABIT OF SIN IN HIS OR HER LIFE BECAUSE THAT'S THE LOVING THING TO DO AND I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY DOWN THAT ROAD AND THEY'VE NEVER SEEN THE PATTERN SHIFT, AND THEY'VE COME TO A POINT WHERE EVEN THEIR CHURCH LEADERS HAVE SAID TO THEM, HE'S NOT INTERESTED IN CHANGING. HE'S SO HARDHEARTED HE WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS OR WITH YOU AND THEY HAVE SAID, FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION FINANCIALLY AND PHYSICALLY. THEY'VE SUPPORTED SEPARATION OR DIVORCE IN MOST SITUATIONS, BUT THAT'S THE EXCEPTION AND AND AND DID YOU HEAR ME SAY IT WAS THE CHURCH LEADERS WERE COUNSELING THAT IT WAS NOT THE ABUSED PERSON SAYING THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AS I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE JUST MAKE UP OUR OWN MIND ABOUT WHAT WE THINK THE RIGHT THING TO DO OR WE FIND SOME GUY FRIENDS OR SOME GIRLFRIENDS OR TO SUPPORT US AND THAT WHEN WE HEAD OFF TO DO IT NOW.

YOU NEED TO GO TO GET GODLY COUNSEL AND WISDOM AND SAY TO SOMEBODY I WANT THIS TO WORK. I WANT TO HELP THEM. I'VE TRIED FOR YEARS. HE SEEMS DISINTERESTED AND THEN WHEN THE CHURCH LEADERS GET INVOLVED IN IS STILL DISINTERESTED. THERE MAY COME A POINT WHERE YOU SAY FOR PROTECTION FOR YOU FOR THE KIDS. THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND EVEN THEN LOVE WOULD SAY PRAY FOR HIM SEEK HIS BEST SEEK HIS REDEMPTION. PRAY THAT GOD WOULD BREAK THROUGH THE SIN PATTERN AND AND BRING HIM TO FREEDOM HOW IT HAD TO HAVE SOME GREAT FRIENDS THAT SPEAK LIFE INTO YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO PRAY FOR YOU AND STAND ALONGSIDE YOU. THE MORE WE TALKED ABOUT IT TODAY. I LOVE THIS WORD PATIENTS BECAUSE OR EVEN LONG-SUFFERING BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SEE A PICTURE OF YOUR WEDDING DAY.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE WE SHOULD PUT ONE ON THE WEBSITE. IF YOU AND MARION TO GET NAI BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THAT AND THINK ABOUT IT. WE KNOW THIS, YOU'RE AT THE VERY BEST YOU'LL EVER BE PHYSICALLY EVERYTHING ON ME. I HAD HAIR OF HIS UNDERWEAR AND EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL BUT WHEN YOU SEE A PICTURE OF THAT SAME COUPLE, 30, 40 YEARS LATER. YUP, WE DON'T LOOK AS GOOD, BUT IT IS MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU AND I KNOW ALL THE YEARS, DAYS, TRIALS OF LONG-SUFFERING THAT THEY WENT THROUGH UNTHINKING YOU KNOW THAT MOMENT IN THE CAR WENT AND SAID TO ME UNDER 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF LOST MY FEELINGS FOR YOU. WHAT IF I WOULD'VE SAID ME TO. I'M OUT. LET'S END THIS THING, THERE IS NO FORTY-YEAR PICTURE THERE'S NO LEGACY IS BROKEN AND LONG-SUFFERING LOVE IS PATIENTS IS A GODLY THING THAT ONLY HE CAN DO. HANG ON, OKAY, THE WEDDING PICTURES ARE UP AT FAMILY LIKE THAT, IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT DAVID AND LOOK LIKE WHAT MARIANNE AND I LOOK LIKE BACK ON OUR WEDDING DAY GO TO FAMILY LIFE TO THAT OUTCOME.

AND OF COURSE YOU CAN ORDER A COPY OF THE BOOK LOVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT.

IT RELEASES TODAY AND YOU CAN ORDER IT FROM us@familylifetoa.com or you can call to order one 800, FL, today is the number I'm hoping that couples will read this book together, you need to read a chapter in and you can highlight different parts and then read to each other what you highlighted and talk about why you highlighted or that the questions that we've included that are the talk together questions. I'm hoping that will spur some healthy conversation in your marriage.

Maybe this is something you do with a small group of other couples. Again, you can order the book online@familylifetoa.com or call to order one 803 586-329-1800 F as in family L as in life, and then the word today.

You know what we have talked about today is really central to what we do in our marriages and ultimately our families, how we love one another is the bottom line of our faith. Jesus says you can sum up all of the Old Testament into commands love God and love your neighbor and course. Our closest neighbors are good neighbors who live with us in our own homes, our children, our spouses, these are the relationships that matter most in family life to a is here to continue to point you to God's word as your source so that you can effectively develop a more godly marriage and family were so grateful for those of you who partner with us to make family life today possible to help cover the cost of producing and syndicating this program making it available not only on this radio station. But on our app online. All of the different channels through which family like to can now be heard. Thank you for your ongoing partnership with this ministry were grateful for your support if you're longtime Listerine never made a donation. Would love to hear from you today go to our website. Family life to the.com to donate or you can call one 803 586-329-1800 F as in family L as in life, and then the word today to make a donation over the phone look forward to hearing from you and thanks in advance for your partnership with us during the ministry of family life to the nap tomorrow to continue to look at the character qualities that the Bible lists for us when it describes what real love looks like and will continue to compare and see how our marriages are doing when it comes to tune in for that I want to thank our engineer today. Keep Lynch along with our entire broadcast production team on behalf of our hosts David Van Wilson and Bob seen that next time for another edition.

Family life today. Family life to a is a production of family life of Little Rock, Arkansas. Accrue ministry help for today hope for tomorrow