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| In This Issue • Marriage Tip 12: Give and Receive Respect • Two-Day Marriage Clinic™ • Other Upcoming Opportunities |
| Marriage Tip 12:
Give and Receive Respect The need for respect is met by valuing, honoring, and regarding others highly. Treat them as someone important, honor them, and convey their great worth. Rom. 12:10 “give preference to one another in honor.” 2 Pet. 2:17 “honor all people.” Jesus ignored the social prejudices of His society by showing respect to tax collectors, Samaritans, the poor, lepers, and women. He treated all people as having infinite value, regardless of their status. Appreciate God’s respect for you. He considered us of such great worth and value that He sacrificed His only Son that we might be redeemed. He respects our individuality by not forcing Himself upon us, but by allowing us to decide whether or not we will respond to and obey Him. Realize how valuable your partner is to the Father. As God the Son, Jesus could look down on mankind with judgment and contempt—but He doesn’t. He knows how valuable we are to the Father. God is loving on your mate, but He doesn’t want to do it alone: He wants to use you in the process. God has entrusted you with someone very special to Him: your mate. You should be the primary human that meets his or her needs, removes aloneness, and conveys God’s respect and care. Practical ways to show respect. Ask before you borrow things. Check with your partner before making decisions that affect them (vacations, commitments, purchases, holiday plans, house guests, recreational outings, social plans, scheduling). Replenish gas when borrowing the car. Let your partner have the remote control, pick the movie, and choose restaurants. Have a respectful tone. Most partners agree that “it’s not what you say but how you say it.” Develop the ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes that could result in undesirable consequences. Respect personhood and position even if you cannot respect character. Sometimes you cannot and should not respect your partner’s character (e.g., lying, laziness, anger, drunkenness, dishonesty). You can, however, always respect their intrinsic value since they are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26). Wives can respect the God-given role of headship over the family (Eph. 5:23) even if their husbands lack essential Christ-like qualities in how they lead. How have you given and received respect? |
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| About Karl Elkins Karl Elkins, LPC, ThM, MA, CSC, BCPCC, DAPA has 25 years of counseling experience and is an Adjunct Instructor at College of Biblical Studies teaching Marriage and Family courses. He is Founder and President of Christway Counseling Center P.C. specializing in marriage and family counseling. He earned a Master’s degree in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Colorado Christian University. He was formerly on staff with Intimate Life Ministries and director of a Houston Minirth-Meier New Life Clinic. He is married to Terry Elkins and has two grown children. |
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| Other Upcoming Opportunities Three-Day Accelerated Marriage Counseling (AMC)™ Includes all of the topics, instruction, and counseling projects in the Two-Day Marriage Clinic™, but is completely private—you, your partner and the counselor only. More Info » Individual Counseling We offer individual counseling to couples desiring an introductory session or two, follow-up sessions, or focused counseling. More Info » Monthly Marriage Enrichment Group Ongoing accountability group helps you internalize the good practices you’ve learned, avoid returning to bad habits, and develop new marriage-building skills. Next meeting is on May 6. More Info » FREE Marriage Builder Series Don’t just tie the knot, but tighten the knot as you strengthen abilities to incorporate relevant and practical biblical principles in these couples’ group classes. Child care included. First Tuesday of every month (6:30-8:00pm). More Info » Contact Information Phone: (832) 358-0900 E-Mail: terry@christwaycounseling.com Web: www.christwaycounseling.com  |
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