Kind of ironic, the title of this Dare, if you cant say something nice..... My mother used to tell me and my siblings this until it sunk in. Then when friends of ours would come over and were rude in any way, she would tell them that saying also. Kind of made me smile when I saw those words.
Unfortunately those words needed to stay with me all day as I really did not have a great attitude. I would just log into my pictures and see this verse there. I want so much to hear God and do what his will is. Just need to feel Him with me I guess and right now I'm not :-( but will still continue on with this study as it is doing my soul some good.
This study was really good and it gave me a great outlook on how to positively talk about my spouse (even though I had been anyways, it did reinforce the reason why). The example was three girlfriends getting together for coffee and chatting. Two of them were chatting badly about their husbands while the other one realized her relationship with these girls had changed since she had learned to be positive about her husband even though he was not present. So much can affect the way people perceive your spouse by not presenting them in a positive way. Even if you are venting, think before you speak.
Some of the questions were difficult as one in specific asked "Are you feeling brave? Ask your husband if he ever feels diminished by you and the way you communicate with him. Write out what you asked and how he responded. Or if you choose to stay blind in this area, explain why." I definitely wanted to change within and how would I if I didn't open up to see how HE sees and hears me communicating with him. I did ask and I will say, it wasn't all positive and it wasn't all negative. I have some more work in this area but he said he saw me trying and the start of changes in me. At least it made me feel glad he saw the positive changes happening. It didn't happen overnight to get where I am, it wont happen overnight to change.
My personal goal that wasn't in the book for myself is to communicate respect by speaking words that will encourage him instead of communicating with him or about him in a way that diminishes him. I have also realized this doesn't only pertain to my husband, I should be communicating with others around me with respect and not in a diminishing way.
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