Family Living (Lesson 2)

The key to communication is "acceptance". Romans 15:7 we are accepted in Jesus Christ. You must have acceptance in the marriage or you'll have no communication.

The building blocks of communication are:
1. Acceptance- the foundation. You must receive acceptance as well as give it....unconditionally.
2. Trust - without trust comes a lot of tension. If you have acceptance you will feel the freedom to trust.
3. Vulnerability - Be able and willing to bear your soul. If you get shot down enough times you will just crawl into your shell. However, don't be overly sensitive.
4. Openness - Each family member will be open in their own way.
5. Communication - Should be constant. Talk about the past, present, or future.

Spiritual - Talk about your spiritual memories like salvation. Talk about what each person got from a Sunday message. Talk about how you see God. His natural attributes; all knowing, unchanging, all present, etc. His moral attributes; mercy, love, holiness, just, etc.

Intellectual - IQ, education, we communicate very differently so enjoy it. God made it that way.l

Emotional - Acceptance is key remember? Women are more intuitive. Men are more analytical. Women process things through the heart, Men process things through the mind, but that doesn't mean that men don't have things come from the heart. God made women nurturing and men competitive. A man has to be in dominion. The birthright of men is insensitivity, but they must be aware of their wifes emotions. The birthright of women is manipulation by using her emotions.

Physical - Read Song of Solomon to each other. Give yourselves to one another and don't stop trying after you are married to win your spouse. Don't take each other for granted. Be thankful and appreciative for everything. Once married your bodies are not your own. Don't defraud one another because that gives Satan room to work. Affection for the woman is as important to her as sex is to the man. With affection comes sex. Guys love what they see and women love what they hear. Hebrews 13:4 God wants you to have fun with sex.