Jimbo's Jots

Friend, mentor and father figure Jerry Brackney once said in a presentation, “Communication to a relationship is like blood to your body. If your blood is bad or low, then your body is not healthy. If your communication is bad in a relationship, then it also affects the health of your relationship.”

Over the past 20 years, I have worked with a number of couples helping them find strength in their relationship. Couples getting married. Couples who have been married for a long time. Each time, I can see how strong the couple is based on how they communicate with each other. Now, I never determine the success of a couple based on this . . . and I tell them as much. But I can and do tell them that the better they communicate the better their relationship will be.

Here are two basic principles to keep in mind when talking about communication in a relationship:

• Each one in the relationship should talk in such a way that expectations in the relationship are clear
• Each one in the relationship should listen to understand and not to answer or solve.

On the weekend of February 4-5, I’ll be hosting a marriage weekend at Plymouth Church of Christ. Communication will be one of the areas we cover over the weekend. And you will have plenty of opportunities to hone your communications skills with your partner.

So, join me! Whether you are in a dating relationship, engaged to be married, have been married for several years, come get a quick check up of your relationship. Let’s work together to make sure the life blood in our relationship is healthy.

Be blessed and be a blessing!