Resource Details

Doable Discipleship Special: George and Tondra were guests on last week's episode of Doable Discipleship. Click here to listen.

FOUR STEPS TO RETHINKING MY MARRIAGE/RELATIONSHIP

1. Relisten OR Listen to THE ENTIRE RETHINKING YOUR LIFE SERIES.
   
   
2. Embrace THE JOURNEY OF WEEDING.
   
   "Every plant that My heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted."  Matthew 15:13
   
   
3. Watch the SEEDS that we allow to TAKE ROOT in your life and your relationship
   
   While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."  Genesis 8:22
   
   He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalms 1:3
   
   The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness.      John 10:10
   
   QUESTION: What's choking or prohibiting God's seeds and plans for your life and relationship?  
   
   
4. Be willing to UPROOT the WEEDS.
   
   What you do not uproot can choke or destroy the life God intended.
   
   O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do . . . Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalms 139:1-3, 23-24

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Romans 12:2

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them."     Matthew 15:10-11

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

Lessons from "the art of weeding" for your marriage/relationship:

• Weeds willcompete with the healthy seeds.
• Weeds need to be dealt with quickly.
• Best to weed first before seeding.
• Some weeds need professional help in order to be removed.
• Weeds tend to grow and become active as it gets warmer.

Identify & Execute Resources to help you identify and execute:

• COUNSELING
• MENTORSHIP AND SUPPORT
• EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT

Don't die IN A SEA OF LIFEGUARDS

Action Plan: Choose a next step from one of the three ideas listed above:

• Counseling: It might be time to acknowledge that your marriage could use some extra help. Saddleback's free counseling ministry is here for you.

• Mentorship: Consider asking a couple that is more seasoned in their marriage than you to be a mentor couple to you. People that you can occasionally meet with and talk with about your marriage.

• Education: Check out The Marriage Game Plan, a four-week marriage study starting at the Lake Forest campus this Thursday, May 16.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10

Doable Discipleship: This week's episode of Doable Discipleship features part 1 of an interview with Ken Baugh and Bill Gaultiere on anxiety. New episodes release every Tuesday. To watch or listen,click here.

Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over,click here.