COURTSHIP

Coming from a dysfunctional family was a big deal for me. I was badly bartered emotionally. At first, I resolved not to get married; later on, I got to know specifically that God wanted me to get married, as He said to me that through my marriage.

This quarter, by the grace of God, we will be looking at the portfolio of an irresistible lover, and in this month, we will be looking at the concept of mutual understanding in a marital relationship.

Just as our text says, better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. We thank God, who, in his mercies, has brought us this far this year.

It is very important that you learn how not to put the responsibility of what God alone can do for you on your spouse. Unrealistic expectations do erode marital commitment faster than it can be imagined, just as erosion will always wash away the top layer of the soil.

Trust is one of the three legs that a marital relationship must stand on. Once it is broken, the sustainability of commitment in such a marital relationship might be difficult.

Contrary to popular opinion, a genuine conflict resolution process is always initiated by the offended, not the offender.

Wrong ways of handling conflict involve playing blame games, outbursts, transfers of aggression, malice, and many more.

Forgiveness is very paramount in conflict management and resolution.

Conflict management begins at the point where you are able to diagnose your type of conflict and seek appropriate help as needed.

Marital conflict cannot be totally ruled out of a marital relationship because of proximity; it can also bring understanding progress and lead to sustained marital commitment if it is rightly resolved.