Prescription For A Superb Marriage

Excerpt from, Staying In Love For A Lifetime by Ed Wheat

The prescription involves a practical course of action for a husband and wife. It is called B-E-S-T.

Blessing
Edifying
Sharing
Touching

1) Blessing.(Good words, kind actions, thankful appreciation & intercessory prayer for your partner)

• The first way of blessing your marriage partner is to speak well of him or her, and to respond with good words even when your partner's speech become harsh, critical or insulting.
• You bless by bestowing practical benefits upon; simply by doing kind things for another person.
• You bless by showing thankfulness and appreciation.
• You bless by calling God's favor down in prayer.

2) Edifying.

• Referring to an expanded love expressed in positive ways that enlarges the self-worth of the beloved.
• Three personal strands are interwoven: personal encouragement, inner strengthening and the establishment of peace and harmony between individuals.
• Both husband and wife have a tremendous need for encouragement by word, by focused attention, by eye contact and by loving touch to keep them alive as growing, confident individuals.

3) Sharing

• Sharing should touch all areas of life - your time, activities, interests and concerns, ideas and innermost thoughts, spiritual walk, family objectives and goals, etc.
• Sharing demands giving yourself, listening to your partner, and as you live life together, developing a sensitive awareness of moments that offer possibilities for deepening the love between you.

4) Touching

• A tender touch tells us that we are cared for. It can calm our fears, soothe pain, bring us comfort, or give us the blessed satisfaction of emotional security.
• Physical contact is absolutely essential in building the emotion of love.