Sowing Seeds of Love: The Secret Sauce to a Thriving Marriage
Sowing love, kindness, and forgiveness in marriage is super important, and we're diving into that today! I'm Jeff, and my partner in crime is Teresa, and we’ve been happily married for 33 years—yeah, that's a long time! We’ve learned that choosing grace when things get tough is crucial, especially when it hurts. We'll share some biblical wisdom and our own experiences about how forgiveness can totally transform those tricky moments. So, get cozy and let’s chat about how little acts of love can lead to a big ol' harvest of happiness in your relationship!
Sowing love, kindness, and forgiveness is like the secret sauce to a thriving marriage, and Jeff and Teresa Fields are here to spill the beans! With 33 years of experience under their belts, these lovebirds dive deep into what it really means to nurture a relationship that stands the test of time. They explore how being kind to each other is not just a nice idea but a fundamental part of living out the heart of Jesus in the home. From sharing personal stories about their family to inviting listeners to reflect on their own journeys, Jeff and Teresa remind us that forgiveness isn’t just a one-time event; it’s a daily choice. They highlight that when we forgive, we release ourselves from the chains of resentment, allowing for the peace that only comes from grace. It’s all about those small, faithful actions that create a loving atmosphere, and they encourage us to sprinkle little acts of kindness into our daily routines. So, whether it’s leaving sweet notes or sharing a heartfelt compliment, the message is clear: love is a garden that needs tending, and the seeds of kindness will yield a beautiful harvest in our marriages.
Takeaways:
- Sowing love, kindness, and forgiveness is crucial for a thriving marriage.
- Forgiveness isn’t about condoning bad behavior; it’s about letting go for your peace.
- Speaking life to your spouse can change the atmosphere of your marriage entirely.
- Small acts of kindness today can lead to greater trust and deeper love tomorrow.
- Daily choices to forgive create a lifelong harvest of love and joy in marriage.
- Building friendship in marriage means being quick to forgive and slow to judge.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Welcome to the Inspiring Marriages Podcast.
Speaker A:We are Jeff and Teresa Fields.
Speaker A:We've been happily married for 33 years and we know how important it is for couples to sow love, kindness and forgiveness in their marriage.
Speaker B:Along the way, we have been blessed with three incredible grown children, a fantastic son in law, and the most precious grandbaby you could imagine.
Speaker A:Get ready to be inspired as you open up about our journey.
Speaker A:Our mission is to ignite a spark in couples everywhere.
Speaker B:We are all about nurturing deep friendships and cultivating marriages that thrive in every way spiritually, emotionally, romantically and physically.
Speaker B:Join us on this incredible adventure.
Speaker A:If your marriage needs breakthrough, do this today.
Speaker A:Let me ask you this question.
Speaker A:What if breakthrough in your marriage doesn't come through comfort, but choosing grace when it hurts?
Speaker B:After 33 years of marriage, we've seen how God works, not just in the joyful moments, but especially in the valleys where forgiveness is hardest.
Speaker A:Today we're sharing the the biblical truth that reshaped how we respond when we feel wounded and why sowing love, kindness and forgiveness can transform even the most fragile seasons.
Speaker A:Go to our webpage inspiringmarriages.net there you can access all of our previous episodes, including all the show notes.
Speaker A:Below the episodes, there is a Keep in touch section.
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Speaker A:So today, Teresa, I'm excited about this episode.
Speaker A:We're talking about how important it is to always sow love, kindness and forgiveness in our marriage.
Speaker A:Teresa, let's take a little time and talk about how loving kindness represents the heart of Jesus in the home.
Speaker A:As we know, Jesus was the personification of the will of God.
Speaker A:We know what the will of God is based on what the actions that Jesus did.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:And he didn't go around just condemning people.
Speaker A:He was offering forgiveness so he didn't lead with judgment.
Speaker A:So example would be the woman caught in adultery.
Speaker A:And he said, let him who without sin cast the first stone.
Speaker A:And then when everybody left, he said, woman, where are your accusers?
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:She said, there's no one here.
Speaker A:He said, neither do I condemn thee.
Speaker A:Go and sin no more.
Speaker A:He wasn't condoning her conduct, but he was saying, repent and don't do that anymore.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:So in marriage we have to be willing to forgive.
Speaker A:We have to be willing to sow love and kindness.
Speaker A:We have to speak life to our spouse.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Teresa, the Bible tells us in Proverbs that death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Speaker A:So we need to speak life to our spouse.
Speaker A:Examples of speaking Death would be, oh, he's never going to change.
Speaker A:He's always going to be like this.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:Or he could say there's nothing I can do that ever please.
Speaker A:Or nothing's ever good enough.
Speaker A:Those are type of things are speaking death to the marriage.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:But speaking life to the marriage.
Speaker A:Honey, thank you so much for making that wonderful dinner.
Speaker A:It was so good.
Speaker A:You look gorgeous.
Speaker A:Your clothes match your makeup perfectly.
Speaker A:Your hair looks great.
Speaker A:I love you to now more today than.
Speaker A:Than I've ever done.
Speaker A:I'm, I'm more, I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:And just speak love to your spouse.
Speaker A:Right, Teresa?
Speaker B:Yes, yes, that is so true.
Speaker B:And telling your husband, we've said this before, that you appreciate the things that he does.
Speaker B:But you know, speaking life to your spouse, like you said, calling out those character qualities that you really admire and you want to see them live those out even more.
Speaker B:Like, you're such a good leader in our home, you know, you're a good father to our children and I appreciate the way that you work hard at your job and you come home and spend time with us as a family.
Speaker B:Just speaking life and building up each other, that's so important.
Speaker A:Colossians 3:19 and new living translation tells us, husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
Speaker A:Let us ask you a question.
Speaker A:Have you ever found it hard to show kindness when you're hurting?
Speaker A:Drop us a line email at Inspiring marriages@&t.net Share with us what helped you get through it.
Speaker A:We would love to hear your story.
Speaker A:That's right, Teresa.
Speaker A:Let's take a little time and talk about the healing power of forgiveness.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:So what is forgiveness?
Speaker A:Not.
Speaker B:Well, it's not agreeing with something if there was a hurtful thing said or done or maybe something neglected that you thought was going to happen.
Speaker B:But when you forgive, you just, you release the person from your resentment.
Speaker B:You release them from feeling guilty about it.
Speaker B:I mean, it's really God's job to convict somebody if they did something wrong.
Speaker B:It's not your job to try to make them feel guilty and feel bad about it.
Speaker B:So if you can forgive and let the wrong thing go, it does bring freedom into your marriage, into your relationship, then you're not trying to hold that over the other person and make them sorry and make them apologize or anything like that.
Speaker B:So it really frees you up not to expend all that energy on unforgiveness.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So you're right.
Speaker A:You're exactly right.
Speaker A:It is a Freedom to you to forgive your spouse.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Yes, it really is.
Speaker A:It brings forgiveness, brings a peace, doesn't it?
Speaker A:It brings a peace to you.
Speaker B:Mm.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I know if you're not forgiving, you're going to stay agitated about that thing that your spouse did or didn't do or an argument that you had.
Speaker B:You're going to be in turmoil.
Speaker B:But when you forgive, it doesn't matter if anything has changed.
Speaker B:You will have peace.
Speaker B:And that's something that God gives us when we do things his way.
Speaker B:It brings peace to your heart.
Speaker A:And we can forgive because he first forgave us.
Speaker A:Ephesians 4:32 in the New living translation says, instead, be kind to each other, tender hearted, forgiving one another.
Speaker A:Just as God, through Christ, has forgiven you.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:So he gave us the ability to forgive, just like he forgives.
Speaker B:That means you.
Speaker B:You let it go.
Speaker A:Right now.
Speaker A:Forgiveness, sowing love, kindness and forgiveness.
Speaker A:It's a daily choice.
Speaker B:Yes, it is.
Speaker A:But like all seeds, it produces a harvest.
Speaker A:So it's a daily choice, but a lifelong harvest.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:So small, faithful actions bring spiritual momentum, doesn't it, Teresa?
Speaker B:It does.
Speaker B:I really like that.
Speaker B:Like you said, it is a seed.
Speaker B:We're sowing a seed, and it will grow in the right environment.
Speaker B:So if you continue to be faithful to this, to forgive your spouse, especially of the little things, so that they don't start building up, then you're planting those seeds of kindness and forgiveness and acting out the love of God.
Speaker B:He.
Speaker B:He forgives.
Speaker B:You know, he.
Speaker B:He is so quick to forgive.
Speaker B:And it will cause a momentum in your marriage of creating that.
Speaker B:That atmosphere.
Speaker B:Like, this is a place of love.
Speaker B:This is a place where we forgive each other, where we're not holding grudges, where we're kind to each other.
Speaker B:It's a big difference.
Speaker A:Do small, faithful actions.
Speaker A:Every day.
Speaker A:Make your husband's lunch and put a little note in it.
Speaker A:Husbands, leave your wife a little love note when you leave in the morning, or put on the mirror.
Speaker A:Just do.
Speaker A:Tell her how much you love her, how much you adore her, how she's the only one for you, that you only have eyes for her.
Speaker A:Just tell her those things.
Speaker A:Small, little, kind things of kindness.
Speaker A:Maybe you have your chores, divide it up in a way that's balanced and just maybe do something that the other one does.
Speaker A:So maybe she.
Speaker A:Maybe she does the laundry, but you do the laundry.
Speaker A:Maybe he.
Speaker A:Maybe he vacuums.
Speaker A:You vacuum.
Speaker A:Maybe it's his night to do the dishes.
Speaker A:You do the dishes.
Speaker A:Maybe it's her night to do the dishes.
Speaker A:You do the dishes.
Speaker A:I mean, just do little small things for each other.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:To just bless each other.
Speaker B:Yes, that's right.
Speaker A:Because kindness today, as we show kindness today, that becomes trust tomorrow.
Speaker B:It does.
Speaker A:Teresa.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I listened to something really good the other day and it was how to build trust over time.
Speaker B:It really takes all those little kind things to that where someone can continue to grow in how much they trust you.
Speaker B:They need to see that in your life.
Speaker B:They need to see how you are treating, how they are treating you to trust them to a greater and greater degree.
Speaker B:It's something that grows over time.
Speaker B:You don't just completely trust somebody 100% without them acting in ways that you know deserve your trust or earn your trust.
Speaker B:We could say, you know, you, it's kind of like on the wedding day, you're, you're getting married and you're, you're acting like a hundred percent trust this person.
Speaker B:But really, you're going to have to grow in that because as God opens up more and more things in your lives to each other and you see that happening in your relationship, you're going to have to learn kindness and, and gentleness and treating each other with consideration.
Speaker B:When these things come up, it could be hurts, it could be misunderstandings from different backgrounds, different expectations.
Speaker B:When these things come up, you do have to develop trust in each other that we're not going to hurt each other with these things.
Speaker B:We're going to love each other through these areas of growth.
Speaker A:Oh, that's so good.
Speaker A:That is so good.
Speaker A:Dr. Jerry Savelle said, God never forgets a seed zone.
Speaker A:The Bible tells us, be not deceived.
Speaker A:God is not mocked.
Speaker A:For whatever man soweth, he shall also reap.
Speaker B:Mm.
Speaker A:And God never forgets a seed sown.
Speaker A:So all the seeds of kindness that you, that you sow in your marriage, all those seeds of kindness, they will result in a harvest.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:If you need prayer, drop us a email inspiringmarriagest.net and we would love to pray for you.
Speaker A:We've created a free devotional guide to help you sow love, kindness and forgiveness daily.
Speaker A:Just drop us an email inspiringmarriagest.net and ask for the seven day devotional and we will send you a link where you can download that devotional for free.
Speaker A:And remember, husband and wife are friends for life.
