Families matter. When families are peace-filled, the world sees Jesus in a powerful way. God shows himself to the world through our family relationships.
For some of us, no relationships cause more consistent conflict than the relationships we have with our spouses, our children, or our parents. We invest much of ourselves in these relationships and we are vulnerable to great pain when conflicts arise.
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Peacemaking Women
With personal stories and advice firmly rooted in Scripture, this book offers hope for peace with God, peaceful relationships with others, and genuine peace within.
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For most married couples, that initial anticipation and excitement eventually fades as day-to-day demands drain away the energy it takes to maintain and preserve the feelings of romance. Frustrations increase and conflicts begin to surface. Ironically, our worst conflicts often come in this, our most intimate relationship. Husbands and wives often spend years perfecting the art of hurting one another. Such conflicts in marriage damage the fabric of the one-flesh design that God intended (Mark 10:6-9). Only God's grace can bring repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation-shalom-to our marriages. Our vulnerability and safety in our relationship with God is unparalleled and God designed marriage to be a reflection of our relationship with him. Our marriages should be the most peaceful, intimate, and fulfilling relationships in our lives.
When we parent, we pour an incredible amount of who we are-our prayers, hopes, and energies-into our children. The resulting opportunity for joy and satisfaction, as well as disappointment and hurt, is profound. Our parents, as well, have invested much of themselves in us. The resulting adult relationships can reflect beautiful fellowship as brothers and sisters in Christ. Sadly, they too often entail strife and suffering. The challenges we experience in relating to our children, our own parents, and our spouse's parents can make life miserable when the investment seems to bring poor returns. We may long for friendship and relationship with our parents and children, but ongoing pain with no apparent likelihood of resolution can lead to broken relationships over time.
The impact of spouses, children, and parents on our lives cannot be overstated. God's commandment concerning parents is so important that it is tied to a promise: "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you" (Deut. 5:16). In light of the importance of these key family relationships, how do we pursue peace when conflicts arise?
Please continue reading the sections on Marriage and Family for information, articles, and resources to help you make peace in your family relationships.
Adapted from Peacemaking Women: Biblical Hope for Resolving Conflict, by Tara Klena Barthel and Judy Dabler (Baker, 2005).
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