How to Build Heathy Relationships

Savior - He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save

Dr. Dick Foth is a guest speaker at NCC a few times a year and I can't say enough for how lucky we are as a young church body to have his wisdom and perspective. There is something about Dr. Foth that is difficult to articulate - a humility mixed with strong leadership and an ability to just speak to people's hearts.

We ended our "How" series with Dr. Foth talking about How to Build Heathy Relationships. Just wanted to share a few thoughts he had...

Love is accurate estimate and adequate supply of another person's need.

History Giving - Who we are is almost exclusively a function of our histories. Knowing about someone's background is necessary to loving them. Makes sense! God knows our history and still loves us.

Affirmation - We all want to know why we're worth loving. Prayer awknowledges someone's value. Words. Actions.

Covenant - Time, tenacity, truth telling. Being able to tell someone what you think, feel, and know... and trusting them with it. Knowing someone will "never say 'quit' "

Dreaming - If I can trust you with my history, maybe I can trust you with my now and my future. Sharing dreams increases their power and possibility.

Love cannot be built without trust and respect. Trust and respect builds as you cycle through history giving, affirmation, covenant, and dreaming.

One thing that touched me... Dr. Foth shared that for years he struggled with stuttering. When he met his future wife, he told her he didn't think she would want to stay with him since he had such a stuttering problem. She told him she hadn't noticed. A few years ago I found out my dad had a stutter when he was young, and because of that it was a feat to deliver his high school graduation speech. It wasn't until my mom told me about it that I realized my dad still does, on rare occasion, stutter. But to me it has always been the way he talked... I honestly didn't notice. There is a sweetness in Dr. Foth's voice that reminds me of my dad and that just... choked me up a little :)