- Change The Odds
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- When Life Changes in an Instant
Life has few guarantees, but this is one—stay married for any length, and a day will come when life takes a very unexpected turn. In an instant, your world will be rocked. If your marriage is strong, it will be the foundation that sustains you through the unknown. If your marriage struggles, it will feel like a double-whammy of grief. (This is a serious email, but if you need a laugh, scroll down to the Instagram post at the bottom.)
Few couples recognize that they have the choice of what they experience. While we can’t control an unexpected turn, we can control the state of our relationship when the unexpected occurs.
This week on Change the Odds the Podcast (Apple or Spotify), Janelle and Scott McGukin join me to discuss the day their life turned upside down. Imagine hanging up the phone, looking at your two elementary school-age daughters, and trying to process the news that your cancer had returned for a third time. That’s where Janelle’s story begins. She writes about it in her new book, The Gift of With.
Somehow, Ella snuck into the picture.
Years ago, I wrote an article titled "The Most Overlooked Characteristic of Who You Want to Marry.” It went viral, eventually leading to a book deal and the beginning of my publishing career. Nearly a decade later, I believe in the concept even more than I did then. Being able to suffer well should be a prerequisite to marriage. Yet even if a couple doesn’t choose a partner based on that ability, they can develop their resolve regarding suffering. And it’s much easier to develop those skills before the unexpected moments come rather than trying to do so during them.
What's been the hardest outside impact on your marriage? |
For more on the topic of the unexpected, see:
So I had this great idea to hit golf balls (plastic) off of the stage at a thousand men gathered in a room. I thought it would be entertaining as my friend gave his testimony. It was entertaining until this happened:
It’s been a lot of fun hearing about the impact of our new study, Becoming Friends, Partners & Lovers. Just in the last two weeks we’ve. heard about two couples in serious trouble who are experiencing a great turnaround. But, the study isn’t primarily for those in trouble. It’s ended to help great marriages become even better. Find a few friends and spend January/February going through the study together.
