4-Effective Communication, pt1-Non-Verbal (Actions & Behavior)

Picture yourself at the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant. You pull up to a little microphone and announce, "I'd like 2 hamburgers, 2 fries, and 2 Cokes." And then you hear back, "You want a hamburger and a cheeseburger, 2 fries, and 2 diet Cokes?" "No, I didn't say that," you reply. "I said 2 hamburgers, 2 fries, and 2 Cokes." Author Gary Smalley recommends that couples practice 'drive-thru talking' in a similar way. Take time to repeat back what you think you heard your spouse or your children say. It's honoring and meaningful. With marital and family communication, remember that you're always trying to move forward toward the deepest level of intimacy. Healthy families are connected physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They feel connected, and they feel safe in that connection--they can say things knowing they won't be rejected or belittled. So don't forget to say, "Repeat that order, please." In GBC's ongoing midweek study "The Blueprint of a Healthy Marriage" series we're going to spend a few weeks unpacking the crucial element to ALL relationships, that of biblical communication. This section #4 is "Effective Communication, pt 1-Non-Verbal Communication".