Building Hope Into Our Family – Is just about that – Bringing Hope
When our understanding grows – we grow. We are better equipped to engage and deal with real life. This is good for us and for all others engaged with us in life. Life can be an exciting adventure (and so it should be!) and in the opening two programmes in this series we delve a little into the research by Prof Martin Seligman of Penn University – on Authentic Happiness and discuss the implications this has for us. We can build a better life – with better understanding of ourselves and others.
So do join us on this journey
Is was during the course of these interviews – both Stuy Wilson of ZestLife Therapeutic Services – and with Isla Jeffers and Jackie O’Regan – that it so clearly dawned upon me that CHANGE – for the better is most certainly within our grasp. It is something we CAN DO.
Just how possible this is, became clear, as we discussed the research and we talked about the propsect of living a better life – as God intended we should – and can – if we will just take responsibility for our life and future
This is a summary of the content of the five programmes
Program 1 & 2 – Hope for Growth and Change.
In Episode 1 – “Personality and Character – Can it be Changed? ” In it – we discuss the difference between personality (which is largely ‘set’) and character (which can be changed)
The Programme includes
- Personality v’s Character and the research into this matter
- We can make choices about who we become, and choose to live out those choices and have a different (better) life as a result
- The importance and significance of those choices
- What has been learned from the research into “Authentic Happiness” and applying that learning (some clinical experience)
In Episode 2 – “Life Is An Adventure – To Be Embraced” – While we may have quite a number of defining and limiting elements to our life – we can still engage in life fully, and are encouraged to do so
The Programme includes
- All the contributors speak of the difference their encounters with Christ made in reshaping their personality for the better, impacting their lives for the good
- Stuy speaks about life being an adventure, and we should take responsiblility for living such a live of adventure. It changes everything.
- Jackie speaks of her nephew Caleb with Cerebal Palsy – refused to lie down under it and was still living a live of adventure @ 24 when he died a few years ago.
- Even with identical twins – biology is not destiny. We have choices as to how we live and those choices have outcomes.
Program 3 – 5 – Hope For Marriage
In Episode 3 – “Marriage Can Be Sacred – having real impact” – Marriage has impacts. Not only does is shape and influence the husband and wife, it creates a ‘world’ that – if they have children – it creates a ‘garden’ that the children grow up in
The Programme includes
- Preserving the ‘sacredness’ of marriage is essential and shapes everybody effected by those people
- Some lessons learned about the value of making and shaping and preserving that ‘sacred-space’ in a marriage
- Hearing one-another’s ‘heart’ in your marriage, or other relationship, is essential – to allow that relationship to grow strong, healthy and thrive.
In Episode 4 – “Marriage – Intimacy Of The Heart” – Connecting at a heart level is essential for the health of your marriage
The Programme includes
- How intimacy can grow and increase over years in a marriage
- Listening at a heart to heart level changes everything
- Over decades – a marriage can remain strong. It may need to be renewed, but it can be strong again
In Episode 5 – “Investing In Your Spouse” – This is the most important relationship you will ever have – if you’re married. Invest in each other.
The Programme includes
- Despite the ups and downs of life – we can continue to have good marriages over decades
- Understanding your spouse and their gifts, love-lanaguage, talents, and affirming them, can make a whole new era in marriage and higher level in relationship
- Unity is key.
- Investing your time and interest in your spouse is the best investment you could ever make
