Building “Hedges” Around Your Marriage
January 21st, 2008 by
Administrator
Building “Hedges” around Your Christian Marriage Author
Interview with Nancy C. Anderson, Avoiding the Greener Grass
Syndrome By Lisa M. Hendey
I typically “blur over” when reading books related to
relationships, but Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome (Kregel,
December 2004, paperback, 112 pages) by Nancy C. Anderson
grabbed me from page one. This is probably due to the fact that
Anderson takes time to share her own experience and marriage
prior to jumping into suggestions for how you can improve yours.
In the first section of the book, we learn why Nancy calls
herself a “cheater” on the opening page and we experience the
strains and near break up of her own marriage. Thanks to the
power of prayer, true forgiveness and the guidance of loving
parents, Nancy and Ron were able to work through the challenges
they faced and have now gone on to be happily married for 26
years.
Given this backdrop, the second section of the book is filled
with helpful principles that will enable couples to avoid the
many extramarital temptations that may crop up in even the
strongest of Christian marriages. Nancy shares her ideas and
wisdom in a fun, very readable fashion.
The “things to do” and “things to think about” sections at the
completion of each chapter help to pull together the concepts
presented and to apply them to one’s own relationship. This is a
great resource for couples in all stages of marriage and equally
valuable to couples either happily married or facing challenges.
Invest the time to read this book and share it with your spouse.
Nancy Anderson has the following to share about her new book and
safeguarding your Christian marriage.
Q: Nancy thanks so much for your time and for this great book!
You start off right away by introducing yourself as a “cheater”.
Why did you feel compelled to share your own experience of
adultery in this book and how do you hope that this can help
readers?
A: The reason I tell my story is to, hopefully, prevent it from
becoming someone else’s story. I am willing to say, “I’ve been
to the other side of the fence and I can tell you that the grass
is NOT greener. It’s full of weeds and thorns…it’s a lie.” I
want to tell couples that if they water their own marriages,
they can grow a beautiful, healthy “green” relationship in their
own backyard.
Q: Could you please briefly describe the six protective “hedges”
we can build around our marriages to keep them intact and
flourishing?
A: The H.E.D.G.E.S. are all action words, because we have to be
proactive in our marriages, always rebuilding, remodeling, and
reconnecting as life brings challenges that can divide us.
Hearing - Listening to your spouse is they key to unlocking
their heart. People who have committed adultery often say, “My
wife/husband never listened to me - they never heard me.” “The
hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made both of them.”
Prov. 20:12.
Encouraging - Experience the teamwork building power of a
helping hand and a compliment. Focus on the positive qualities
of your mate. “So then, let us aim for harmony…and try to build
each other up.” Romans 14:19
Dating - Build a life that celebrates marriage. Have fun, laugh
and play together. “Let your fountains be blessed. Rejoice with
the wife (husband) of your youth.” Proverbs 5:18
Guarding - Establish safeguards for your relationship. Set clear
boundaries, that neither of you should cross. “Above all else,
guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” Proverbs
4:23
Educating - Study your mate as if he or she was a textbook. Seek
to understand and appreciate your mate’s unique qualities.
“Dwell with your wife according to knowledge” 1st Peter 3:7
Satisfying - Meet each other’s needs. Ask your spouse what he or
she needs from you, and then do those things. “You shall be like
a well-watered Garden” Isaiah 58:11
Q: What role should faith play in the marital union? Why is
commitment to a Church family so integral?
A: When I had my affair, my husband and I were lukewarm
Christians who were not attending church. That lack of
accountability lead to my self-deceptive thinking. I didn’t get
Godly council and I took advice from non-Christians. I believed
the world’s lie; “You deserve to be happy,” I sought feelings
over truth and selfishness over self-control. I took God off the
throne of my life and lived to please myself.
Now, with Christ as the foundation of our marriage and our
church as our social and spiritual base, we stand firm and
accountable to other Christians.
Q: I know that many couples who are experiencing marital
challenges will benefit from their reading of your book, but why
should happily married couples invest their time in reading
Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome?
A: Because preventing an affair is always better than trying to
recover from one. Some security firms hire reformed burglars to
show them where their property is vulnerable; I can show you
where your marriage may be vulnerable. Also, every husband and
wife should know the warning signs that may indicate your mate
is having an affair. If you have a good marriage, this book will
give you creative ways to make it great. It has many fun and
practical ways to keep your marriage fresh and exciting.
Q: You discuss planting “guarding hedges” in some of the areas
of one’s life where temptation might creep in - could you please
say a few words about these, especially the workplace and church
environments.
A: Jake and I worked together. He told me that I was funny,
pretty and smart. He laughed at my jokes and bathed me in
compliments. Those compliments were like magnets and I became
very attracted to him. My husband was critical and rarely
praised me, so I was starving for positive attention. I’m not
excusing what I did, but the workplace can be a dangerous
environment if you are not being “watered” at home.
Most affairs begin with a flirtation and flirting can happen
anywhere, even at church. Choir members, Sunday school teachers,
and committee leaders often work together at church activities,
and that can lead to trouble if the relationship becomes too
personal. We have to guard our hearts, even at church. If you
are attracted to someone, stay away, and don’t allow an
inappropriate bond to form - we are told to flee temptation.
Q: Thanks again for your time. What do you feel is the single
most important factor in creating and maintaining a successful
marriage?
A: For me it has been the friendship factor. I not only love my
husband, I like him. Our relationship is not just based on
passion and romance, it’s deeper than that. Those things may
come and go during the years, but our friendship, trust and
devotion are stronger and more stable that our emotions. Love
based on caring for each other and a firm commitment to Christ
is described in Ecclesiastes 4:12b where is says that a
three-stranded cord is not easily broken. If you love God, and
each other, in thought word and deed, your
three-stranded-marriage will survive and thrive.
For more information on Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome
visit
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/082542013x/catholicmomcom
Lisa M. Hendey, wife, mother and webmaster of
http://www.CatholicMom.com and http://www.ChristianColoring.com
is an avid reader and writes from Fresno, California. Visit her
at http://www.lisahendey.com for more information.
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