In Chapter 16, both Heather and Beth are upset with Steve and Greg. Pete and Jenni intervene to help the couples resolve their conflict and in the process, Jenni is confronted with her own struggles about Pete.
Read the chapter (starts on page 108) and look for what the real points of contention are. Are Pete and Jenni right? Did the timing of the events allow the women to feed off each other's anger and escalate the conflict?
James 3:13 - 4:12 talks abotu wisdom and strife. What does it teach you about the source of strife? What does it teach you about the answer to strife and how to avoid it? We often quote "Resist the devil and he will flee from you," but what immediately precedes that statement and follows it? How significant is that?
Why did you have troubles resolving conflict in your marriage? Who were you focused on? If you had been more concerned about God's will and your spouse's feelings, might it have made a difference in your marriage?
Here's another good one to role play! If you don't want to use something from your own life, have some fun acting out the scenes of Steve and Heather's and Greg and Beth's confrontations. Then play them out in a way that resolves the conflict immediately.
If you have any questions or comments about "A Novel Approach," please email me at cheryl@cherylokimoto.com
