Understanding Strengths Part 2
February 19, 2018
27:30
Strengths Based Marriage with Jimmy Evans & Allan Kelsey
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Understanding Strengths Part 2
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- - Since the beginning of time,
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- marriage has been the foundation of society.
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- And one of the secrets of success in marriage
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- is you don't have to marry
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- the perfect person who's just like you.
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- - Yeah, you see, God has created each of us
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- with a unique set of strengths
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- that when celebrated, rather than stifled,
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- can unlock the true potential of your marriage.
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- In Strengths Based Marriage,
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- we've drawn from more than 50 years of research
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- from the Gallup Institute combined with over 35 years
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- of experience in marriage counseling,
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- to develop an incredibly exciting resource
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- that can literally revolutionize your relationship
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- and prepare you for a lifetime of passion
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- and intimacy and we can't wait to share it with you.
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- - That's right.
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- When you learn to recognize and focus
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- on the strengths of your spouse,
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- you'll be able to celebrate what's right about them.
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- And value their God-given differences, not resent them.
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- So join us on the journey to explore
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- how implementing a strengths based marriage
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- can bring you closer together
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- than ever before with your spouse.
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- - [Narrator] Dr. Donald O. Clifton
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- was a forerunner in positive psychology.
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- Through his research, he identified 34 universal strengths
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- that exist within each individual.
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- Working with Gallup, he developed
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- the Strengths Finder Assessment,
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- which reveals how our unique order of strengths
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- affect the way we engage with the world around us.
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- Influencing our thoughts, feelings and behavior.
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- Thousands of businesses, teams and churches
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- have harnessed this strengths based approach to interacting
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- resulting in stronger relationships and greater performance.
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- So what happens when you apply these
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- same ideas to your own personal relationships?
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- Or even your marriage?
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- On this journey, you will discover
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- how to thrive in your strengths,
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- recognize the positive traits in your partner,
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- and develop your own Strengths Based Marriage.
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- (happy triumphant music)
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- - If you're like me, the first time I heard
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- about strengths, I was really excited
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- and I couldn't wait to discover more
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- about this aspect of who God made me to be.
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- The detail, the nuance to detail
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- of what made me tick.
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- And then what followed after that
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- was a sense of, I think I'm normal.
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- I actually think I'm normal.
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- I'm not crazy, I do this stuff and it's not weird.
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- So many times, there were things
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- that people would tell me like,
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- I don't understand your behavior
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- and when we don't understand something,
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- we tend to reject it don't we?
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- I mean, we just do that.
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- If you don't understand something,
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- you just kinda hold it at arm's length
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- until you know what to do with what you've just been given.
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- Well imagine if that's true about your spouse.
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- You discover her, you fall in love with her,
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- but then you begin to see elements of who he or she is,
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- and if you don't understand it,
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- you just start to hold it at arm's length
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- because it's just weird, I don't know what to do with that.
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- I felt so affirmed by it.
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- I felt so seen.
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- I felt so just understood
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- when I began to understand my own strengths.
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- I couldn't wait to tell people that were close to me.
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- I remember going to my brother and saying,
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- you need to discover these things,
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- you need to find out how God wired you.
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- And he said, Allan I can see how enthusiastic you are,
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- and I love that you are so in tune with this idea,
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- but honestly, I got a lot of stuff going on right now
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- and I don't know that I have opportunity or energy
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- to put against yet one more thing
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- that I have to sort of master or learn or understand.
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- Why do I need to do that?
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- That really, that put me on an interesting journey.
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- I really began to look and try to understand
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- why it is that this really matters for us.
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- And there are really two primary reasons
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- why you wanna know where your greatest strengths are.
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- The first is, it's that idea.
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- It is about your greatest contribution.
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- You know, it is highly unlikely
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- that the best of your life,
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- that the best contribution of your life
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- is going to happen without the use of your strengths.
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- It's highly unlikely.
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- Because God has wired you with so much capacity there.
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- Think about it, if you have a particular strength,
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- like one of mine is strategic.
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- This means that I love to begin with the end in mind.
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- I means that I see things in patterns
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- and I can foretell in a way, how they're gonna unfold.
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- Just comes naturally to me, I know how to do this
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- and I'm interested in variety.
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- It kinda causes me to explore new things.
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- Well this is a natural part of my life
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- and I've had it from the time I was born
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- and so, this is just kinda the way I think.
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- It's like a lens that colors the way I see.
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- But once I learned that I had that strength,
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- it really made it normal for me
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- and I then began to see how this
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- could influence others around me.
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- But some of my greatest contributions in life
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- are gonna come from the use of this very strength.
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- This idea that I begin with the end in mind,
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- I use this to this day in my role in my job, in my work.
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- And I use it at home.
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- Do you know, when we pack the car to go on vacation,
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- I get to do the packing
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- because there is a strategic way
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- in which the suitcases and the loose bags
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- and all the other goodies need to
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- find their way into the back of the car.
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- And I know that because I get to begin with the end in mind.
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- I see how it's all gonna fit or if it's not gonna fit.
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- Well, if my spouse doesn't know that that's the case,
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- if she doesn't know that I have this capacity,
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- if she looks at my fussiness
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- about wanting to control this issue
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- of how the bags go in the car,
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- she could label it as a control issue,
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- she could label it as being domineering,
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- she could label it as being too fussy,
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- she could label a number of different ways.
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- I'm telling you, the greatest contribution of your life
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- is gonna come from knowing what your strengths are
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- and doing something purposefully and impressively about it.
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- And the second, the second is it's about your joy.
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- I mean literally, there's two glands
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- in the inside of your brain that release this enzyme
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- that have this endorphin affect on your life
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- that make you feel fantastic.
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- I mean the legal kind of fantastic
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- and it's so, so repeatable.
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- It can happen over and over and over again.
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- But there's a very, very particular set of circumstances
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- that must be in place in order for you to have access
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- to that kind of joy juice if you'd like.
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- And it's when you're using your strengths.
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- The maker of the universe has created us in his image.
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- It's not enough that he has invested
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- these strengths in us so that we could walk around
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- and display them on the Earth
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- for the benefit of mankind,
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- but he's also wired it in such a way,
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- that when we actually do what he's wired us to do,
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- we get a payoff every time.
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- It's this Pavlovian reward for following
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- in the design the God has made you with.
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- It's ridiculous.
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- I think it's enough that God would give us how he's made,
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- but then when we get this other payoff along the way,
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- it's amazing.
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- Some of what you see happening with me right now
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- is evidence that I'm on this juice right now.
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- It makes me kinda lean in on the conversation.
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- It makes my eyeballs bug out,
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- it makes me do wild and big, crazy hands in my gestures,
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- it causes the tone in the pitch of my speech
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- to go in big variations.
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- All of these are indicators that I am experiencing
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- this endorphin rush right now,
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- and it's a marker for you to know
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- that I'm operating in one of my strengths.
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- Now, here's the beauty of this
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- and this is the piece that floors me about God.
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- He is such a persistent respecter of persons.
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- Or not a respecter of persons,
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- that he will give to everybody liberally, these strengths
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- and you get to do what you want with them.
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- If you chose to use your strengths
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- to do destructive things in humanity,
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- you could totally do that.
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- And oh by the way, when you did it,
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- that endorphin payoff would still happen.
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- You would still get that sense of joy
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- and so you'd have this twisted sense of affirmation
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- that what you're doing is good in a way.
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- This is wonderful.
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- I love that we can know this.
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- For one, it shows how fantastic God is
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- in his consistent and persistent blessing of us.
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- He gives us his dynamic power
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- and then says, but you get to choose.
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- You get to choose how you use it.
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- And in a marriage context, this changes the game completely.
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- Because I now know, when I'm using my strengths
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- to pack the suitcases in the back of the car
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- and I'm getting this endorphin rush
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- that's making me feel inherently good about what I'm doing,
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- that this is right, this can inform my spouse
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- and help her understand what's going on with me.
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- I'm insisting on doing this,
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- not just because I have a sense
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- that this is the right thing to do,
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- but I'm insisting on it because
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- it's a way for me to feel happy.
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- I actually love it.
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- It makes me feel good.
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- Will you let me pack the bags please?
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- And so when I become protective over it,
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- it's not because I have to control,
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- I become protective over it because
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- it's access to joy in my brain.
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- This stuff changes everything.
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- When you understand that this is how your wired,
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- when you understand that this is your motivation,
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- when you understand that your spouse is responding
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- out of this kind of approach,
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- than it changes the way you respond to that.
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- Because now, his or her activity
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- isn't intended to just needle you
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- or drive you crazy, or make you mad.
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- It's self-serving in a way because
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- I have as sense that was I'm doing is right
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- and I feel God's reward when I'm using it.
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- I just think this kind of clarity
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- changes the game and our understanding in our relationships.
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- Now, we all get these strengths
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- and there's probably three or four ways
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- that they present themselves.
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- The first is, you don't know.
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- You have no idea you have this ability.
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- And so it's working in you because
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- just 'cause you don't know intellectually,
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- just 'cause you haven't made the connection
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- that you have this ability,
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- doesn't mean it's not working.
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- It just means you don't know.
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- So it's still in play and it's still feeding you
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- the endorphin rush, you're just not aware of it.
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- You're not using it purposefully,
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- it's not doing you any good,
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- you're kind of almost a victim to it.
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- That's definitely no good.
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- Level two is, you know you have your strengths
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- and you're using it well.
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- The first one is, I'm not aware of it.
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- It's underused.
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- The second is, I'm using it well
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- and I'm aware that I have it.
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- In this case, I'm aware of my strengths,
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- I'm doing something to improve them,
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- I'm activating them on purpose,
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- and it's good for me and it's good for everybody else.
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- That's a great general rule for a healthy strength.
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- It's good for me, it's good for everybody else.
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- The third one is, it's over used.
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- Meaning, I'm not so addicted to this endorphin rush,
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- I've kinda been jazzed by it so much,
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- I insist on having it all the time,
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- and I kinda don't care how anybody else feels.
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- Now I'm being a jerk about it.
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- I'm just using my strengths to get my joy
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- and I kinda don't care if it's hurting other people.
- 00:11:11.190 --> 00:11:14.090
- And the way they respond is they kinda go,
- 00:11:14.090 --> 00:11:16.120
- whoa, that's too loud.
- 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:18.020
- Can you turn that down a little bit?
- 00:11:18.020 --> 00:11:19.200
- Whoo, it's too much!
- 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:21.150
- And it's a way of them saying your strength is too harsh.
- 00:11:21.150 --> 00:11:24.010
- Can you back off of that just a little bit?
- 00:11:24.010 --> 00:11:26.020
- So it's over used.
- 00:11:26.020 --> 00:11:28.000
- And as soon as we know we have that strength,
- 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:29.250
- we then know how to find that button on the dashboard
- 00:11:29.250 --> 00:11:32.210
- and you can just turn it down a notch.
- 00:11:32.210 --> 00:11:34.200
- There are times when you want the music up,
- 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:36.250
- there are times when you want the music down,
- 00:11:36.250 --> 00:11:38.100
- it all makes sense, this is normal life.
- 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:41.160
- And then the fourth one is,
- 00:11:41.160 --> 00:11:43.070
- it's kind of a misunderstood way of using your strengths,
- 00:11:43.070 --> 00:11:47.120
- where you're using it in a way that's
- 00:11:49.130 --> 00:11:51.160
- destructive to you and destructive to other people.
- 00:11:51.160 --> 00:11:54.220
- There's kind of a trick or a lie involved here
- 00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:57.180
- and you've bought a false sense of what this strength is
- 00:11:57.180 --> 00:12:00.290
- and what it's meant to do in your life.
- 00:12:00.290 --> 00:12:02.160
- And you're operating in that confusion
- 00:12:02.160 --> 00:12:04.180
- and it's hurtful to you and it's hurtful to everybody else.
- 00:12:04.180 --> 00:12:07.010
- And we talk about all four of those ideas in the book.
- 00:12:07.010 --> 00:12:11.000
- So I wanna leave you with this idea.
- 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:12.290
- This is what I want from you
- 00:12:12.290 --> 00:12:14.120
- and from me and from everybody who understands
- 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:16.090
- that they are ridiculously, powerfully made in God's image.
- 00:12:16.090 --> 00:12:19.190
- I want you to become a talent scout.
- 00:12:19.190 --> 00:12:22.050
- Yes, I'm asking for you to understand
- 00:12:22.050 --> 00:12:25.010
- the talent of your spouse
- 00:12:25.010 --> 00:12:27.010
- and do some purposeful things
- 00:12:27.010 --> 00:12:29.170
- to identify, highlight and amplify
- 00:12:29.170 --> 00:12:33.130
- the capacity that your spouse has.
- 00:12:33.130 --> 00:12:35.180
- Line yourself in your speech
- 00:12:35.180 --> 00:12:37.130
- and your activity up in such a way
- 00:12:37.130 --> 00:12:39.150
- that supports the capacity or the talent,
- 00:12:39.150 --> 00:12:42.020
- these strengths that your spouse has
- 00:12:42.020 --> 00:12:44.040
- and do all you can to help them be fantastic.
- 00:12:44.040 --> 00:12:47.160
- You will partnering with your spouse
- 00:12:47.160 --> 00:12:49.080
- in a way that deeply affirms them,
- 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:51.100
- you'll be aligning yourself with
- 00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:52.230
- God's investment in that individual,
- 00:12:52.230 --> 00:12:54.240
- and I promise you, it will have miraculously
- 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:57.050
- positive affect in your marriage.
- 00:12:57.050 --> 00:13:00.210
- - [Announcer] TBN wants you to discover the truths
- 00:13:00.210 --> 00:13:02.070
- and principles found in Strengths Based Marriage.
- 00:13:02.070 --> 00:13:05.010
- And you will begin to see your relationship
- 00:13:05.010 --> 00:13:06.190
- with your spouse in a whole new way.
- 00:13:06.190 --> 00:13:09.020
- Call or go online to request this powerful collection today
- 00:13:09.020 --> 00:13:12.040
- with your gift of a 120 dollars or more
- 00:13:12.040 --> 00:13:14.190
- and as our thank you for supporting TBN,
- 00:13:14.190 --> 00:13:17.040
- we will rush these incredible resources to you today.
- 00:13:17.040 --> 00:13:20.150
- Call 800-626-7454 or visit TBN.org/StrongMarriage.
- 00:13:20.150 --> 00:13:24.200
- Call 800-626-7454 or visit TBN.org/StrongMarriage.
- 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:27.200
- - If you're just now tuning in,
- 00:13:31.130 --> 00:13:32.230
- this is Strengths Based Marriage
- 00:13:32.230 --> 00:13:34.010
- and now we're going to interview a couple
- 00:13:34.010 --> 00:13:36.010
- and talk to them about their strengths.
- 00:13:36.010 --> 00:13:37.270
- Let me introduce them to you.
- 00:13:37.270 --> 00:13:40.030
- - [Announcer] Today's couple is Allan and
- 00:13:40.030 --> 00:13:41.130
- Stephanie Kelsey from Dallas, Texas.
- 00:13:41.130 --> 00:13:44.020
- Allan's top five strengths are
- 00:13:44.020 --> 00:13:45.160
- achiever, strategic, focus, input, and intellection.
- 00:13:45.160 --> 00:13:49.210
- Stephanie's top five strengths are
- 00:13:50.260 --> 00:13:51.240
- connectedness, relator, belief,
- 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:54.000
- individualization and responsibility.
- 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.030
- - I'm Jimmy Evans, I'm the co-author of
- 00:13:58.080 --> 00:13:59.170
- Strengths Based Marriage along with my wife
- 00:13:59.170 --> 00:14:01.250
- of 44 years, most beautiful woman in the world right here.
- 00:14:01.250 --> 00:14:05.160
- Karen, it's good to have you.
- 00:14:05.160 --> 00:14:06.230
- - Thank you, it's good to be here.
- 00:14:06.230 --> 00:14:07.220
- - And we're going to talk today
- 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:09.290
- to my co-author, Allan Kelsey, his wife Stephanie.
- 00:14:09.290 --> 00:14:13.210
- Good to have you guys here.
- 00:14:13.210 --> 00:14:14.280
- - Great to be here, thank you. - Thank you.
- 00:14:14.280 --> 00:14:16.110
- - [Jimmy] And we're gonna put you on the spot.
- 00:14:16.110 --> 00:14:17.150
- - No.
- 00:14:17.150 --> 00:14:18.290
- - [Jimmy] We're gonna talk about your strengths.
- 00:14:18.290 --> 00:14:19.190
- - We're ready.
- 00:14:19.190 --> 00:14:20.260
- - You taught us about our strengths and so
- 00:14:20.260 --> 00:14:23.140
- now we're gonna talk about yours.
- 00:14:23.140 --> 00:14:25.250
- I love talking about strengths because
- 00:14:25.250 --> 00:14:29.110
- it talks about what's right.
- 00:14:29.110 --> 00:14:30.220
- - [Allan] That's right.
- 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:31.280
- - It doesn't focus, and you taught me that,
- 00:14:31.280 --> 00:14:33.170
- you taught us that, but it doesn't focus on the negative,
- 00:14:33.170 --> 00:14:37.060
- it focuses on the positive.
- 00:14:37.060 --> 00:14:39.060
- I wanna ask you guys some questions,
- 00:14:39.060 --> 00:14:41.100
- talking about your strengths.
- 00:14:41.100 --> 00:14:43.220
- - [Allan] Yeah.
- 00:14:44.210 --> 00:14:45.190
- - And that is, how do you feel?
- 00:14:45.190 --> 00:14:47.260
- Like, how do you feel when you're using your strengths?
- 00:14:47.260 --> 00:14:52.000
- I mean, how do you know besides
- 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:53.260
- taking the Strength finder test,
- 00:14:53.260 --> 00:14:56.070
- how do you know that you're operating in your strengths?
- 00:14:56.070 --> 00:14:58.150
- - Well, my number one strength is achiever.
- 00:14:58.150 --> 00:15:00.200
- Jimmy, you have this one too so you know
- 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:02.000
- and what it does for me is provide this
- 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:05.110
- wonderful energy to follow through
- 00:15:05.110 --> 00:15:07.090
- on the things that I want to accomplish.
- 00:15:07.090 --> 00:15:09.030
- But when I'm acting, or when I'm doing, behaving,
- 00:15:09.030 --> 00:15:13.030
- I get this passive reward from this endorphin rush
- 00:15:13.030 --> 00:15:17.060
- that feeds me, that helps me feel really good
- 00:15:17.060 --> 00:15:20.090
- about what I'm doing, it's a balancing feeling,
- 00:15:20.090 --> 00:15:23.000
- it's a restorative feeling, and it's like this legal
- 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:26.050
- buzz that I get that makes me
- 00:15:26.050 --> 00:15:27.230
- just genuinely feel fantastic.
- 00:15:27.230 --> 00:15:29.210
- And it comes out when I'm doing stuff.
- 00:15:29.210 --> 00:15:31.280
- - Yeah, I think for me, when I am operating
- 00:15:31.280 --> 00:15:36.030
- in my strengths, I feel purposeful.
- 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:39.080
- So, I can go, relator is one of mine
- 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:43.130
- and I can go and a very long conversation
- 00:15:44.170 --> 00:15:46.260
- where I feel like the person that I'm connecting with
- 00:15:46.260 --> 00:15:50.000
- is feeling better about life,
- 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:54.050
- or maybe it's a little counseling even,
- 00:15:54.050 --> 00:15:57.220
- but I walk away from that experience
- 00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:59.210
- feeling like that was purposeful.
- 00:15:59.210 --> 00:16:01.260
- - Huh.
- 00:16:01.260 --> 00:16:03.040
- - And I think a lot of couples, we did this,
- 00:16:03.040 --> 00:16:05.150
- shame the strength in their spouse.
- 00:16:05.150 --> 00:16:09.180
- - [Stephanie] Yeah.
- 00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:11.170
- - So they never get to feel good.
- 00:16:11.170 --> 00:16:12.070
- - [Allan] Yeah.
- 00:16:12.070 --> 00:16:13.220
- - You know, you say this, it's an endorphin rush.
- 00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:15.050
- When I'm achieving I just feel fantastic.
- 00:16:15.050 --> 00:16:18.090
- When Karen's being empathetic,
- 00:16:18.090 --> 00:16:19.280
- and being relational 'cause almost
- 00:16:19.280 --> 00:16:22.010
- all of Karen's strengths are relational.
- 00:16:22.010 --> 00:16:24.060
- But early in our marriage, I kinda shamed that in Karen
- 00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:27.140
- 'cause I thought it wasn't normal
- 00:16:27.140 --> 00:16:29.080
- 'cause it wasn't like me.
- 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:30.160
- So respecting each other's strengths
- 00:16:30.160 --> 00:16:33.190
- means it's a win win deal.
- 00:16:33.190 --> 00:16:35.270
- - You know, one of the things
- 00:16:35.270 --> 00:16:37.100
- I feel like God's been showing me through our strengths
- 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:39.120
- is that especially as women,
- 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:43.060
- I've seen where we will um,
- 00:16:44.020 --> 00:16:47.120
- get after our husbands for not pursuing God
- 00:16:48.170 --> 00:16:51.200
- the way that we do and I feel like
- 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:55.050
- God has kind of shown me how our
- 00:16:55.050 --> 00:16:57.030
- strengths play into that too.
- 00:16:57.030 --> 00:16:59.140
- And where again, I'm so people and relationship oriented
- 00:16:59.140 --> 00:17:01.220
- And where again, I'm so people and relationship oriented
- 00:17:01.220 --> 00:17:05.170
- that I feel like my husband as a spiritual leader
- 00:17:05.170 --> 00:17:09.090
- should be pursuing God the way that I pursue God.
- 00:17:09.090 --> 00:17:12.280
- But a lot of men in general will pursue God
- 00:17:12.280 --> 00:17:16.160
- when they're busy with their hands,
- 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.040
- when they're out in nature,
- 00:17:19.040 --> 00:17:20.230
- and they'll be having dialogue and connecting with the Lord.
- 00:17:20.230 --> 00:17:24.280
- And so sometimes I feel like being a talent scout
- 00:17:26.110 --> 00:17:29.150
- And so sometimes I feel like being a talent scout
- 00:17:29.150 --> 00:17:30.220
- is even seen on a spiritual level
- 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:33.130
- that we can trust who God has put as the head
- 00:17:33.130 --> 00:17:37.180
- in my family to be connecting and knowing God
- 00:17:38.280 --> 00:17:42.260
- in his unique way that he does that.
- 00:17:44.020 --> 00:17:47.000
- So earlier in our marriage,
- 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:49.100
- I would really kind of get after Allan
- 00:17:49.100 --> 00:17:51.260
- for how he looked after people
- 00:17:51.260 --> 00:17:54.110
- and not feeling like that was as Godly
- 00:17:54.110 --> 00:17:56.090
- as the way that I would look after people.
- 00:17:56.090 --> 00:17:59.240
- And you can see how that is negative
- 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:02.190
- and kind of squashes the other person.
- 00:18:02.190 --> 00:18:04.110
- If you're not more like me than you're
- 00:18:04.110 --> 00:18:05.210
- not as spiritual as I think you should be.
- 00:18:05.210 --> 00:18:09.080
- - Well Karen wakes up in the morning
- 00:18:09.080 --> 00:18:10.210
- and has her quiet time.
- 00:18:10.210 --> 00:18:12.040
- I wake up in the morning, I have my quiet time
- 00:18:12.040 --> 00:18:14.060
- and I do this and I do this, I do this, I do this,
- 00:18:14.060 --> 00:18:17.010
- and I love to go outside and walk
- 00:18:17.010 --> 00:18:18.090
- because I love to be out in nature.
- 00:18:18.090 --> 00:18:20.050
- I feel closer to God.
- 00:18:20.050 --> 00:18:22.030
- Well Karen has her time reading the word and praying
- 00:18:22.030 --> 00:18:24.250
- and she'll come and talk to me
- 00:18:24.250 --> 00:18:26.210
- after she's had her quiet time
- 00:18:26.210 --> 00:18:27.240
- and her hands will be full of
- 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.220
- Kleenex and she'd been crying.
- 00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:30.060
- (laughter)
- 00:18:30.060 --> 00:18:31.010
- And I say, are you okay?
- 00:18:31.010 --> 00:18:32.100
- "Yeah.
- 00:18:32.100 --> 00:18:33.050
- "Sure."
- 00:18:33.050 --> 00:18:34.120
- - [Allan] I had a wonderful time.
- 00:18:34.120 --> 00:18:35.180
- - I mean being with Jesus crying,
- 00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:36.240
- and if I'm crying, I'm dying.
- 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.070
- - [Karen] Well they're not
- 00:18:38.070 --> 00:18:39.110
- sad tears, they're happy tears.
- 00:18:39.110 --> 00:18:40.230
- - But the point being, giving each other the freedom
- 00:18:40.230 --> 00:18:43.080
- to be different and celebrating that.
- 00:18:43.080 --> 00:18:45.270
- - [Karen] Yeah.
- 00:18:45.270 --> 00:18:46.220
- - [Allan] That's right.
- 00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:47.220
- - And not judging it.
- 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:48.290
- Because so often, one of the couple's
- 00:18:48.290 --> 00:18:51.010
- that we had being a part of Strength Based Marriage here,
- 00:18:51.010 --> 00:18:54.140
- they fought like cats and dogs
- 00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:56.100
- because both of them were using their strengths
- 00:18:56.100 --> 00:18:59.170
- and both of them hated it.
- 00:18:59.170 --> 00:19:00.280
- Because they interpreted it as
- 00:19:00.280 --> 00:19:03.140
- you're correcting me and you're disrespecting me.
- 00:19:03.140 --> 00:19:05.140
- When they learned about their strengths,
- 00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:07.200
- they realized they were both operating in our strengths.
- 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:10.030
- - Wow.
- 00:19:10.030 --> 00:19:11.100
- - But they were both rejecting it
- 00:19:11.100 --> 00:19:12.150
- because they didn't understand it.
- 00:19:12.150 --> 00:19:13.110
- - Yeah.
- 00:19:13.110 --> 00:19:14.250
- - Allan, I want you to tell your lawnmower story.
- 00:19:14.250 --> 00:19:16.010
- (laughter)
- 00:19:16.010 --> 00:19:17.160
- - Man, you gonna make me tell the lawnmower story?
- 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:18.140
- - I tell it better but, okay.
- 00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:19.210
- - Yeah, I wanna hear too what you have to say.
- 00:19:19.210 --> 00:19:21.190
- - Well, let me start. - You go first.
- 00:19:21.190 --> 00:19:22.210
- - Okay. - I'll correct.
- 00:19:22.210 --> 00:19:24.060
- (laughter)
- 00:19:24.060 --> 00:19:25.140
- So, we have guests coming over on Friday.
- 00:19:25.140 --> 00:19:27.130
- It's Thursday night and I'm coming home from work.
- 00:19:27.130 --> 00:19:29.290
- We're living in Houston, it's hot, I work outside
- 00:19:29.290 --> 00:19:32.050
- and I'm already sweaty and I come into the house
- 00:19:32.050 --> 00:19:34.070
- and I notice, well, I pull in the yard,
- 00:19:34.070 --> 00:19:35.220
- I notice the grass needs to be mowed.
- 00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:37.210
- 'Cause I know tomorrow I'm gonna have a long day.
- 00:19:37.210 --> 00:19:39.220
- I won't be able to get the grass cut
- 00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:41.130
- before our guests get in.
- 00:19:41.130 --> 00:19:42.290
- And so I just figure, man I'm just gonna park the car,
- 00:19:42.290 --> 00:19:45.100
- grab that lawnmower and just whip this out
- 00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:47.220
- real fast before I get inside.
- 00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:49.120
- That way, once I'm inside, I'm in the air conditioning,
- 00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:51.290
- I can cool off, I can clean up
- 00:19:51.290 --> 00:19:53.180
- and I don't have to go back outside again.
- 00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:55.160
- Finished.
- 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:56.230
- So I pull in, I grab the lawnmower,
- 00:19:56.230 --> 00:19:58.290
- scream out of the driveway and I start mowing.
- 00:19:58.290 --> 00:20:00.230
- Well, the sun's already starting to go down-ish.
- 00:20:00.230 --> 00:20:03.180
- So I'm trying to get it done before the sun goes down,
- 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:07.030
- but I didn't get it finished so I grabbed the flashlight
- 00:20:07.030 --> 00:20:10.070
- and I'm out there mowing by moonlight and flashlight.
- 00:20:10.070 --> 00:20:13.160
- Out of the corner of my eye, I see.
- 00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:15.180
- - That's not normal.
- 00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.260
- - [Karen] No, it's not normal, I'm with you.
- 00:20:16.260 --> 00:20:18.090
- - It is for achievers.
- 00:20:18.090 --> 00:20:19.160
- - [Allan] I see her in the kitchen
- 00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:20.230
- - And she's giving me that face you know
- 00:20:20.230 --> 00:20:23.140
- and I'm thinking oh my word,
- 00:20:23.140 --> 00:20:24.230
- how did this happen?
- 00:20:24.230 --> 00:20:26.070
- In my heart, I'm thinking this is a good thing.
- 00:20:26.070 --> 00:20:28.030
- I'm blessing our family,
- 00:20:28.030 --> 00:20:29.100
- I'm taking care of stuff in the house,
- 00:20:29.100 --> 00:20:30.260
- this is gonna be good for her, she's gonna love it.
- 00:20:30.260 --> 00:20:33.000
- I come inside and I just meet all kinds of craziness.
- 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:37.050
- And I ended up because it was a whole different world
- 00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:40.050
- that I wasn't understanding.
- 00:20:40.050 --> 00:20:41.200
- Why don't you tell them about that side of it.
- 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.100
- - So I'm at home all day with little kids.
- 00:20:43.100 --> 00:20:46.030
- - And I can't wait for my husband
- 00:20:46.030 --> 00:20:47.250
- to get home to talk to a person.
- 00:20:47.250 --> 00:20:50.140
- - [Allan] An adult.
- 00:20:50.140 --> 00:20:51.160
- - Not little people talk.
- 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:53.130
- Not diaper changing, but a person.
- 00:20:53.130 --> 00:20:56.020
- And so I have made dinner,
- 00:20:56.020 --> 00:20:58.010
- I try to time it when I think he's gonna be home.
- 00:20:58.010 --> 00:21:01.020
- He's not home yet, so I put it in the oven to keep it warm.
- 00:21:01.020 --> 00:21:04.150
- Like, I am just excited and waiting
- 00:21:04.150 --> 00:21:08.010
- for my husband to get home.
- 00:21:08.010 --> 00:21:09.280
- And I hear the garage door open.
- 00:21:09.280 --> 00:21:11.250
- And I'm starting to get the stuff out of the oven,
- 00:21:11.250 --> 00:21:14.170
- I'm ready for my husband to come in and eat dinner with me.
- 00:21:14.170 --> 00:21:17.260
- And the next thing I hear is the lawnmower going.
- 00:21:17.260 --> 00:21:20.190
- (laughter)
- 00:21:20.190 --> 00:21:22.140
- - Yeah, that might be a little trouble.
- 00:21:22.140 --> 00:21:23.250
- - That's a problem
- 00:21:23.250 --> 00:21:25.010
- - So instead of being happy to see him,
- 00:21:25.010 --> 00:21:26.210
- I'm ready to strangle him.
- 00:21:26.210 --> 00:21:28.230
- And he comes inside and I just,
- 00:21:28.230 --> 00:21:30.270
- I was so mad and frustrated
- 00:21:30.270 --> 00:21:34.060
- that I felt dishonored that I took
- 00:21:34.060 --> 00:21:37.280
- the time to make this meal and
- 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:40.010
- have it hot and ready for him to get home.
- 00:21:40.010 --> 00:21:42.210
- - [Karen] But part of that too is just communication.
- 00:21:42.210 --> 00:21:45.190
- - [Stephanie] Yes.
- 00:21:45.190 --> 00:21:46.270
- - I mean, how hard would it have been
- 00:21:46.270 --> 00:21:47.250
- to just pick up the phone?
- 00:21:47.250 --> 00:21:48.230
- - [Allan] It wouldn't have.
- 00:21:48.230 --> 00:21:49.290
- - I'm not coming in, I'm gonna mow the yard.
- 00:21:49.290 --> 00:21:50.230
- - [Stephanie] Thank you.
- 00:21:50.230 --> 00:21:51.130
- (laughter)
- 00:21:51.130 --> 00:21:52.270
- - We had cell phones back then so I could've done that.
- 00:21:52.270 --> 00:21:53.170
- (laughter)
- 00:21:53.170 --> 00:21:54.190
- - Yes.
- 00:21:54.190 --> 00:21:56.040
- - [Jimmy] Was this before you knew your strengths?
- 00:21:56.040 --> 00:21:56.280
- - [Stephanie] Yes.
- 00:21:56.280 --> 00:21:57.220
- - [Allan] It was.
- 00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:59.000
- - [Jimmy] So when you learned your strengths,
- 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:00.230
- what happened?
- 00:22:00.230 --> 00:22:02.020
- I mean, when you, you had a great marriage,
- 00:22:02.020 --> 00:22:04.020
- a great relationship, but those
- 00:22:04.020 --> 00:22:05.160
- kinds of frustrations occurred.
- 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:07.120
- What happened when you learned your strengths?
- 00:22:07.120 --> 00:22:09.000
- - Oh it changed the way you communicated.
- 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:10.160
- I mean it informs you in a way so I know
- 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:13.020
- what quality and flavor of communication
- 00:22:13.020 --> 00:22:16.220
- she needs from me for it to make sense.
- 00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:18.290
- Without it, I go inside and she says to me,
- 00:22:18.290 --> 00:22:22.200
- you know what, you know what I wish?
- 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.080
- I wish I was grass.
- 00:22:24.080 --> 00:22:25.210
- At least I'd get mowed once a week.
- 00:22:25.210 --> 00:22:27.010
- (laughter)
- 00:22:27.010 --> 00:22:28.060
- - [Stephanie] That's what I said.
- 00:22:28.060 --> 00:22:29.200
- (laughter)
- 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.150
- - That's awesome.
- 00:22:30.150 --> 00:22:31.220
- - [Stephanie] But I think it also,
- 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:32.200
- you know, knowing our strengths
- 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:33.180
- helps us to know that we're not
- 00:22:33.180 --> 00:22:36.090
- like, thinking how to get each other.
- 00:22:36.090 --> 00:22:39.020
- - [Allan] That's right.
- 00:22:39.020 --> 00:22:40.080
- - You kind of tend to think like,
- 00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:41.130
- he's doing that on purpose.
- 00:22:41.130 --> 00:22:42.210
- - [Jimmy] Exactly.
- 00:22:42.210 --> 00:22:43.280
- - He's just trying to make me mad now.
- 00:22:43.280 --> 00:22:44.280
- And so learning his strengths
- 00:22:44.280 --> 00:22:47.020
- and how much he's in his head,
- 00:22:47.020 --> 00:22:48.260
- how much he likes to achieve things
- 00:22:48.260 --> 00:22:50.030
- and get things done and check the box off,
- 00:22:50.030 --> 00:22:52.290
- that helped me understand like motive
- 00:22:52.290 --> 00:22:56.200
- behind what he was doing,
- 00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:58.100
- where I was assigning motive to him.
- 00:22:58.100 --> 00:23:00.200
- - [Jimmy] Well I think that's huge.
- 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:01.260
- - [Karen] That's a good way of putting it.
- 00:23:01.260 --> 00:23:03.030
- - I think that when you learn your strengths,
- 00:23:03.030 --> 00:23:05.270
- it gives you a new language.
- 00:23:05.270 --> 00:23:07.100
- - [Allan] Yep.
- 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:08.170
- - Now Karen is like you, Stephanie.
- 00:23:08.170 --> 00:23:10.000
- She's all about relationships,
- 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:11.130
- I'm all about getting it done.
- 00:23:11.130 --> 00:23:13.020
- And you judge that.
- 00:23:13.020 --> 00:23:15.000
- - [Stephanie] Yeah.
- 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.280
- - When you don't understand it,
- 00:23:15.280 --> 00:23:16.290
- you just naturally judge it.
- 00:23:16.290 --> 00:23:18.160
- - [Allan] Yeah.
- 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:19.220
- - And rather than being a talent scout,
- 00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:21.180
- and rather than celebrating your differences,
- 00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:23.220
- you get into that mode of, they're doing that on purpose.
- 00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:27.090
- Well, we're wired from birth.
- 00:23:27.090 --> 00:23:30.250
- We don't have a choice.
- 00:23:31.170 --> 00:23:33.030
- Now, we have a choice in our character and how we use it.
- 00:23:33.030 --> 00:23:36.130
- But really and truly, it's just how you see the world.
- 00:23:37.260 --> 00:23:40.040
- - [Allan] It is.
- 00:23:40.040 --> 00:23:41.020
- - Isn't that right Allan?
- 00:23:41.020 --> 00:23:42.180
- - Yeah and it doesn't give me an excuse to be a jerk.
- 00:23:42.180 --> 00:23:43.240
- I mean I need, like you said Karen,
- 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:44.220
- I need to communicate with her,
- 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:46.080
- let her know what's going on,
- 00:23:46.080 --> 00:23:47.180
- and she's a rational adult that could
- 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:48.280
- easily make sense to her and we could close that.
- 00:23:48.280 --> 00:23:51.200
- - Thank you honey.
- 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:52.150
- (laughter)
- 00:23:52.150 --> 00:23:53.200
- - But that's what hindsight does for you.
- 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.260
- You know you learn afterwards.
- 00:23:54.260 --> 00:23:56.090
- You go, ah well, that could've avoided that whole mess.
- 00:23:56.090 --> 00:23:58.010
- (laughter)
- 00:23:58.010 --> 00:23:59.080
- - It was five or six years ago that we
- 00:23:59.080 --> 00:24:00.250
- talked to you for the first time about our strengths.
- 00:24:00.250 --> 00:24:03.120
- We had a good marriage, we've taught
- 00:24:03.120 --> 00:24:05.000
- marriage seminars all around the world.
- 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:07.100
- It helped me so much
- 00:24:07.100 --> 00:24:10.000
- to find out what her strengths were.
- 00:24:11.040 --> 00:24:12.190
- - It helped me to know he had no empathy.
- 00:24:12.190 --> 00:24:14.200
- (laughter)
- 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:16.030
- - [Jimmy] Well that's my number 34, it's my number 34.
- 00:24:16.030 --> 00:24:17.190
- - Yeah.
- 00:24:17.190 --> 00:24:18.240
- - And you can't squeeze it out of me.
- 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:20.010
- You could put a shotgun to my head
- 00:24:20.010 --> 00:24:20.290
- and it ain't gonna happen.
- 00:24:20.290 --> 00:24:22.140
- And so, but for her, it's how she see's the world
- 00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:25.090
- but I'm so thankful that I'm married to her
- 00:24:25.090 --> 00:24:28.000
- because I need that.
- 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:29.170
- It's missing in my life.
- 00:24:29.170 --> 00:24:31.010
- I can't do it.
- 00:24:31.010 --> 00:24:32.150
- But what I'm not good at, Karen's fantastic at.
- 00:24:32.150 --> 00:24:35.000
- What she's not good at, I'm great at, we make a good team.
- 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:37.130
- - [Allan] Good teams.
- 00:24:37.130 --> 00:24:38.080
- - Just like you guys.
- 00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:39.120
- - Right.
- 00:24:39.120 --> 00:24:40.260
- - Thank you Allan for all your part in writing the book,
- 00:24:40.260 --> 00:24:43.000
- but also your help as a strength coach
- 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:45.090
- in helping people understand their strengths.
- 00:24:45.090 --> 00:24:48.000
- Stephanie, thank you for putting up with him all these years
- 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.290
- and making him such a great man of God.
- 00:24:50.290 --> 00:24:52.240
- - It's been fun.
- 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:54.000
- - [Jimmy] Good to have you guys with us.
- 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:55.030
- - Thank you very much. - Thank you.
- 00:24:55.030 --> 00:24:57.250
- - I love to see stories like that.
- 00:24:57.250 --> 00:24:59.170
- That's why we do what we do
- 00:24:59.170 --> 00:25:00.270
- and an example of the impact these powerful
- 00:25:00.270 --> 00:25:03.200
- resources can have on your marriage.
- 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:06.030
- - Yeah, for example, maybe your
- 00:25:06.030 --> 00:25:07.290
- number one strength is empathy
- 00:25:07.290 --> 00:25:09.230
- and your spouse's strength is to be restorative.
- 00:25:09.230 --> 00:25:12.220
- Being aware of that is so important
- 00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:15.010
- because it will help you to understand
- 00:25:15.010 --> 00:25:16.150
- how each of you think.
- 00:25:16.150 --> 00:25:17.280
- Because while someone who is empathetic
- 00:25:17.280 --> 00:25:19.260
- will feel what others are feeling,
- 00:25:19.260 --> 00:25:21.260
- a restorative spouse will see a problem and try to fix it.
- 00:25:21.260 --> 00:25:25.250
- They both want there to be resolution
- 00:25:25.250 --> 00:25:28.010
- and understanding, peace and growth,
- 00:25:28.010 --> 00:25:30.120
- but their perspectives are completely opposite,
- 00:25:30.120 --> 00:25:32.280
- and if misunderstood by each other,
- 00:25:32.280 --> 00:25:35.080
- can be cause for some really heated discussion.
- 00:25:35.080 --> 00:25:37.280
- - But trust me, no matter what situation you're in,
- 00:25:37.280 --> 00:25:41.000
- your marriage can thrive in every area
- 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:43.280
- emotionally, physically and spiritually.
- 00:25:43.280 --> 00:25:46.090
- And we wanna help you experience that today.
- 00:25:46.090 --> 00:25:48.230
- So request your Strength Based Marriage resources
- 00:25:48.230 --> 00:25:51.200
- with your gift and discover the principles
- 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:54.020
- you need to see your self, your spouse
- 00:25:54.020 --> 00:25:56.080
- and your marriage in a new, amazing way.
- 00:25:56.080 --> 00:26:00.050
- - [Announcer] TBN wants you to discover the truths
- 00:26:01.180 --> 00:26:03.030
- and principles found in Strengths Based Marriage.
- 00:26:03.030 --> 00:26:05.250
- And you will begin to see your relationship
- 00:26:05.250 --> 00:26:07.150
- with your spouse in a whole new way.
- 00:26:07.150 --> 00:26:09.280
- Call or go online to request this powerful collection today
- 00:26:09.280 --> 00:26:12.270
- with your gift of a 120 dollars or more,
- 00:26:12.270 --> 00:26:15.150
- and as our thank you for supporting TBN,
- 00:26:15.150 --> 00:26:17.280
- we will rush these incredible resources to you today.
- 00:26:17.280 --> 00:26:21.220
- Call 800-626-7454 or visit TBN.org/StrongMarriage.
- 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:25.260
- Call 800-626-7454 or visit TBN.org/StrongMarriage.
- 00:26:25.260 --> 00:26:28.290
- - Well, that's about all we have time for today.
- 00:26:32.190 --> 00:26:35.010
- Thanks for joining us on this journey of discovery.
- 00:26:35.010 --> 00:26:37.090
- We're really so excited to share what God
- 00:26:37.090 --> 00:26:39.170
- has revealed to us about how recognizing
- 00:26:39.170 --> 00:26:42.150
- your mate's strengths and learning to appreciate them,
- 00:26:42.150 --> 00:26:45.100
- can make any incredible difference
- 00:26:45.100 --> 00:26:47.060
- in the quality of your relationships.
- 00:26:47.060 --> 00:26:49.050
- - Be sure to join us next time
- 00:26:49.050 --> 00:26:50.180
- when we'll look at how opposites attract
- 00:26:50.180 --> 00:26:53.040
- but then, can eventually attack.
- 00:26:53.040 --> 00:26:55.020
- You'll hear a candid account of my wife's
- 00:26:55.020 --> 00:26:57.040
- and my painful three year struggle
- 00:26:57.040 --> 00:26:59.140
- and how the revelation about our strengths
- 00:26:59.140 --> 00:27:01.160
- transformed our marriage with remarkable results.
- 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:04.120
- I'm thankful to God that we found a better way
- 00:27:04.120 --> 00:27:06.250
- to understand and respect our differences
- 00:27:06.250 --> 00:27:09.120
- to become a stronger team.
- 00:27:09.120 --> 00:27:10.290
- And I hope you'll be encouraged and inspired by our story.
- 00:27:10.290 --> 00:27:13.260
- We'll see ya next time on Strength Based Marriage.
- 00:27:13.260 --> 00:27:15.120
- Goodbye.
- 00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:16.070