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How to be a Relational Hero

When a good relationship freezes over, someone often needs to do something out of the ordinary.

Amy and her husband disagreed with their son's decision to stop attending college and start a job fifteen hours away. Just four classes stood between him and a walk across the stage for his diploma. Instead, he wanted to drive halfway across the country.

Every time Amy or her husband talked with their son, the conversation ended in harsh words that that kept digging an ever-widening gap between them. He refused to listen to their counsel. They cramped with frustration.

While browsing through a parenting book, Amy read about the importance of sharing the message "I believe in you" with a child, regardless of age. A moment later, convicted that the relational gap was now larger than merely the graduation-versus-job issue, she began to write a note.

On a simple, blank card, she shared the reasons she believes in her son, why she treasures him, and that he could count on her no matter what. Profound statements to make, but only powerful if delivered well. At just the right time. So she slid ...

March
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