Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. —1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Week 1: What Is Love?

Love is not a

.

Love is an intentional

for the good of another.

Love is to

and work for everyone’s best. (1 John 3:16-18)

You can’t get

without action.

The first act of love is giving

.

Week 2: How to Live a Happier Life

Love God and love

– Jesus.

Relationships are the most important thing in our life and the thing we

with most.

“Relationships protect our health as well as our happiness.” —Dr. Robert Waldinger, Harvard Medical School

Loneliness is more

than diabetes, obesity, or smoking 14 cigarettes a day.

To have a happier life, treat others

.

“Respect is a gift you offer with your eyes.” —David Brooks

This Week: How to Have Better Relationships

Strong relationships take a lot of

.

“The love you want in your life… it’s not going to make itself happen.” —Arthur Brooks

Today’s

have implications for tomorrow’s reality.

It takes 60 hours to make a casual friend, 100 hours to go from a casual friend to friend, and more than 200 hours to become a close or best friend. —Friendship researcher Dr. Jeffrey Hall

“Don’t let distraction steal you away from the people you love.” —Bob Goff, author

Strong relationships take a lot of “idiot

,” or what psychologists call unconditional positive regard. (Matt. 7:1-5)

This is important because we judge our friends by their

and ourselves by our intentions.

The only person you can change is

, and even with that your success rate is pretty low.

It’s not so much “What to do” as it is “Who to be” in any situation…it’s your

.

“God often does not tell us which way to go or what to do, but what to be: full of love and integrity.” —Jan Johnson, author and spiritual director

Jesus fed 5,000, worked directly with 12 and had an inner circle of

.

You can be kind, but you can’t be

with everyone. (Romans 12:4-6, 9-10)

A good friend will

the sins we have grown to love and

Reveal Answer

the gifts we are afraid to claim.

What works for

relationship in one season does not work for all relationships in all seasons.

Seven Actions for Better Relationships

1. If you think something good about someone,
   Reveal Answer
   it. (Hebrews 3:13)
2. If you think of a kindness, an apology, a forgiveness, a phone call, or a note,
   Reveal Answer
   ! (James 4:17)
3. Pray more and ask God to help you
   Reveal Answer
   not to respond but to understand.
4. Listen using the SLANT method: Sit up, Lean forward, Ask questions, Nod your head, Track the speaker.
5. Give someone the gift of
   Reveal Answer
   : an other-centered way of moving through life. (Colossians 3:12-14)
6. Take 30 minutes on Sunday nights and make a gratitude list of
   Reveal Answer
   and why you are grateful for them.
7. This week spend less time focused on yourself and what others think about you, and practice an
   Reveal Answer
   focus on life.

“At the deepest level… we are all equal on the level of our souls. If you see the people you meet as precious souls, you will probably end up treating them well.” —David Brooks

Action Steps

When you are within eye contact of someone, look at them,

and say, “Hi.”

This week, ask someone to tell you their

.

Schedule

to be with a friend on the phone or in person.

My additional notes:

.