In August 2017 a Massachusetts woman hit the jackpot.
With odds of 292 million to one, Mavis Wanczyk lined out six numbers perfectly to claim an astounding $758 million prize. Because she’s taking her winnings in a lump sum instead of a 30-year payout, she’s only left with a measly $310 million after Uncle Sam gets his cut.
Poor Mavis.
No, not at all. The story as reported ABC news says that Wanczyk used some birth dates, her self-proclaimed “lucky” number, and then a couple of digits picked at random for the winning combination. She informed her employer fairly quickly that she wouldn’t be returning to work.
Can’t say that we blame her.
Powerball isn’t the only jackpot around. Seems like some couples have found one with their marriage. You hear it all the time. “You really got lucky with her.” “He’s a keeper,” or “Things just seem to be perfect between them.”
Lotteries may be lucky, but relationships never are.
The only way you’re going to find the winning combination in marriage is to put in some hard work. Because that’s what it takes to have successful relationships. The formula isn’t magic. It isn’t lucky. And there is more than one winning combination.
But according to our friends at PREPARE/ENRICH, and the more than 21,000 people they talked to about what makes a happy marriage, it’s pretty basic. Play these three cards regularly, and you hit the jackpot with untold riches raining down on your marriage.
- Learn how to communicate. The survey found more than 10,000 people who were either very happy or very unhappy in their marriage. The rest were only a little happy or a little unhappy. Ninety percent of the folks who were satisfied enjoyed the way they talked to each other. So think about quality, quantity, and tone when you talk with your spouse.
- Get creative in how you handle your differences. Almost 80 percent of happy relationships claimed they were able to find great solutions to the differences they experienced as a couple. Seems a logical next step after learning to communicate well. First, learn how to talk to each other. Then it’s easier to resolve differences and not just ride them out.
- Strive for intimacy. When you’re able to move out of the way the obstacles that stand between you, you move toward each other. You get closer. So work to understand how your mate seeks the world. And talk about how you can meet each other’s emotional needs. Because this kind of intimate communication is a great recipe for success in marriage.
We’ve prepared a quick-guide to help you find great intimacy in your marriage, which you can download for free:
7 Steps to Emotional IntimacyThe best way to learn about this winning approach to marriage is to invest time in energy in one of our nine-week courses, United or Dynamic Marriage. To bring this transformative experience to your church call 800.650.9995 today!
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