I've never had all that much success when it comes to relationships. In fact, every serious relationship that I have ever been in has ended exactly the same way. I have been dumped, discarded, and cast out. My heart has been broken more than a few times. When each relationship ended, it seemed like I was the last to know, or at least, the last to figure it out. Even today, I wear the scars of past loves, and I still feel a lingering ache. The pain reflects my fragile make up, my thin skin, my naivety, and more than a little regret for mistakes that I made. However, just like the old saying about getting back up on the horse once you've been thrown off, I continue to seek love. I continue to seek a two to add to my one. Sometimes the reasons why I proceed down this road are so obvious to me. Other times, I question my own sanity. I know what lies down that path, or at least, what I have faced each time I have journeyed there ...My friend Rob told me about a book that he thought could help me start to lay down a foundation to increase my chances for future relational success. The book is called Going all the Way by Craig Groeschel, and is designed to help Christians understand what can help lead to long-term success in a relationship. At the core of this work is the statement that if you want something few have (genuine closeness, trust, respect, and lasting commitment), you'll have to do what few do. I was always one to kind of believe that if you were with someone you loved, it shouldn't be a huge amount of work or effort. There should never be any conflict or tension or anxiety. Well, I can hear your laughter. I am starting to understand. While I still feel totally underequipped for any sort of relationship, I know more now than at any point in my life. Perhaps it is time to try again ...
