Show Notes
Dr. Gary Chapman and his wife, Karolyn, wanted to be missionaries, but the door was shut for them. Initially this was devastating, but the Lord over time has shown them that His ways are not their ways. God used the disappointment in this season for good to grow them in their reliance on Him. Now, Dr. Chapman’s books are all over the world, having been translated into over 50 languages. Dr. Chapman and Karolyn realized years later that God did exceedingly, abundantly more than they could ask or think.
“And that's when I realized, ‘Okay, God, I get it. I never quite understood it. I get it now.’ So, you know, the Bible says ‘Man makes his plans, but God directs his steps.’ So, we need to always hold our plans with an open hand because God may direct us in another direction. And if He does, it'll be better and often much bigger than anything we ever imagined.”—Dr. Gary Chapman
Operation Heal Our Patriots uses the five languages and the five apology languages curriculum at Samaritan Lodge Alaska. Countless marriages have been strengthened through these tools, as the Lord works in couples’ hearts throughout the week-long marriage retreat.
The five love languages—words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, gifts, and physical touch—can also apply to friendships, to family members, and to your children. Kristy shares about having her kids take the love language test, and how it helped her love them well.
As humans, we want to be fully known and fully loved, especially by God. And when we are facing challenges or difficulty, we need community the most. Dr. Chapman gives advice to someone with a loved one facing tragedy, emphasizing that to point them to Christ is always best. It is OK to cry out to God amid suffering.
“We are never going to understand everything that happens in our lives, but rather than running away from God, run to God. Pour your heart out with God. Share your feelings with God.”—Dr. Gary Chapman
Dr. Chapman encourages those who may be experiencing tragedy themselves to allow others to walk with them in their grief, sharing with friends, with a spouse, with a counselor or a pastor. In a marriage, when we block off whole segments of our lives and don't talk about them, we are not building an intimate relationship with our spouse. The heart of marriage is deep intimacy.
How can you love those in your life this week? If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visit SamaritansPurse.org.
Kristy Graham sits down with Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, to talk about how we can love our family, our friends, and our spouse well. Dr. Chapman’s books and teachings have helped transform marriages, and Samaritan's Purse uses his materials at Operation Heal Our Patriots in Alaska. Hear how you can make your apologies sincere, your love genuine, and your care Christlike for those experiencing tragedy.
Resources
- Find more resources from Dr. Gary Chapman.
- Listen to “How to Be a Servant Leader” to hear how Samaritan’s Purse is pouring into the next generation of Godly leaders.