Bilbo Baggins once referred to adventures as “nasty disturbing comfortable things that make you late for dinner.” In some ways, he’s right. Adventures aren’t simply exciting, thrill-seeking activities. They stretch us in ways that force us to change. What does this have to do with conflict in marriage? Conflict is often uncomfortable and inconvenient. It disturbs our status quo and can even disrupt dinner plans…or gasp!…date nights. We often react like Bilbo and think, “Sorry, I don’t want any conflict, thank you. Not today.” But it’s important that we work through conflict in healthy, team-building ways. When we choose to put our marriage’s long-term health and mission ahead of our individual agendas, it’s well worth the effort. Not only are we strengthening and deepening our relationship, but we’re also ultimately choosing to reflect Christ. Listen in as we talk about conflict as an adventure, how to face your disagreements with a team-first perspective, and why your timing in resolving issues matters. Strategies for Facing Conflict as a Team 1. Embrace conflict as an adventure 2. Trade a me-first perspective for a team-first perspective 3. Choose carefully how and when to work through conflict Us Time Challenge Think back to when you went on an adventure together. Talk about what was hard, but how you worked together to overcome the challenges. Discuss how that brought you together. Then talk about how you can apply some of the things you did to how you face conflict now. Team Us Resources: Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage FREE Team Us Study Guide Links Mentioned in This Episode: The Hobbit Connect with Ted and Ashleigh: Website | Instagram | Facebook