A Love Taller than the Rebuilt Twin Towers in New York, Wider than the Sahara Desert, Deeper than the Pacific Ocean

When we read 1 Corinthians 13, we may get discouraged by the enormity of what God, through the Apostle Paul, asks us to do to live out love. But fortunately, God has wired our brains for love.

Our brains have three regions to help us fall in love and stay in love:

(1) The ventral tegmental area near the base of our brains where dopamine is processed. Dopamine creates craving, motivation, goal-oriented behavior and ecstasy;

(2) The nucleus accumbens area located not as far back as the ventral tegmental area also processes dopamine in addition to serotonin and oxytocin which creates a sense of bonding;

(3) The caudate nuclei, a pair of shrimp-sized structures on both sides of the brain, helps us to remember and to commit.

The ventral tegmental gets us interested in people especially the opposite sex. The nucleus accumbens moves the feelings further along into loving behavior, and the caudate nuclei commits us to ongoing, loving behavior. God hardwired us to receive and give life-long, enthusiastic, expressive love!

A husband is suppose to love his wife like Christ loves the Church -- madly, passionately, crazy to the world but wise to God, obsessed, boundless. A wife is suppose to be a body wholly flooded with her husband who is wholly flooded with Christ. The love among Christ, a husband, and a wife is a love designed to be taller than the rebuilt twin towers in New York, wider than the Sahara Desert, deeper than the Pacific Ocean. Ephesians 3:17-19 Amplified Bible says, "May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make his permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breath and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!"

For all things that are blocking us from living in phenomenal love, romance and sexuality, pray to God to remove these blockages. Pray also to live in the power of Psalm 139:23-24 Amplified Bible which says, "Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." God's love and sexuality is everlasting ecstasy. Go for the best. Go for the God in you and others.

Here's three more tips from Dr. Laura Schlessinger to help us go for God's best:

"(1) Treat your spouse as if you loved them with your last breath--no matter how contrary to that you might feel at any one moment.

(2) Think hard every day about how you can make their life worth living.

(3) Be the kind of person you would want to love, hug, come home to, and sacrifice for."

Prioritize your marriage over other relationships like in-laws, stepparents, baby's mommas, baby's daddy, children from relationships inside and outside the marriage and former spouses; manage these relationships well. Lynn Toler writes in her book, Making Marriage Work New Rules For An Old Institution, "It is no fun picking at someone who doesn't get upset. When dealing with difficult in-laws, remain calm, resolute, and hard to rattle. Meet criticism with curiosity, calm, and the promise to consider. You don't have to do it; just say it and move one.

Example: "I don't know what you were thinking when you bought that couch," your mother-in-law says. "It is so uncomfortable and ugly."

"Really? I can see that point of view," you say with a smile. "Your couch is beautiful."

"Let me pick one out for you."

"What a kind offer, but as odd as it may seem, [insert spouse's name here] and I love what we have." Then compliment her on something else."

Proverbs 15:1 English Standard Version Bible says, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 25:15 Amplified Bible says, "By long forbearance and calmness of spirit a judge or ruler is persuaded, and soft speech breaks down the most bonelike resistance." Please leave an on-line comment sharing stories of managing difficult people.

Please also leave on-line comments sharing ways you are giving and receiving a love taller than the rebuilt twin towers in New York, wider than the Sahara Desert, deeper than the Pacific Ocean.