Healthy Marriage Movie Guide -- Courageous

• ·       Nathan risked his life to save his son. He did not hesitate to grab onto his moving truck to stop the gangster. Would you give it all if your spouse or child were in danger? The other officers discussed this, but they weren’t sure if they would act so boldly.
• ·       Victoria tells her husband, Adam, that he needs to spend more time with his son, maybe even run if that be what needs to happen. Acts often show that we care, and we aren’t always interested in what our spouse or children are interested in, but how much more can relationships improve if we implement this effort?
• ·       The officers are given a little information on fatherless homes and told that it is a huge cause of the chaos and sadness happening in theirs and other communities. “Go home and love our family”. How can you and your spouse better implement the “go home and love your family”?
• ·       Javier was let go from his job and he comes straight home. His wife is worried, but they discuss it and you can tell the tension is high with the worries of rent and things they need for the kids.  She apologizes after her “freak out” and they reconcile, agreeing that they will be able to make it. She gives him a tortilla to eat as he goes to find work. How do you think they stay positive through their struggles? What can be learned from this couple?
• ·       Emily begs her daddy to dance with her while waiting for their friend. She stands out in the grass and shows her dad how they would dance to her favorite song. Have you ignored what people might think and taken the opportunities to “dance” with your spouse? How can you take advantage of the little moments?
• ·       The officers are enjoying a bbq and talking about dads and the fathers that they had. One of them talks about their dad who would say one thing but do the opposite. He couldn’t take his father seriously. How can you be the person that your spouse trusts over all else?
• ·       Javier is praying in the street, worried about how to go home and talk to his wife, how to provide for them, and an opportunity is literally called out to him. Have you been down to nothing, lost in despair and then had an opportunity given to you that was better than anything you could have expected? How can you be prepared to find opportunities? How can your spouse support you in your pursuits?
• ·       Nathan comes out and talks to Derek who is interested in Jade. He tells him that he needs to know his intentions and that his daughter is too young to go out. How did you prepare for marriage? In what ways could you have prepared better?
• ·       Dillon is locked in his room and his dad comes in to talk. It appears that it is rare for his dad to enter his room. He is trying to figure out how to repair the relationship, but how can you do that after not keeping a relationship strong?
• ·       Adam works on studying fatherhood in scripture study. He builds a resolution of things that he will do, the way he will live moving forward. “…I have to do the hard things. I never enjoyed running, but it is the best way to spend time with him.” If you were to build a marriage/spouse resolution, what would be on it? When are you going to put together this resolution?

• ·       “The patterns we set for them will likely be used for their kids and the generation after that”. What kind if marriage pattern is being set by you and your spouse or what pattern are you continuing from your parents? Is it good or bad?  Are you “good enough” or do you want to set a higher standard?
• ·       “I hope my good outweighs my bad”. “That’s not the way it works…hey judge, I committed this crime, but I have done a lot of good in my life…he will punish the guilty not for what they did right, but for what they did wrong.” What faults are you guilty of in your marital relationship?
• ·       Letters are used in resolving situations in this movie. The “rookie” sends a letter to the mother of his daughter, Nathan reads a letter that he wrote for his father. How do you think this helped them to get out the things that needed to be said? Have you used writing in your marital communications?
• ·       Javier—“I am very grateful to have a job here, but I cannot do as you have asked...it is wrong sir, it would be dishonoring to my God and to my family to lie on that report.”  Are you honest in all your dealings? Are you trustworthy in your marriage and to your spouse?
• ·       Nathan takes his daughter out on a date and lets her know how important she is. He really doesn’t tell her anything new from what he and her mother have been telling her, but he gave her special one on one time and this helped her to see the importance of the rules they have set for her dating.   How would she maybe move forward differently if her parents did not give her explanations for the things they were doing? How does your marital relationship change when you go from busy life to taking a slowdown and getting back into a rhythm of date nights, time to talk every day, etc?
• ·       “You are accountable to God for the position of influence he has given you…who will guide my family…I will…”  Who do you believe you are accountable to for the success and health of your marriage? Why is marriage important to you?