Do you have trouble understanding what your spouse needs to feel loved? As soon as we were old enough to understand it, most of us were probably taught some version of “Do unto others as you’d have done to you.” The Golden Rule, as we call it, is a wise biblical principle to keep in mind as we deal with …
Where is spiritual growth on your to-do list? It’s no secret; you have a lot to do. You and everyone else in the world. There are so many demands on our time, in fact, that the time we have with our spouses is highly limited. Distractions don’t leave, either, just because you’re under the same roof with your spouse. Kids …
In the movie Forget Paris, the character Andy quips, “Marriages don’t work when one partner is happy and the other is miserable. Marriage is about both people being equally miserable.” Have you noticed how movies and TV shows tend to portray being married as one of two extremes—happily ever after and happily never after? But in real-life relationships, it falls …
What does family life have to do with ministry? But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5.8). How can I please God? It’s a question that we should all ask. It’s also important for a husband and wife …
Our bodies require maintenance to stay healthy. Gardens need maintenance to grow. Cars need maintenance to run well. A business needs maintenance to be successful. Why should it be any different for marriages? Many couples have premarital counseling before tying the knot, which is great. But you’d never expect four or five workouts at age 22 to keep a person …
Thoughts on oil changes and marriage… What do you make time for, even when life gets busy? Does routine car maintenance make the list? When there’s a lot going on, it can be more than a little inconvenient to get the oil changed in your vehicle (or to change it yourself, if you’re so inclined). But it’s one of those …
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones (Proverbs 12:4). A Wife of Noble Character Although the meaning has changed, apparently the idea of a trophy wife has been around for a long time. The author of Proverbs lays down a pretty stark comparison to show what he thought …
Learning to Include God in Your Relationship You’ve probably heard it. Two’s company, and three’s a crowd. If someone says those words to you, you’ll probably get your feelings hurt. If you’re not up to snuff on idioms, it means if someone is having an A to B conversation, you can C your way out. In other words, they want …
You said divorce wasn’t an option. If you’re having second thoughts, consider this. Remember that old saying, “your word is your bond?” That’s not always true in relationships. Seems like it should be true in marriage, though. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Maybe it was yesterday, or maybe it was a long time ago, but the vows you shared …
Does this story sound familiar? You met the man or woman of your dreams. You went out for coffee or a meal and couldn’t believe how easy they were to talk to. The two of you began dating, and you felt so alive when you were with them. As time went on, you began to imagine what it would be …
