Married couple - National Marriage Week 2018

Celebrating National Marriage Week 2018!

Deb PattersonFamily, Marriage Health, Uncategorized

It’s National Marriage Week! National Marriage Week 2018 (Feb. 7-14) is a great time to celebrate one of God’s most precious gifts to us—marriage! This annual celebration raises awareness of the need to build stronger marriages and reduce the divorce rate, which in turn benefits children and helps curtail poverty. Chuck Stetson, chairman of National Marriage Week USA, says, “The …

Stressed businessman - quit your job

Three Reasons Not to Quit Your Job

Marriage Dynamics InstituteContentment, Finances

You may be tempted to quit your job. But is that the best choice right now? Fred the Baker is an all-star. Who is Fred the Baker? You mean you don’t remember him? He remained the faithful face of Dunkin’ Donuts during the 1980s and was famous for always saying “time to make the donuts.” The best thing about Fred …

I love you sign - study of what love is

What Love Is and What it Isn’t – A Few Thoughts from 1 Corinthians 13

Marriage Dynamics InstituteDevotionals, Faith

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV ) How do we know what love is, exactly? From days of old up to this minute, people have answered this question in many different ways. Greek philosopher Sophocles, who was around before Jesus, said, “One word frees us of all the weight …

Man carrying boxes - how to help your spouse when they need it

Is Your Spouse Stressed Out? Five Ways to Help

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Marriage Health

It’s vital in a marriage to help your spouse when they are overwhelmed—even if they don’t know how to ask for help. You know when you pull into the garage and you’ve got a lot of groceries to carry inside? You don’t want to have to come back out, so you try to take everything to the house at once. What …

warning sign-marriage shutdown

Worried about a Government Shutdown? Don’t Miss Signs of a Marriage Shutdown

Deb PattersonMarriage Health

Did you pay attention to the recent banter during the government shutdown? During the past couple of weeks, many people working for federal agencies found themselves a bit confused and anxious. Uncertainty about their jobs (and paychecks) caused a lot of stress for many families. It also caused Americans to roll their eyes at Washington’s divisiveness once again. The most …

quarterback - strategy for winning marriage

Want a Winning Marriage? Use a Great Playbook

Marriage Dynamics InstituteGoals, Marriage Health

You can’t expect to have a winning team or a winning marriage without a great playbook. When the Eagles meet the Patriots on Sunday to decide the NFL’s top team, you can bet there will be some serious intensity on the gridiron. You don’t get to the league’s final game of the season without some heroics on the field and …

4 Reasons Your Church Needs a Marriage Ministry

Four Reasons Why Your Church Needs a Marriage Ministry

Marriage Dynamics InstituteMarriage Courses, Marriage Health, Uncategorized

There is a temptation to lump religious people into the same category as non-religious when it comes to predicting the success rate of marriage. Many have promoted the idea that the divorce rate among the two groups is nearly the same. Furthermore, speculation that non-religious couples are more likely to cohabitate rather than get married has caused some to skew the …

Woman in snow, illustration for devotional on Colossians 3:14

What You Need to Warm Your Heart

Marriage Dynamics InstituteFaith

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:14 NIV). Do you want to know a telltale sign you’re having a bad day? One such sign is when find yourself stuck outside in the cold without a coat. Why, you ask, would someone be in that situation? Not that I know …

Caution - Guard Against Sexual Temptation

Sexual Harassment Charges Should Be a Wake-up Call

Marriage Dynamics InstituteMarriage Health, Selfishness

Learn from the Public Mistakes of Others to Keep Your Private Life in Great Shape It’s almost unbearable to see the tidal wave of charges being brought out against the rich and famous these days. Case after case of sexual harassment and misconduct charges litter our news pages. As the damage mounts, it’s easy to focus all the attention on …

Cell phone addiction can hurt good communication

Are You Listening? – 5 Bad Habits that Prevent Good Communication

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Marriage Health, Quality Time

Even in the best marriages, communication can be a challenge.  With all the noise out there, it’s a wonder we can hear anything. That poses a problem for couples who want to keep their relationship healthy through good communication. A University of California – San Diego study suggests the average person in the U.S. processes more than a hundred thousand …