Marriage

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Your Marriage

A Husband's Temptations Can Result in the Wife Feeling Like a Failure

A Husband's Temptations Can Result in the Wife Feeling Like a Failure

As one wife said, "Women don’t have a vulnerability when it comes to sexual matters like male nudity, but they do have a concern about the vulnerability that their husbands have in this area with regard to pornography or the sexually seductive female.

Who We Are To God And Who God Is To Us In Marriage?

Who We Are To God And Who God Is To Us In Marriage?

Realizing we are "saints" in God's view regardless of our failures in marriage (Ephesians 1:1-14). As believers, we must understand that in God’s eyes, we are saints, holy and blameless, regardless of any marital struggles we may face.

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Your Marriage

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Your Marriage

Marriage is a journey filled with highs and lows, moments of joy, and periods of conflict. It's essential to keep your finger on the pulse of your marriage, being aware of your own emotions and those of your spouse. This awareness can help you navigate through challenging times with grace and understanding.

The Vince Lombardi Approach to Marriage: Mastering the Fundamentals

The Vince Lombardi Approach to Marriage: Mastering the Fundamentals

At the beginning of every new football season, Vince Lombardi would lift up the focal object of their game and exclaim, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” The point he was making to his team was simple: start with the basics. If they are to find success on the field, then the fundamentals of their game must be mastered and maintained.

When the Energizing Cycle Doesn’t Work

When the Energizing Cycle Doesn’t Work

When it comes to faithfully and unconditionally applying love and respect in your marriage, what do most people say their worst fear is? For a husband, it’s that he learns to show love in the way that should touch his wife at her core but then she still shows him contempt. In response to his goodwilled attempts to be close, open, understanding, peacemaking, loyal, and esteeming (see C.O.U.P.L.E. from my book Love & Respect), she remains disrespectful.

The Vince Lombardi Approach to Marriage: Mastering the Fundamentals

When the Energizing Cycle Doesn’t Work

First Things First—You Can’t Fix Your Marriage If You Don’t First Fix Yourself

First Things First—You Can’t Fix Your Marriage If You Don’t First Fix Yourself

As you can imagine, I receive a great deal of emails from concerned spouses describing their marital problems. Most times these stories are describing the ways the one writing me feels the other spouse is harming their relationship. Of course, such a viewpoint is only human nature. After all, while it can be difficult for all of us to evaluate our own shortcomings and sins, our spouse’s seem to be highlighted in big, bold letters for us, don’t they?

Is Ephesians 5:33 “Man’s Advice” or the Word of God?

Is Ephesians 5:33 “Man’s Advice” or the Word of God?

A well-meaning husband once wrote me: I attended your conference. You have very useful material, however lots of man material and very little godly content. For example, "A wife has one driving need—to feel loved." A man says that! God says, "A wife has one driving need—love God above all. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). What couples need is to dedicate and rely on Jesus, not all this MAN advice that says "when that need is met, he/she is happy." I'm sorry, but without the love of God, there is no happiness.

What Can a Hallmark Movie Teach Us about Starting Up the Energizing Cycle?

What Can a Hallmark Movie Teach Us about Starting Up the Energizing Cycle?

Have you noticed how hugely popular Hallmark movies become during the holiday season at the end of every year? Though it’s not hard to find blogs and others online poking fun at the same basic storyline that seems to be the premise for every one of them—a career woman too busy for love, a handsome bachelor in a small town, spontaneous snowfall, and a dog—nevertheless, watching Hallmark movies seems to have become a holiday tradition up there with peppermint mochas and gingerbread houses.

Divorce - Would You Abandon a Brand-New Lexus Just Because You Didn’t Know How to Work the Stick Shift?

Divorce - Would You Abandon a Brand-New Lexus Just Because You Didn’t Know How to Work the Stick Shift?

I have either officiated or attended many weddings over the years. I bet you have been to quite a few as well. The bride is glowing, the groom is awe struck, and you couldn’t pry the smiles off their faces with a crow bar. All is perfect in their world. To the bride and groom, this day represents the culmination of years of anticipation that probably began long before they even met. Surrounded by friends and family, and in front of the God they praise for bringing them together, they joyfully dedicate their lives to each other, “till death do them part,” and launch themselves out into the world together, as both best friends and intimate companions. The adventure of a lifetime has begun!