The promise you made to your spouse on your wedding day is the most significant promise you’ve ever made. And I believe the fulfillment of that promise (or the lack thereof) will end up significantly shaping your marriage. As sincere as you probably were when you promised, “I do” to
First there’s a spark. Then that spark turns in to a flame. As the flame grows, so does the relationship between 2
When I began marriage counseling with Marriage Revolution a few years ago, I knew I had to quickly assemble the best communication
In the tech world, if a device isn’t working properly or living up to its expected performance, performing a reset will often times
I’ve learned a lot about marriage over the past 10 years of counseling couples. Of course this list isn’t exhaustive, but it
There is power and significance in the number 3. Some even say it is the perfect number. Have you ever thought about
2 years into my marriage, I had an affair. I didn’t seek it out. I didn’t want it. I thought I could
I was recently at a leadership event where a very well-known speaker was talking about the importance of being self-aware. There were
News flash: Marriage is hard. Have you ever thought about why? Think about it from a spiritual perspective. When you join a
One of God’s goals for your marriage is for you and your spouse to be better together than you were apart. God
How to love your spouse can be confusing. One of the reasons it’s challenging at times is because you and your spouse
No matter what the stated trouble is between a couple, usually the unstated offense is that the wife does not feel loved
Communication techniques can help you get along with your spouse. Conflict resolution tips can help you to fight fair. And,
Receiving the truth in love is one of the most important skills you can learn to turn your conflicts around. One of
I learned the art of empathy the hard way. When I left the house for work the other day, my wife kissed
If you had an apple tree in your back yard and the apples started to turn grey and pulpy, how would you
To counsel online, or not to counsel online—that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the car to suffer The slings and
I’d be willing to bet you’ve experienced some level of anxiety over the past several weeks. I know I have. I don’t
You’ve probably developed some different ways of living over the past several weeks. Your relationships look different. Your schedule looks different. The
In our team meeting this past week I asked each counselor to share 1 way they would instruct couples to protect and
As the coronavirus has reached a pandemic level, the situation can seem overwhelming. But before despairing, hit the “pause button” and consider
The Corona virus is impacting almost every area of our lives: our schedule, our relationships, our jobs, our health practices, our budget,
“Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.” Colossians 3:19 It is repeated enough in the Bible that we
Learning how to respect your husband might be one of the most important skills you can develop in order to improve your
Leading your wife is more than setting goals and giving instruction. It isn’t less than that, but it is so much more.
Who does the dishes? Who makes the decisions? Who pays the bills? Who bathes the kids? Who brings home the bacon? For
If you’ve been married for any time at all, you know that conflict happens. But, that doesn’t mean it always has to
The Ten commandments from Deuteronomy 5:7-21 are an invitation from God to live a life free from unnecessary harm. Following them will
How can we measure our love for God? The amount of Bible study we do? The number of times we go to
It was a different world back then… when Mom and I walked into the department store. There were no computers. No cell
Husbands, I want to tell you a story because I want to communicate an experience that can be remarkably powerful for you
I was fuming. Legitimately angry. Boiling, you might say. After praying for days about it, I finally brought things up with my
When you go to counseling, lets face it. You do some some cheesy stuff on the comfy couch. Feeling this, and feeling
1. One thing your spouse really dislikes. You know what it is. Or do you? (I’m thinking your spouse might.) What would
Praying together. It takes minutes—but the effects of your prayers may very well be eternal. Even more, the spiritual and emotional unity
Bring it. My husband and I stood at a makeshift starting line with other couples from our Bible study group, goofy grins
There has been plenty of scoffing, snorting, eye-rolling, and outright anger in the last few decades at that tricky little word in
Maybe you’re looking for a few questions to bump things up a notch: to really make your wife feel loved. To take
A few nights ago while mindlessly channel hopping I stumbled across the 1980’s cult vampire movie, The Lost Boys. For the 30
“Honey, I don’t know how to tell you this, but—I’m not your dad.” Well. Duh. And yet–that was my husband, within the
My husband loves to tinker with vintage automobiles. In fact, he’s restoring an old car right now. When Jim talks about something
Because of the Fall, each of us has a “default setting” when we wake up each morning. The default for you and
It’s a gripping scene for me, even though I’ve seen it a dozen times: You see a young couple sitting in a
What does it look like to love your wife? Appreciate her, respect her, support her, etc… Yes to all these things. But,
What does it look like to love your husband? Appreciate him, respect him, support him, etc… Yes to all these things. But,
I get to see some of the worst marriage situations in my counseling office. As challenging and gut-wrenching as this work can
We have all heard lies, half-truths and inaccuracies our entire lives. They started when we were kids, “Don’t cross your eyes or they
Years ago, when my parents were celebrating their golden anniversary, I asked them for their marriage advice. What was their secret to
If you would have met me in my younger years you would have never pegged me as an angry man. I seemed
The bookstores are filled with marriage counsel. Conferences abound. Social media is flooded with tips on how to have a successful marriage.
Thank goodness for the editing features on our computers that help our words to be just right! How much better our writing
Elton John was spot on. That simple 5 letter word can be buried pretty deep and even when we try to dig
Marriage is simple. But, simple isn’t always easy. Let’s start with defining what’s simple and then click the link at the bottom
I know the most important thing you can do for your marriage. I have worked with a wide variety of clientele over
Conflict is normal in marriage. The thing I work on with my clients is not necessarily how to avoid conflict, but how
By David Lord: I have a 3 X 5 card on the cork board above my desk. It contains just 7 words. But
One of the most important roles a husband has is that of a leader. John Maxwell has said, “Everything rises and falls
I’ve heard it said that success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. I couldn’t agree more.
Valentines Day is all about sex. The flowers, the chocolate, the special gifts, the memorable dinner is all leading up to…great sex.
The below list was originally compiled by David Ferguson and we have been using it in counseling with couples from the beginning.
I used to think conflict in marriage was a bad thing. So much so, that I used to do whatever it took
Whatever way you slice it, divorce sucks. Although I haven’t personally experienced it, I unfortunately get front row seats to couples contemplating
95% of the couples that come to my office for counseling admit they need at least some degree of help in the
Maybe you already know what it is. You know: that one thing. It’s one thing that, like an arm in a cast,
RESPECT – Valuing and regarding another highly. Treating someone as important or with honor. Communicating or demonstrating that someone has worth. Synonyms: appreciation,
If I’ve learned 1 thing about marriage over the past 23 years, its this truth… Marriage is HARD! Anyone married longer than
When was the last time you had meaningful conversation with your spouse? Not just cliche conversation talking about the weather or the
My first job at 16 was a lifeguard at a local waterpark. I thought it would be the perfect summer job. I
Guest Post: Janel Breitenstein is a married mother of 4 who writes frequently for FamilyLife. Janel and her husband John currently serve
Romance (n): 1. a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.[1] Scent your bed sheets. Scatter a few flower petals over
The following post was written by Glen Solberg. Glen is a marriage counselor in our Little Rock, Arkansas office. 72 years. No way! I
The following post was written by Scott Credeur. If you went to Sunday school as a kid, its very likely you learned
One of my favorite authors and speakers, Paul Tripp, is famous for saying, “Change doesn’t take place in big, dramatic moments. Rather,
When I confessed my sin of pornography to Star about 15 years ago it was one of the most difficult things I’ve
I went to Cambodia a couple weeks ago with Tim and Stephanie Broersma. I love this couple. One of the reasons I
Guest Post: Janel Breitenstein is a married mother of 4 who writes frequently for FamilyLife. Janel and her husband John currently serve
It usually starts with a phone call. Maybe an e-mail.And this is the part where I feel my gut clench; I find
Guest Post: Janel Breitenstein is a married mother of 4 who writes frequently for FamilyLife. Janel and her husband John currently serve
My lovely wife and I were talking pleasantly the other day in the car, enjoying its quiet freedom from children. Then she
Have you noticed how hard it is to extinguish a healthy fire? It’s difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. There have been times
George Booth and I collaborated on this post together. I’ve been to some great weddings! We once attended a wedding in Ireland
One of my favorite parts of my job is doing pre-marital counseling. I’m so encouraged when a young crazy in love couple
Last Friday, Fox news reported that Ashley Madison—the self-proclaimed “original extramarital affairs site”—anticipated a 500% increase in applicants following Mother’s Day. There
A friend and I were out for a rare breakfast, our hands curled around ceramic mugs of decaf. “What’s the best way
I’ll never forget that day. I had been out of town for about a week and I couldn’t wait to be home to
When I discovered Star was having an affair just 18 months into our marriage I was distraught. I could barely contain the rage
I recently heard the story of a Godly leader I respected that fell into sexual immorality. When I first heard the story I
You’ve probably got insurance on your car—which you lock pretty much everywhere, maybe with the addition of a swanky alarm. And let’s
Do you want a better sex life? Believe it or not, the Bible has something to say starting in the very beginning.
By: George Booth I recently had the privilege of attending a Marriage Vows Renewal Ceremony in Jerusalem, Israel. As we stood on
After being married for just 18 short months, Star and I separated and were in the process of filing for divorce. During
It was nearly a decade and a half ago that I read, “Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask about Sex.” But
I’m sorry to be offensive, but if you’re a guy reading this there’s a good chance you might be… I know this
Can I talk out of both sides of my mouth for a second? In a previous post, I explained how Adam’s aloneness in
I’ve written a good amount of anniversary and birthday cards over the past 20 years of being married to Star. Don’t tell her,
This year has the potential to be the best year yet in your marriage. You probably have good intentions for this to
Tonight is about conflict. Since every marriage deals with it, we need to address it. But don’t worry, it won’t be that
When you first got married what were you expecting from your relationship? It’s likely one of the things on your list was
Communication is an essential part of any relationship, especially marriage! Maybe you’ve heard the cliché’, “You have 2 ears and 1 mouth,
I’d be willing to put money on the fact that your life is too busy… When Star and I first got married I
You’ve seen them, haven’t you? The couple that never talks to each other. I know Star and I have, and there’s always
The only reason Star and I didn’t get a divorce after being married for only 2 short years is because we didn’t have
The first time I ever asked Star to pray with me before we went to bed, she looked at me with a
I hate to break it to you, but you’ve been lied to. And, you’re being lied to every day. What’s worse is
Your ego wanted me to say your body. And, this might be true for you. But most women want something more… I
Last week I shared my frustration with the amount of time, energy, planning, goal setting, etc… we put into our jobs compared
In the business world meetings are a way of life. In my previous employment, we had status meetings, staff meetings, vision meetings,
By: Glen Solberg In every occupation I have been in, there has always been some element of “continuing education”. When I was
Star and I led FamilyLife’s “Art of Marriage” event at a local church this past weekend and had a blast. If you
I read a great leadership blog post recently that was titled, “Start/Stop/Continue”. Although it was written for business / church organizations, I
A friend of mine asked me recently, “How often do you and Star fight?” I responded, “Depends on what you call a
Star and I have been married for 18 years. The first 2 years of our marriage we fought. A lot! What’s worse
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