This month we begin to look at Commitment 2: We will make growth and change our daily agenda. Marriage really is just a long-term exercise in gardening. If you’ve done any gardening you know there simply aren’t any shortcuts. Gardens begin with hard work. Clearing and tilling the land isn’t fun, but it’s essential. Digging holes for the seeds isn’t [...]
This month we continue to look at Commitment 1: We will give ourselves to a regular lifestyle of confession and forgiveness. Last month we talked about confession. This month we will focus on forgiveness. There is perhaps no other ingredient as essential to a healthy marriage than forgiveness. Yet forgiveness is not always attractive. Forgiveness is difficult and costly. It [...]
This month we will begin examining the daily commitments to live a lifestyle of reconciliation. When practiced, these commitments become daily habits that form the kind of marriage that God's design intended and His grace can make possible. Commitment 1: We will give ourselves to a regular lifestyle of confession and forgiveness. This month, we will be looking at having [...]
You can have a marriage that is mutually satisfying while being honoring to God. You really can! Accepting who you are, resting in who God is, and living as he calls you to live will produce a harvest that is far better than the small-vision dreams that you are able to come up with on your own. We continue this [...]
You knew what would make you happy. You had thought about it and made preparations for years. You had a mental checklist that was fulfilled by your spouse. You eagerly anticipated the life you always dreamed of—and hoped for. Then life happened. A baby's arrival years before anticipated. An unexpected financial hardship. A lingering medical condition. A life so busy [...]
Everyone searches for hope. Everybody looks for a reason to continue. Everyone wants to know that what they give themselves to will prove to be worth it. The things we say and do are rooted in deeply ingrained thoughts and desires. We are all on a lifelong treasure hunt. Your treasure may not be my treasure, but we're both treasure [...]
For the next several months our posts will be based on the book "What did you expect?", by Paul David Tripp. It's the best book I've read for addressing why we struggle at times in our marriage, and not simply how to fix it. As we center our lives in Christ first, our marriage will align with God's intended purpose [...]
Here in the midwest, we have been experiencing a colder-than-average winter—some days setting new records for cold. February's bleak and dreary weather has little to offer with the exception of two things—the Super Bowl (and the parties that come with it), and Valentine's Day. And since connecting marriage and the Super Bowl would be a stretch, even for me, let's [...]
By Eva Marie Everson With one question I opened Pandora's Box. "What, if anything," I asked my husband, "could I change about me to make you happier?" It wasn't that we were unhappy or that I perceived he was unhappy. But after nearly 25 years together, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that while we may adjust to [...]
By Sharon Peterson As women, we generally like to have a sense of control in our lives. The word "control", for many, carries with it a negative connotation. But some forms of control are good, like self-control. Everyone benefits from exercising self-control. Also, if you are a mom (or dad) of small children you need to exercise a certain amount [...]
