W hen we first get married, everything seems perfect. It seems as if the love that we share will sustain us. It seems as if we will be able to work through any argument with ease, that the butterflies will never fade, and our spouse will never be able to let us down. If you’ve been married any length of time, you know that this just isn’t the case. Marriage is wonderful and beautiful, but that beauty takes work. To have an intimate marriage that reflects the love of Jesus, we have to deal … [Read more...]
7 Steps to Achieve Best-Friend Status with your Spouse
O ne of the most profound things I have ever heard was the idea that after 30, 50, or 70 years together, we hopefully will not only still love our spouse, but still like them too. This idea really caught me off guard the first time I heard it. Wouldn’t the goal be to love our spouse? Isn’t liking them natural and love more difficult? While the Bible calls us to love our spouse, we are not called to like them. “Liking” our spouse is a feeling, whereas “loving” them is a choice. And “liking” is … [Read more...]
The Real Definition of a Provider
A man naturally feels a strong desire to provide for his family. This is a God-given desire. However, as a culture, we have defined “provision” as purely financial. While it’s good to provide financially, God calls husbands to a much higher standard. The call for a husband to provide goes far beyond financial security to his full investment and involvement. But what does that look like? In short, a Husband should provide: A safe, loving place for his family A safe place can mean … [Read more...]
#10: Marriage Retreats: Breathing Life Into Your Marriage (Dr. Matt Turvey)
Today, we had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Matt Turvey, director of Winshape Marriage. He talks about how marriage retreats help to jumpstart the healing process for a couple that's struggling. They can also be a great way for a couple that's doing well to be proactive and breathe new life into their marriage, providing a solid foundation to continue building on. He has great wisdom and believes that couples need to actively address the little things before they become big wedges. His advice … [Read more...]
Choosing Thankfulness over Frustration
If you’ve read my previous blog, you know I tend to analyze things to death, often focusing solely on the flaws. After writing that blog, I saw another important lesson that I missed the first time. Not only do I often see the worst in myself, but I tend to see the worst in my wife far more often than I would like to admit. The same is true in many marriages--the little things grate on you after a while, then you have a choice to make--will you focus on the negative or the positive? I have … [Read more...]
#9: Overcoming the Loss of a Child (Kim & Larry Peacock)
This week on the podcast, we had the pleasure of talking with Kim and Larry Peacock. They opened up about the sudden loss of their daughter and how they kept their marriage strong during the crisis and in the years since. We talk about how to work through trauma, what the healing process might look like when you and your spouse grieve differently, and how to keep God's perspective. They are an amazing couple who have kept the focus on Jesus and are allowing Him to use their story to bring Him … [Read more...]
Getting out of a Funk in Your Marriage
Have you ever had one of those weeks where things just felt off with you and your spouse? We have. There was about a three week period where we were just missing each other and taking out our stress on one another. I was hormonal and moody and Adam was anxious and stressed. Let me just tell you, that's a terrible combination and a recipe for disaster. There were many arguments that seemed like they were pointless. We’d resolve one conflict and then head right into another one. The times where we … [Read more...]
#5: Marriage: Withstanding the Storm of Cancer (Kevin & Becky McIntire)
Have you ever wondered how a couple keeps their marriage strong in the midst of a serious illness? Today, Kevin and Becky McIntire share their raw, personal story of walking through cancer and how they stayed a strong team through struggle and uncertainty. They walk us through the dark moments that cancer brought, how their relationship with Jesus kept them together, and how they withstood the storm as a united team. Be sure to listen in! #5: Withstanding the Storm of Cancer (Kevin & Becky … [Read more...]
#4: Being Fully Present in Your Marriage (Bob Goff)
Today we had an awesome time talking with Bob Goff! In today’s podcast he talks with us about being fully present and kind, and what this looks like with our spouses. We hope you have as much fun listening to his stories and wisdom as we did! #4: Being Fully Present in Your Marriage (Bob Goff) Mentioned in This Episode: Where to find Bob: BobGoff.com Dream Big Framework Follow Bob on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Bob's Latest Books: Love Does Everybody … [Read more...]
8 Simple Steps to a Lifelong Marriage
As I was growing up, I was a pretty quiet kid. I didn’t say much, but I was always watching. In our church group, I paid special attention to one family. The husband had a sharp mind for business and was always trying something new. He and his wife led a bible study in their home every week for decades--theirs was the longest running group I was aware of. In addition, he ran a men’s group, and she ran a women’s group. They always seemed to be so in love, and have a great dynamic with their many … [Read more...]