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A Wife’s Hurt Feelings: Beyond a Husband’s Apology, Rethinking a Fresh Approach
NEWEST Article

A Wife’s Hurt Feelings: Beyond a Husband’s Apology, Rethinking a Fresh Approach

If I ranked comments from wives to me, this one comes in close to the top: “My husband hurts my feelings.”

A Wife’s Hurt Feelings: Beyond a Husband’s Apology, Rethinking a Fresh Approach
Marriage
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6
min read
Seek Mutual Understanding, Not Divorce
NEWEST Article

Seek Mutual Understanding, Not Divorce

Countless divorcees have told us over the years that had they known the Love and Respect truth underlying the negative cycle they found themselves constantly on (which we refer to as the Crazy Cycle), they would never have divorced.

Seek Mutual Understanding, Not Divorce
Marriage
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9
min read
When Disappointed in Our Spouse, Do We Address Their Conduct or Attack Their Character?
NEWEST Article

When Disappointed in Our Spouse, Do We Address Their Conduct or Attack Their Character?

Husbands and wives are going to disagree . . . many times. They’re going to have arguments . . . many times. On top of that, husbands will disappoint wives, and wives will disappoint husbands, bringing reason for the offended or hurt spouse to broach a possibly sensitive or tough topic. 

When Disappointed in Our Spouse, Do We Address Their Conduct or Attack Their Character?
Marriage
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6
min read
“My Response Is My Responsibility”—7 Fears and 7 Benefits
NEWEST Article

“My Response Is My Responsibility”—7 Fears and 7 Benefits

There is an axiom that I have used in my teachings for as long as I can remember that, to this day, I still fully believe in its simple but life-changing truth: “My response is my responsibility.”

“My Response Is My Responsibility”—7 Fears and 7 Benefits
Marriage
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10
min read
According To Jesus, All We Need To Be Content Is Food, Covering, And One More Thing...
NEWEST Article

According To Jesus, All We Need To Be Content Is Food, Covering, And One More Thing...

When I was on staff at a church in the 1970s, we sought to serve widows and orphans. Though they were not all widows, we decided to lean into assisting single parents specifically.

According To Jesus, All We Need To Be Content Is Food, Covering, And One More Thing...
Christian Life
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6
min read
Seek Mutual Understanding, Not Divorce

Seek Mutual Understanding, Not Divorce

Seek Mutual Understanding, Not Divorce
Marriage
Image duration icon
9
min read
When Disappointed in Our Spouse, Do We Address Their Conduct or Attack Their Character?

When Disappointed in Our Spouse, Do We Address Their Conduct or Attack Their Character?

When Disappointed in Our Spouse, Do We Address Their Conduct or Attack Their Character?
Marriage
Image duration icon
6
min read
“My Response Is My Responsibility”—7 Fears and 7 Benefits

“My Response Is My Responsibility”—7 Fears and 7 Benefits

“My Response Is My Responsibility”—7 Fears and 7 Benefits
Marriage
Image duration icon
10
min read
According To Jesus, All We Need To Be Content Is Food, Covering, And One More Thing...

According To Jesus, All We Need To Be Content Is Food, Covering, And One More Thing...

According To Jesus, All We Need To Be Content Is Food, Covering, And One More Thing...
Christian Life
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6
min read
Are Our Parents To Blame For Our Issues? Part 2

Are Our Parents To Blame For Our Issues? Part 2

In part 1, we asked the question: Can we blame the problems in our lives or in our relationships on our parents? Many of us tend to think this at least occasionally at different times in our lives, and the Bible has a few things to tell us on the topic.1. Parents do betray us. Jesus taught, “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child” (Matt. 10:21).The question arises: Because of this mistreatment by our parents, are we damaged goods forever, meaning we will never fully be happy or successful because of their failings toward us?

Are Our Parents To Blame For Our Issues? Part 2
Christian Life
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5
min read
Are Our Parents To Blame For Our Issues? Part 1

Are Our Parents To Blame For Our Issues? Part 1

Many of us look at the things in ourselves that we do not like and at the negative reactions from people we do not like, and we wonder, Do these problems exist in my life because of my parents? If they had been better parents, or had treated me better, then surely I’d be a better person with fewer personal and interpersonal problems, right?First, we see things in ourselves that make us unhappy.

Are Our Parents To Blame For Our Issues? Part 1
Christian Life
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4
min read
How To Effectively Discipline: Teaching Moments and Follow Through

How To Effectively Discipline: Teaching Moments and Follow Through

The two boys, ages ten and thirteen, could not stand the wait. The next night they would attend the Detroit Pistons basketball game. Their dad had purchased five tickets on the second row at a fund-raising auction. He and his wife, along with his best friend, would accompany the two boys. In the meantime, the father had requested the boys do several chores the last couple of days, which they had neglected so far. As the boys laid out their Pistons jerseys to wear the next night, the dad reminded them of the three tasks they needed to do. “Yes, Dad, we will do it,” both chimed in.

How To Effectively Discipline: Teaching Moments and Follow Through
Parenting
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5
min read
Which Comes First, Love or Respect?

Which Comes First, Love or Respect?

Every so often I hear someone make this kind of comment: "While I'm all for the love and respect message, God is a God of order and He commands in Ephesians 5:33 that husbands must their wives first, and then wives are to respect their husbands. The responsibility lies with the husband to love first." Why would someone make this argument? Though there are multiple reasons, most often they fear a wife will be mistreated. They believe a woman who puts on respect toward an unloving and disobedient husband could end up abused.

Which Comes First, Love or Respect?
Marriage
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5
min read
What Did We Know about Marriage as a Six-Year-Old but Forgot as an Adult? -- Part 2

What Did We Know about Marriage as a Six-Year-Old but Forgot as an Adult? -- Part 2

In part 1, we met Jenna, the six-year-old who pleaded to her mom and dad to remember how they were once friends and to find that friendship once again. Jenna communicated well in her video what we all knew fully well when we were six and watching our mom and dad live out their marriage: marriage is about being friends and being friendly. Here are three suggestions on being better friends with your goodwilled spouse who, like you, wants your marriage to succeed.1. Assume your spouse has goodwill but that their gender causes them to react in ways that do not feel like they have goodwill.

What Did We Know about Marriage as a Six-Year-Old but Forgot as an Adult? -- Part 2
Marriage
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4
min read
What Did We Know about Marriage as a Six-Year-Old but Forgot as an Adult?—Part 1

What Did We Know about Marriage as a Six-Year-Old but Forgot as an Adult?—Part 1

Have we forgotten what we knew about marriage at age six? We knew that a mommy and daddy ought to be friendly with each other because all mommies and daddies ought to be friends. We knew that it frightened us when mommy and daddy were unfriendly with each other. We knew that mommy and daddy obviously liked each other; otherwise they would not have married. We knew intuitively that when they married, and because they married, they were to love and honor each other, especially in front of us. No-Fault Divorce Means the Kids Won’t Be Hurt, Right?

What Did We Know about Marriage as a Six-Year-Old but Forgot as an Adult?—Part 1
Marriage
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4
min read
Does Your Spouse Dictate Your Worth?

Does Your Spouse Dictate Your Worth?

A husband dealing with the possibility of his wife leaving him reached out to me. I responded to him: "The challenge before you…is to bring your identity in Christ to your marriage instead of deriving your identity from your marriage. Though your wife will affect many of your emotions—sadness, anger, frustration, happiness, contentment—in the deepest sense your sense of worth must be derived from your walk with Christ.” He wrote back:

Does Your Spouse Dictate Your Worth?
Christian Life
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6
min read
Are Men and Women Really That Different? Does That Explain the Craziness?

Are Men and Women Really That Different? Does That Explain the Craziness?

When a wife complains, “I have nothing to wear,” she means she has nothing new to wear. When a husband complains, “I have nothing to wear,” he means he has nothing clean to wear. In this instance, both say the exact same thing. “I have nothing to wear.” However, both mean something different. Why? Because this humorous point brings home a simple truth that we too often miss: men and women differ.She filters her life through her priorities and felt needs as a woman and he filters his world through his priorities and felt needs as a man.

Are Men and Women Really That Different? Does That Explain the Craziness?
Marriage
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6
min read

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