Christian Marriage Articles

Is Unconditional Respect Foolish and Impossible While Unconditional Love Is Wise?

He Desires to Be First Among Equals, She Desires to Be First in Importance

He Desires to Be First Among Equals, She Desires to Be First in Importance

A husband has a need to be respected by his wife. That is what Paul teaches in Ephesians 5:33. As well, a wife has a need to be honored (respected) by her husband.

God’s “Secret” Became One Couple’s Miracle

God’s “Secret” Became One Couple’s Miracle

The love and respect connection is real—make no mistake. When I was reading Ephesians 5 one day in 1998, after having studied and taught from this chapter many times in my twenty years of preaching, God revealed this connection to me and it blew me away.

Is Unconditional Respect Foolish and Impossible While Unconditional Love Is Wise?

Is Unconditional Respect Foolish and Impossible While Unconditional Love Is Wise?

People who think culturally, not biblically oftentimes stumble over the idea of unconditional respect.

Why One Husband Struggles With Being the Spiritual Leader

Why One Husband Struggles With Being the Spiritual Leader

"My wife and I have been really struggling with our communication and our relationship; feels like we are two ships sailing in the night, which concerns me. I know I am responsible for what comes out of my mouth, which reveals what is in my heart. I have been trying to take responsibility for that and ask for forgiveness."

Three Reasons Why Your Husband May Not Be “More Open”

Three Reasons Why Your Husband May Not Be “More Open”

“Emerson, my husband is not as open and emotionally available as he should be. As a result, I don’t feel as close to him as I would like, and I even wonder if he trusts me.”

Why One Husband Struggles With Being the Spiritual Leader

Three Reasons Why Your Husband May Not Be “More Open”

Do Wives Only Need Love and Husbands Only Need Respect?

Do Wives Only Need Love and Husbands Only Need Respect?

In my book Love & Respect, I wrote, "I sometimes get the question, ‘You say women need love and men need respect. Isn’t the opposite just as true? Don’t gals need respect and guys need love?’ My answer is, of course, women need respect and guys need love" (page 47).

Is He Making Innocent Suggestions or Unloving Criticisms?

Is He Making Innocent Suggestions or Unloving Criticisms?

A wife who wrote to me recognized that her husband’s suggestion to do something in a different way was rooted in his goodwill. As a result, she sought to apply a respectful demeanor in response to his suggestion, which motivated him to be more loving. Great news, right?

Love and Respect Is About More Than Feelings

Love and Respect Is About More Than Feelings

Some folks say, “I will love you as long as I feel love for you,” or “I will respect you as long as I feel respect for you, and I certainly won’t respect you if you have not earned it." But we need to step back for a moment.

Is the Traditional View of Husband and Wife a Practical and Realistic View? [Video]

Is the Traditional View of Husband and Wife a Practical and Realistic View? [Video]

Two women in the Bible represent the desire to find a man who is a self-reliant provider. We read in Ruth 3:1: “One day Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her, 'My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.'” Although this narrative is centuries old and reflects traditional views of men as providers and women as those provided for, do such sentiments still exist today?