Marriage Articles

Do You Have the Humility Necessary to Move First?

Not All Men Need to Keep Talking about Their Hurts and Vulnerabilities

Not All Men Need to Keep Talking about Their Hurts and Vulnerabilities

When I used to do marriage counseling during my days as a pastor, I noticed a distinctive trend among the couples who would come to my office. The husband typically played it close to the vest during the session.

Are You Fighting a Battle Your Spouse Doesn’t Even Know You Are Having?

Are You Fighting a Battle Your Spouse Doesn’t Even Know You Are Having?

Husbands and wives will find themselves in conflict with each other—that is undeniable. In fact, because the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:28 that those who marry “will have trouble in this life,” we can also conclude that some conflict within marriage is by God’s design.

Do You Have the Humility Necessary to Move First?

Do You Have the Humility Necessary to Move First?

When a husband and wife find themselves on yet another out-of-control Crazy Cycle—where feeling unloved, she reacts without respect; and feeling disrespected, he reacts without love—how do they decide who is going to be the first to stop reacting unlovingly or disrespectfully?

What Do You Think When You Hear “Happy Wife, Happy Life”?

What Do You Think When You Hear “Happy Wife, Happy Life”?

You’ve probably heard the phrase “happy wife, happy life” before. Maybe it’s in the context of something simple, like choosing what restaurant to eat at or not leaving dirty clothes on the bathroom floor.

Why Does a Wife Not Hear That Her Husband Needs Respect?

Why Does a Wife Not Hear That Her Husband Needs Respect?

The idea of unconditional respect for the husband has always been the Love and Respect message’s unique feature, based on Ephesians 5:33. Many books stress Paul’s instruction for husbands to love their wives (“each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself . . .”), but few spend equal space if any at all, to the rest of the verse (“. . . and the wife must respect her husband”).

What Do You Think When You Hear “Happy Wife, Happy Life”?

Why Does a Wife Not Hear That Her Husband Needs Respect?

How Does Goodwill Square with Total Depravity?

How Does Goodwill Square with Total Depravity?

Wherever I teach about goodwill, I am asked, "How do you reconcile the concept of goodwill with the total depravity of the human heart?" Some people go so far as to say,

What Does It Mean to Have Goodwill?

What Does It Mean to Have Goodwill?

In the past several weeks I have covered two vital truths that can help the Love and Respect couple develop mutual understanding and good communication: 1. The mouth matters (what comes out of the mouth depends on what is in the heart).

Decision Making in Marriage - A Hot Button Topic? - Part 3

Decision Making in Marriage - A Hot Button Topic? - Part 3

Emerson’s Reply, Part Three - A few days ago I presented a question that came to me in an email, concerning decision-making in marriage. Please read my two previous posts for Parts One and Two. Concerning the suggestion that husbands and wives “Wait for God to change her/him on the matter” when they are at a stalemate, here is another important point.

Decision Making in Marriage - A Hot Button Topic? - Part 2

Decision Making in Marriage - A Hot Button Topic? - Part 2

Emerson’s Reply, Part Two - Please read the previous post which presents the question on Decision-Making, and includes Part One of my reply. Today I’ll address the second suggestion from the wives: “Wait for God to change her/him on the matter.”