Marriage Articles

You Know What You’re Saying, but What Are You Communicating?

Are You Humbly Voicing a Need or Formalizing a Complaint?

Are You Humbly Voicing a Need or Formalizing a Complaint?

In the beginning, after God had created Adam and placed him in the garden to cultivate it, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).

What Does Love and Respect Enable a Wife and Husband to Do?

What Does Love and Respect Enable a Wife and Husband to Do?

In the Bible, we find two realities to which we are to respond: God’s commands and God’s promises. God calls us to obey His commands and trust His promises. Most of us have sung the song "Trust and Obey,” which captures these two quintessential truths.

You Know What You’re Saying, but What Are You Communicating?

You Know What You’re Saying, but What Are You Communicating?

There are certain phrases we have been programmed to understand in a specific way whenever we hear them. For example, if someone says to us, “We need to talk,” we know there is bad news to come and we get in defensive mode.

In What Areas Is He Feeling Disrespected? Diagnosing Your Deflated Husband

In What Areas Is He Feeling Disrespected? Diagnosing Your Deflated Husband

Is your normally happy-go-lucky husband suddenly more sulky and moody? Has your typically fully engaged and intimate husband for some mysterious reason become more distant and even physically absent?

We Cannot Insist Our Spouse Have the Same Felt Needs We Do

We Cannot Insist Our Spouse Have the Same Felt Needs We Do

Do you have a specific sports team that you are outright fanatic about? Suppose you are a passionate Yankees fan whose white bedroom walls have navy blue pinstripes on them and your living room coasters have pictures of Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Derek Jeter, and other Yankees greats on them.

In What Areas Is He Feeling Disrespected? Diagnosing Your Deflated Husband

We Cannot Insist Our Spouse Have the Same Felt Needs We Do

The #1 Reason a Person Declares, “I Want to Do This Love and Respect Thing But Can't!" [Video]

The #1 Reason a Person Declares, “I Want to Do This Love and Respect Thing But Can't!" [Video]

Over the years, I have heard spouses complain, “I cannot do this love and respect thing.” They refer to God’s command in Ephesians 5:33. Husbands are to love and wives respect.My heart goes out to them. Sarah and I fall short as well.

Is My Spouse Good or Evil?

Is My Spouse Good or Evil?

Q: I have heard you refer to “good will” a lot. What does that really mean and how do I know if my spouse has good will or evil will toward me? Dr. E says: Good question! The line between good and evil will can certainly get blurred when couples are spinning on the Crazy Cycle!Let me try to unpack this in less than 1,000 words. Good intentions, poor delivery.

I Wanted to Quit My Marriage

I Wanted to Quit My Marriage

Have you ever tried to apply Love and Respect to your marriage and then wanted to throw in the towel? Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Let’s hear how one weary wife made the decision to not give up. At first, I radically changed. Something radically changed in me through applying.

Are We Blowing Smoke About Love and Respect? [Video]

Are We Blowing Smoke About Love and Respect? [Video]

In the military, smoke screening is a tactic to disguise one’s intentions and activities by spraying smoke. The smoke acts as a ploy to prevent others from knowing one’s real purpose and condition. But smoke screening can happen in relationships too. Perhaps nothing exposes our human imperfections as much as marriage. And when a spouse points out an imperfection in their mate, what might that person do?