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

Is It Time to Split Up?—Part 2

Is It Time to Split Up?—Part 2

(If you haven't read Part 1 of this post, make sure you do so before continuing!) We have established that the “man” Jesus refers to in Matthew 9:5–6 who is putting the marriage asunder is the husband and/or wife in the marriage, not the third party too many people are quick to blame. However, Jesus has also in this verse given us three motivations to avoid putting the marriage asunder: 1) God 2) Hath 3) Joined Together.

Is It Time to Split Up?—Part 1

Is It Time to Split Up?—Part 1

Jesus says, "For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and the twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:5–6 KJV).WHO IS THE “MAN”? I have read that verse countless times over the years but not until after many readings did I see something I never saw!

Who Makes the Final Decision When You Are Stalemated? Part 2

Who Makes the Final Decision When You Are Stalemated? Part 2

In Part 1 I introduced a topic that many within the Christian community have discussed and debated about for centuries. Who makes the final call in a marriage where both spouses are caught in a stalemate over a non-moral issue? At the end of Part 1 I encouraged you to read and meditate on Ephesians 5:23 and 1 Timothy 3:4,5,12. Did you catch what the apostle Paul was--and was not--saying there?

Who Makes the Final Decision When You Are Stalemated? Part 1

Who Makes the Final Decision When You Are Stalemated? Part 1

When a husband and wife need to make a decision, should they wait for God to change the other person on the matter? What if they must make a decision by a certain time and cannot wait any longer? While there are many times when lesser decisions can be put on hold until one or both change their opinion, what about those moments when waiting is not feasible, like public versus private schooling for the kids in the fall? A decision must be made, but how?