,This Sunday is the most sacred of all days for those in the Christian faith - the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Even many who don't regularly attend church will be making it to the house of the Lord this week. But beyond a packed church, patent leather shoes, new suits, colored eggs, and chocolate bunnies - Easter Sunday means something to … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Spring Clean Your Marriage
Spring is in the air. Flowers have started blooming, people are wearing shorts, and that spring feeling is irresistible. But how about in our relationships? Regardless of the month of the year or the temperature outside, an opportunity to spring clean your marriage should never be overlooked. 6 Ways to Spring Clean Your Marriage In this article: Learn to appreciate the … [Read more...]
5 Lessons for Black Marriages From Black History
I was inspired to write this post while reading the book, The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson. What an amazing book! Just a few pages into this 1,000 plus page moving account of the "Great" migration of African Americans from the South to every part of this country, and something has hit me. There are so many lessons for black marriages from black history. In fact, my … [Read more...]
5 Threats to Marital Bliss You Must Avoid This Christmas
They say it's the most wonderful time of the year. However, it is a sometimes not-so-quiet secret that Christmas and the collective holiday season can heap a ton of stress on an otherwise "good" relationship. Not to mention what it does to relationships that are already under pressure. In fact, instead of marital bliss, many couples experience marital threats. As much as … [Read more...]
Conversation With Gary Thomas, Author Of Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage To Make Us Holy Instead Of Happy?
I had an awesome opportunity last week to speak with best selling author and international speaker, Gary Thomas, who wrote bestseller Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage To Make Us Holy Instead Of Happy?, which still remains as his most successful book. Mr. Thomas is the author of at least thirteen books, a couple of which rank on my all-time favorites list. Learn … [Read more...]
5 Key Questions to Ask for Your 2018 Marriage Mission Statement
Most married people can connect to a time or two of frustration in their marriage relationship, but there also exists a path to a better relationship. So, here is an idea: For 2018, write a marriage mission statement together—a simple document of just a few sentences you and your spouse can create together that gives shape to your marriage. It recognizes that we need each … [Read more...]
If You’re Tired of Complaining to Your Spouse, Try These 3 Things Instead
We all have something to complain about: Too short, too big, inconsiderate, self-centered, you never cook, not enough money, never home, workaholic, drinks too much, plays video games too much, she spends too much money, he doesn't have a job, not enough sex, talks too much, doesn't communicate... I have found that having something to complain about is the easy part. … [Read more...]
The Pleasure of Falling in Love with My Third Wife
I married my first wife in 2003. Our five years of dating were terrible. We fought all the time, over every thing. We were told to never marry. But, we felt God was on our side so we got married anyway. And, those five years pretty much were regrettable, but certainly not forgettable. My second wife and I married in 2008. Things were great. We had just had a child and it … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Find Strength When Your Spouse has Checked Out of Your Marriage
What is a husband or wife left to do when their spouse decides to walk away from the marriage? Whether it is a broken husband or desperate wife with tears in their eyes, the questions are the same - What can I do? “He just doesn’t want to be married anymore”. “She just wants to move on with her life”. There really are no magic wands to be waved or magic words to be … [Read more...]
When Two Becomes One House
Does it matter if a newlywed couple move into a house that was initially solely purchased and owned by just one of them? The answer to this question can have long lasting impact on a relationship. I neither have, nor have seen statistical data on this. However, I have seen on more than a few occasions where the seeds of what is interpreted as disrespect was sown in these … [Read more...]
With This Ring, You Were Wed: Why My Ring Reminds Me of My Commitment
Wow, a few weeks ago I was blessed to officiate my 94th wedding. There were two things that made this one really cool. The first was that the groom was my cousin. Also, since it was a family wedding, my sister and brother-in-law, who are also the first couple I married, were there and they were just days away from celebrating their tenth anniversary. Seeing these two couples … [Read more...]
13 Children by 4 Different Women: 6 Lessons from the First Blended Family
As a Pastor and marriage coach dealing primarily with engaged couples I often relate the marriages and relationship scenarios of the Bible to what modern families face. Culturally there are major differences, however many couples find comfort in realizing that much of what they experience today, couples have been wrestling with since the beginning of time. As blended … [Read more...]
Let’s Be Friends: Establishing a Friendship with Your Ex-Spouse
A few months ago I was asked to help a divorced couple re-establish a friendship with each other. My first thought was, umm, I am not really familiar with this. But then I thought, surely there are some resources out there that I can pull from to give them some guidance. Well, quite a few internet searches and phone to calls later, and my conclusion now is that there is not … [Read more...]
What if Your Spouse Created Obamacare? Supporting Your Spouse Through the Storms
I remember growing up as a kid in the 70‘s, listening to adults talk about people they worked with or had a bad experience with. They would talk about how incompetent that person is, or how mean they are, lots of labels, lots of determination about who and what the person was. And I always wondered...“How does that person’s spouse feel about them?”, “I wonder if they know they … [Read more...]
Are You Raising a Good Husband or Wife?
What I have loved about writing for BMWK for the last few years is the conversations that I have been able to engage in with the readers. Recently, I wrote a post about 6 Things That Make an Exceptional Spouse and one of your comments sparked another thought. Am I raising a good spouse? Ok, let me explain quickly before that gets misinterpreted - LOL. I am not talking … [Read more...]