A few years ago, I revealed to my wife that I was no longer a Christian. Through the transition in our life, she has been very supportive of my journey. Today, where we place our day to day faith, is vastly different from the day we said our vows. Here are 3 ways: Keeping Respect Paramount Unfortunately, there are too many relationships and marriages out there where the … [Read more...]
5 Free Presents Your Husband Really Wants for Christmas
The older we become, the more Christmas can look like one large bill rather than a time we set aside to spend times with those we love the most. And as you struggle to find that perfect gift for the man in your life, I'm here to suggest a few simple and affordable options that could make his Christmas that much brighter. Not all gifts have to be a large box, a big bow, and an … [Read more...]
Why You May Not Be Ready for Marriage
The cold hard truth is that marriage is not for everyone. It’s a source of more than one of many great things this life has to offer - companionship, loyalty, conversation, partnership, family journeys, shared memories, security, and hopefully a supporting and loving circle. On the other hand, a marriage executed and rooted in selfishness and uncompromise will be the source … [Read more...]
Why the Phrase ‘Happy Wife, Happy Life’ Needs to Die
Men have been chanting this mantra to each other for years - usually while downing a few cold ones at the local happy hour before heading back to the very wife he’s trying to make happy. And therein lies the rub. Husbands cannot make their wives happy. Husbands are not an assembly line of factory happiness ready to restock her aisles once she becomes low in supply of … [Read more...]
Why Do People Say, “It’s Good to be Single?”
We all have that friend. The one in the perpetual revolving door of romantic relationships. You can almost perfectly time the stages of their current escapade. The discovery, which is also known as the “We have so much in common” speech The “This one is so different than all the others” speech The “I don't wanna get ahead of myself, but they could be the one” luncheon, The … [Read more...]
3 Expectations I Have as a Husband
The impact of expectations on any relationship cannot be understated. This is doubly true of a marriage. So many marriages go south because one or both spouses are unable to adequately express what we truly expect out of the relationship and one another. Men are incredibly simple creatures - almost to a fault. It’s probably the thing that most women get frustrated most with … [Read more...]
Why Living in Blended Families was a Gift and a Curse for Me
My father has always had a tumultuous time with women. Being such, my brother and I have had the experience of being raised in a few blended families. As is true with most experiences, it was both a gift and a curse. My parents divorced after 15 years of marriage while I was six and my brother was twelve. My father retained custody of both my brother and I. After … [Read more...]
How I Told My Wife I Was No Longer a Christian
Before my wife and I were married, we asked each other what was the biggest fear we had about one another. My fear was she would be too indecisive, and would not be satisfied with the choices she made throughout our life together. Her largest fear about me was that I wasn’t Christian enough for her ideals of a husband and a family leader. Through the years our fears played … [Read more...]
Is Any Marriage Really 100% Divorce-Proof ?
No matter how much we all want our marriages to succeed and thrive, or how many articles and books say otherwise, the truth is that none of us are able to 100% divorce-proof our marriages. Here is why: 1. You are not the only person in your marriage. I'm not just talking about the spouse. Our lives are an accumulation of the relationships we have by default (family), and the … [Read more...]
Living in the Time of Ferguson; We Must Not Stop Speaking Up
Michael Brown was killed recently in Ferguson, MO by a white police officer. Multiple people are claiming they witnessed the victim with his hands in the air when he was shot multiple times. Michael Brown was unarmed. After local police refused to release the officer’s name, they managed to release video of Michael Brown robbing a store. The shooting and robbery video were … [Read more...]
4 Reasons Why Your Marriage Needs Life Goals
In short, marriage is the agreement between two individuals to experience life together at each other’s sides. We hear far too often of marriages in trouble because the individuals believe they have grown apart over the years. The gap of unspoken words can lead to unspoken emotions, sentiments, goals and ultimately, directions. Instead of experiencing life along side one … [Read more...]
After Nine Years of Marriage, I’m Finally Ready to be Married
After nine years of marriage, I don’t know if I’ve learned a whole lot. I knew it was going to be difficult. I knew it would be a challenge. I also knew it had the potential to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. As a kid, I didn’t really have a decent example of marital bliss since I was raised primarily by my single father. He always made sure we had a maternal … [Read more...]
Maya Angelou Shaped How I View Women as a Man
It's been a few weeks since we've lost our modern icon in Maya Angelou. As many have written already, it's very difficult to overstate the impact her words and her spirit had on millions of people, including myself. Growing up, it was my father, my brother, and myself for most of our lives. Not a dominant female voice around us for years. Everything I learned about women, I … [Read more...]
3 Huge Life Lessons I Want My Son to Know
Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way: Parenthood is hard, children won't fully appreciate your efforts for years to come, and in spite of our every hurdle we're thrown, parents around the world will still try their best. My son has reminded me that he deserves my best every single day. This reminder has led to many long nights wondering what key lessons I would like … [Read more...]
The Single Most Important Question I Asked My Wife
My wife and I were separated for a few months before we learned she was pregnant with what would become our first child. We decided to get back together and figure out what this journey would look like together rather than apart. As soon as we made that decision we also knew a child wouldn't hold our relationship together for us. It would be up to both of us to put in the … [Read more...]