"I prayed for a husband, and God answered my prayer." I hear it all the time from married women; however, their tone of voice isn't as gleeful as you might imagine. They prayed for a man who will love and adore them, yet they get annoyed when he wants to show affection and be close 24/7. They call this type of man "needy." What we fail to realize is that when we pray, God has … [Read more...]
8 Things You Need to Accept for Your Marriage to Work
Years ago, when I started dating my now spouse, I would get so annoyed because he had such a hard time planning things in advance. Now, we have been married for almost seven years, and guess what? He still has a hard time planning things in advance. Do I still get annoyed? Not as often, but occasionally I do. Over time I have come to realize that many of the problems that … [Read more...]
Three Scenarios to Consider Before You Blame Yourself Over a Failed Relationship
"I just want them to feel what I feel and to feel the pain that I felt."....How many people are familiar with this thought process or have heard a friend say it after he or she has been hurt? Maybe someone was cheated on or someone was lied to or disrespected. But regardless of the circumstance, many of us carry around this a spirit of revenge in our hearts and it might just … [Read more...]
5 Character Defects That Ruin Marriage
When we consider marriage, we hear time and time again about the ingredients that make a marriage work. Love, honesty, trust and communication are a few of those that normally soar to the top of the list. We are also familiar with the actions that lead to the destruction of a marriage. Infidelity, abuse and neglect all go to the top of that list. However, do we ever consider … [Read more...]
Art of Love Relationship Series Recap: 50,000+ People Looking for Ways to Improve Marriage
The Art of Love Relationship series began this week and for those of you who haven't heard, it's a series of webcasts gathering many of the country's most renowned relationship experts to discuss all things love, marriage and relationships. Eleven webcasts are scheduled, each focusing on a different topic, all teaching us how to connect, have better and more frequent sex, … [Read more...]
Can Your Child Tell You Anything?
Question: Can your child tell you anything? Let me be more specific: Can your child tell you anything without you losing control? Can they trust you to listen and to respond lovingly, even while showing disapproval? Be honest now. Do you fly off the handle and start jumping to conclusions, or do you control your emotions and respond like a sane person? What if your child … [Read more...]
It Comes with the Territory: 10 Things All Couples Should Know and Accept About Marriage
Are you one of those people who after getting married realized there were certain things you wish you had known before saying "I do"? In fact I often hear these conversations in my circle of married friends. I feel like my relationship could've done without a lot of the early drama we had in the beginning, if only I had known certain things. I think part of being a grown up … [Read more...]
On Parenthood: The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short
I'm writing this on a Thursday night, and I swear it feels like Friday. Or maybe I just wish it was. My body aches, and my brain has turned to mush. This week actually kicked off this past weekend, when I had to rush my daughter to the ER for an asthma attack that wouldn't respond to her inhaler or nebulizer. Spent the rest of the weekend nursing her back to health and … [Read more...]
How Do We Raise Leaders?
My daughters are smart, sweet, and energetic and already know their future careers. My husband and I will be the proud parents of a future journalist, chef, artist and soccer player (keep in mind it's only two of them). But the area that needed improvement was their willingness to lead. A constant question I had was, "How do parents instill drive, motivation, and leadership … [Read more...]