Don and I decided to do a 30 Days of Service Challenge after watching the below video by Comedian Mike Goodwin. Mike decided to do something every day to serve his wife for an extended period of time - - 30 days. I thought it was going to easy to knock out. Wrong! The first few days we were enthusiastic about out-serving each other. He made me breakfast in bed on more than one … [Read more...]
2 Simple Words that Have the Power to Transform Your Marriage
When people talk about what it takes to have a happy marriage, more often than not, you will hear the words: love, communication and trust. And while each of those actions are crucial to marital success, there are two other words that shouldn't be overlooked; grace and gratitude. These are two simple words that carry a lot of weight and have the potential to transform your … [Read more...]
LOVE HACKS: 3 Simple Tips that Will Help You Love Your Married Life
By: Vanessa Thorpe A couple of days ago, my husband texted me five little words that melted my heart. They served as confirmation that we were doing something right. “I love our life together. That is all the text said. I do not know what sparked him to send the text, but I am so glad to be reassured that our marriage is solidified with the mutual satisfaction of our … [Read more...]
4 Marriage Goals for Couples Who Want to Thrive in the New Year
It's that time of the year. The time where everyone starts focusing on goal-setting and things they want to accomplish in the new year. And if you haven't been including a list of goals for your marriage every year, now is the time to start. This past weekend, my parent's celebrated 50 years of marriage (here are the tips they shared a few years ago). When I introduced my … [Read more...]
ABC’s of Love; 26 Steps to a Happier Marriage
Remember the rules you learned in kindergarten on how to behave and treat each other? Well, I’ve put together a similar list for married folk. Below are simple tips from A to Z that will help you have a happy relationship. Always apologize when you’re wrong. It’s the mature thing to do. Be available when your spouse needs you. Don’t put him/her on the back … [Read more...]
5 Critical Choices You Need to Make Daily to Have a Marriage That Lasts a Lifetime
I don't take for granted that I have a fulfilling, happy and amazing relationship with my husband. Is everything perfect? Of course not. But everything is perfect for us and our relationship. Over the decade that we've been married, we've seen a lot of marriages fail. And every time, we hear of another failed marriage, it leads us to dialogue about our own marriage. We bring … [Read more...]
3 of the Biggest Reasons Why Your Wife Isn’t Interested in Having Sex With You
We’ve heard it time and time again: A sexless marriage is not a healthy marriage. Of course, marriage is about friendship, compromise, a spiritual connection and a shared vision, but let’s keep it real—a healthy marriage is also about a good sex life. Once you eliminate sex from the equation, you’re dealing with a roommate, not a spouse. So how does a sexless marriage … [Read more...]
3 Things You Must Let Go of to Have a Successful Marriage
Marriage is one of the toughest yet rewarding partnerships you will ever enter. It requires change of both partners. Understand though: never let go of the characteristics that are essential to you as a person. However, there are some learned behaviors that plague marriages. To have a successful marriage, here are three things you must let go. Unforgiveness, a quick temper, … [Read more...]
9 Damaging Habits to Give Up NOW for the Sake of Your Marriage
During the beginning of my marriage, it was pretty hard for my husband to get a read on how I was feeling at times. He would ask me what was wrong, and I would look him right in the eyes and say, “nothing.” I knew darn well that was a lie, but I got into the habit of doing it pretty often. One day, my husband expressed how annoying this habit was and how saying “nothing” … [Read more...]
These 3 Things Should Matter More Than Your Spouse
My husband understands me in a way few people can. He appreciates my quirkiness. He understands why certain things cause me pain. He is sensitive to my emotional needs. He’s a good man. There is no question in my mind I married “the one.” And because I was fortunate enough to marry not just a great guy but the right guy for me, I make sure he understands our marriage matters … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Have a Happy Marriage, Even If You’ve Never Seen One
I grew up around a variety of marital situations. I had relatives that were single, that were married and then divorced, that were cohabiting (and I never knew they weren’t married until I was older) and that were married for a very long time. My parents have been married for over 40 years, and my grandparents were married until death did they part. And although I saw … [Read more...]
9 Small Actions Causing Big Problems in Your Marriage
Do you want to help your marriage or hurt it? I’m sure you want to help it. I would hope that’s what any levelheaded person wants for their marriage. Even if you aren’t happy and you feel like your marriage is in trouble, you probably want to do whatever you can to help it—not hurt it. But sometimes, and even with the best intentions, we end up damaging our relationship with … [Read more...]
Should You Stay or Go? Is Giving Up on Your Marriage Ever a Reasonable Option?
I hate giving up. Something about walking away just feels unnatural. If something mattered enough for me to pursue, I have to hang in there. I have to give it all I’ve got. But does that mean I won’t ever give up? No, because I have walked away from things on occasion. I think there are times where, despite our very best efforts, walking away starts to feel like the … [Read more...]
It’s Not a FairyTale: 9 Ways to Create “Happily Ever After” in Your Marriage
Happily ever after. That’s the dream, right? We get married with the hopes that what we have will last forever. And let’s not kid ourselves—forever is a really, really long time. But we date and eventually make a decision to share this one life we have with a partner whom we believe is worthy. Yet, despite our best intentions, wanting to be married forever isn’t enough. If … [Read more...]
Ladies: 3 Personal Goals that Will Make You a Better Woman and Wife in the New Year
It’s that time of the year when we all begin to think about how the upcoming year will be different. Better. I know it’s been on my mind quite a bit lately. And although I am not a fan of resolutions, I am a huge fan of setting goals and creating an action plan to help reach those goals. Many of my goals for the new year are personal goals. Personal development is what most … [Read more...]