You’ve been in your relationship for years, and although you’ve made mistakes, you believe they are pretty minor compared to the devastating mistakes you’ve accepted from your spouse. Maybe she cheated on you. Maybe he squandered away a huge chunk of your savings. Or maybe, it’s a long list of smaller issues that have you realizing this relationship is not what you … [Read more...]
Money & Marriage: 2 Ways Couples Can Get on the Same Page Financially
Soon after Derek proposed to Carrie, he got a bit of a surprise. He found out her house was headed into foreclosure. They still got married and faced the financial disaster together because, as they put it: "We had no choice. The bank wasn’t taking excuses in lieu of mortgage payments.” The conversations and decisions that Derek and Carrie had to make early in their marriage … [Read more...]
Married Couples: If You Smile in Public and Cry Behind Closed Doors, Read This
There are too many married faces, smiling in public and crying behind closed doors. This may be you or a couple you know. For sure, it was me and my husband early-on in our marriage. We had just as many bad days as we did good days. Can you relate to any of these scenarios? You're leaving for work sad because of what is going on in your marriage.....but, you're happy you … [Read more...]
You, Me and He? 2 Reasons to Allow the Holy Spirit into Your Marriage
When you face marriage difficulties and you don’t know how to solve them or how you are going to get through them, you need assistance. You need someone to comfort you and guide you. That someone is the Holy Spirit, and He can help you through very difficult times in your marriage. Here’s how. Romans chapter 8, verses 26 to 27 say: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in … [Read more...]
7 Things Christian Men Say They Need from a Relationship. Are You Giving Them to Him?
In my previous article, I surveyed Christian men in order to gain clarity on why Christian men date/marry outside of the church. During that dialogue one point was consistently made. “A man needs to feel needed and valued and most women (not just Christian women) miss this point.” This very sentiment has been stated by non-Christian men as well. I believe if you surveyed … [Read more...]
Why I Refuse to Let Guilt Tear Me Apart This Holiday Season
I had been living with a lot of guilt lately. It wasn't guilt because I personally did something wrong, but the guilt still robbed me of my joy and thanksgiving. Ironically, I had been feeling guilty for all the good things happening in my life recently. I wanted to rejoice that my parents and both my brothers along with their families would be with us at my brother's … [Read more...]
How God’s Sense of Humor Healed My Blended Family; Plus, 5 Tips for YOU
Many people ask, "how did you make your blended family work?" With so many couples turning to divorce in our society, I can see how this perplexes folks. My prayer is that these five tips will help you in this journey called LIFE. 1. Pray!!!! I am so serious about this. Bringing children and a spouse together is a totally different dynamic, which can make or break a new … [Read more...]
From Your Husband with Love; 5 Things Men Wish You Knew About Marriage
Dear Current & Future Wives, Okay, so let me go ahead and get this part out of the way! I know most women reading this first thought will be like “well, here we go again, why is it always about what women need to do.” All I ask you to do is read this letter with an open heart and mind and attempt to try and understand where many men are coming from so that we can bridge … [Read more...]
Attn: Christian Singles! 2 Major Areas You Should Address Before You Start a New Relationship
It's tough being a single person dating in today's singles environment. Being a Christian single adds even more layers of complexity, considering potential conflicts in morals, values, spiritual goals, etc.. There will be lots of hits, complete misses and close calls in terms of finding ideal candidates for your heart. But my recommendation is not to just jump into dating … [Read more...]
4 Books to Make Your Marriage Better, Tighter and Smoother
My husband Don and I have been married for 17 years, however, the first 15 were awfully tumultuous. We argued all the time and just could not get along. I now realize that I went into marriage thinking I would be a glorified girlfriend and that my husband would love me unconditionally until “death did we part.” That lasted all of three weeks. That’s it. The honeymoon and my … [Read more...]
Do You Have an In Case of Emergency Contact List for Marriage Support?
Conflict arises in marriage. And when that happens, it's natural to need an ear or a shoulder sometimes. We need our moments to vent and to get some helpful feedback. But we need to be careful that those we're allowing into our marriage aren't doing more harm than good with their advice, or lack thereof. Be sure that you're talking about your marriage with the right people by … [Read more...]
10 Things I Learned About Marriage from Watching the Obamas
When I look at relationships that I aspire to resemble in my own marriage, I look no further than our President and First Lady. To me, the Obamas are the epitome of a healthy, loving, marriage. As President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle conclude their last days in office, I want to thank them for being a wonderful example of marriage. Here are ten lessons I learned … [Read more...]
13 Years in a Beautiful Multicultural Marriage; How They Made it Work
Combining two cultures through the covenant of marriage is easier than you may think. To find out how this is done I interviewed my good friend Wenona Barlow. She and her husband Lenny have been married for 13 years and have four beautiful children (Three little girls, Mya 10, Nina 5, Sophia 2 and a handsome young boy, Isaac 3). After talking to Wenona on this subject of … [Read more...]
5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Marrying Before You Turn 30
According to the Census Bureau, most Americans are marrying before they hit the 30 year mark. My husband and I got married when I was 24 and he was 27. Now, some 19 years later, I feel like we got married at a good age. We have both changed since then as individuals and as a couple. Well, I’ll say we have evolved as a couple. We have had time to really learn about ourselves … [Read more...]
Is Your Marriage Sending You to an Early Grave? 3 Things to Do About It
When you got married, the minister may have decreed this statement, “…in sickness or in health, till death due you part.” But what if your marriage is actually causing your sickness? By studying short spats between couples researchers can predict the development of health problems over 20 years. Well, did you know heated arguments with your spouse can predict your future … [Read more...]