“There is nothing you can do to make me stop loving you,” read the plaque on the pastor’s desk. “Yeah, right!” I thought. Instead of focusing on the conversation, I began to think of all the things I might do to upset him. Foolish thoughts, but they were real feelings. No one can make us … Continue reading “16 LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY”
15 GIVE LOVE; EARN TRUST
The hurting, betrayed wife moaned, “I don’t think I can ever trust him again.” I realized then that love is a gift but trust must be earned. Believing the best about my spouse is a matter of trust, not love. No matter what he has said, I trust that person based on what he did. … Continue reading “15 GIVE LOVE; EARN TRUST”
14 LAUGH WITH ONE ANOTHER
“I love to see couples laughing together,” the waitress said to us. We had just recalled a funny time with our grandchildren and were laughing uncontrollably together. Judi has a favorite saying, “Lighten up. It’s not life or death.” As a nurse, she dealt with terminal illness and critical situations daily. Some of the mundane … Continue reading “14 LAUGH WITH ONE ANOTHER”
13 KEEP PASSION ALIVE
“I am so tired of doing everything the same old way,” moaned the distressed spouse. Insanity is doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results. God uses passion to produce breakthroughs in your marriage. What is passion? It’s an intense love and desire to grow together as one in Christ. At times … Continue reading “13 KEEP PASSION ALIVE”
12 GUARD YOUR TONGUE AND SPEAK LIFE
“I’m so sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to say that,” the wife explained to her husband. Have you ever offered such a weak apology? The truth is, we really do mean what we say. Jesus confirmed this, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34b NIV). If it were not … Continue reading “12 GUARD YOUR TONGUE AND SPEAK LIFE”
11 ENJOY PHYSICAL INTIMACY
Sexual fulfillment and fun are part of the joy of marriage. It’s not a duty; it’s a privilege to share physical intimacy with one another. Some basic principles can be applied to your sexual intimacy. Discover what pleases and fulfills your mate. Talk about what brings your spouse pleasure and fulfillment. Then do it. Make … Continue reading “11 ENJOY PHYSICAL INTIMACY”
10 DRESS TO SHOW YOU CARE FOR YOUR MATE
“How can you leave the house looking like that? I have to be seen with you!” commented the wife. Now the husband could respond childishly and say, “You’re not my mother. Don’t tell me how to dress.” Or that husband could respond maturely and change what he is wearing. Why? Because we dress for our … Continue reading “10 DRESS TO SHOW YOU CARE FOR YOUR MATE”
9 DON’T COMPARE YOUR MARRIAGE TO OTHERS; COMPARE IT ONLY TO GOD’S TRUTH
“Well, I’m certainly a better husband than Joe,” protested a defensive husband in counseling. Truthfully, we can always find someone else better or worse than ourselves. It’s important to emphasize how far we’ve come, but the key to a successful marriage rests in not only starting strong and making progress. Success culminates in finishing strong. … Continue reading “9 DON’T COMPARE YOUR MARRIAGE TO OTHERS; COMPARE IT
ONLY TO GOD’S TRUTH”
8 DON’T LET ONE BAD DAY RUIN A GOOD WEEK
“You just ruined my week,” screamed the husband as he slammed the door and bolted toward his car and off to work. That’s hogwash! Nobody can ruin your day or your week unless you let them. Truthfully, one bad day doesn’t undo all the good days. Think about it. In baseball, an all-star batter may … Continue reading “8 DON’T LET ONE BAD DAY RUIN A GOOD WEEK”
7 BUILD ON EACH OTHER’S STRENGTHS
When you really know someone it’s so easy to dwell on weakness instead of strength. The focus often becomes negative instead of positive. A husband or wife tries to correct and change instead of accept and pray. One of the most common prayers in marriage is, “Lord, change my wife,” or, “Lord, change my husband.” … Continue reading “7 BUILD ON EACH OTHER’S STRENGTHS”