Now that I’m over 18, should I still submit to my mom and dad? The Bible says that children should “obey” their parents (Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20). But when do I become fully independent of their control?
Relationships & Marriage Q&As
Will marriage counseling be effective if my spouse has an active addiction and won’t get help?
My parents recently divorced because my mom was having an affair. Since then, she’s moved in with this other man and plans to marry him within a few weeks.
How can I overcome the bitterness I have about the way my parents treated me growing up? I don’t want these memories to affect my relationship with my own kids. After all these years, I continue to struggle with negative feelings about my mother and father. When I think of them, I remember only their …
Should I tell my husband about the one-time sexual encounter I had with his brother? It happened over a year ago in a moment of weakness. Both of us immediately acknowledged that this was wrong and nothing further has happened since. Our families see each other regularly and are very close. Neither of us has …
What’s the best way to bring up sensitive issues with my spouse? I’m concerned about things that are going in our marriage, but I’m afraid to talk to my spouse about them because I don’t want to start a fight and make things worse.
Is it wrong for me to be dating a woman who is much younger than I am? I’m 41 and she’s 25. We’ve been together about six months and have a great relationship. We also share a strong faith and have many goals and interests in common. The subject of marriage has come up, but …
How does the aging process affect a couple’s libido and love life? My spouse and I have already passed the age of retirement, and now we’re facing some health issues that I fear may have negative implications for our relationship in the bedroom. Is sexual fulfillment something that decreases as we get older?
Should I tell my husband that I’m attracted to his closest buddy? I’ve heard it said this kind of information should be shared between spouses for purposes of accountability, but I’m not sure that this would be wise. Neither man has any clue of my struggle and I don’t want to jeopardize their relationship. What …
As a recently remarried stepparent, what can I do to make the transition to blended family life as smooth as possible for my children, my spouse’s kids, and everyone else concerned?
Why can’t I have a biblically based family with multiple partners? Most of the great men of the Bible – Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon – had many wives. Given your ministry’s strong commitment to the Scriptures, I can’t see why you’re against things like polygamy and polyamory. I consider myself a polyamorous Christian. I love several different women, and …
What should I do about my husband’s refusal to get professional help with his bi-polar disorder? I want our marriage to work, but the strain on our relationship is becoming too much to bear. Do you have any advice for me?
How do we decide what people should call one another in our newly blended family? It’s a second marriage for my husband and me, and each of us had a three-year-old child when we married. Those kids are now six and seven years old. Recently, my step-daughter started calling me “Mom.” When my husband’s ex-wife …
What’s the proper protocol for spouses when it comes to helping other people of the opposite sex with problems – especially problems of the marital variety? Sadly, my brother and his wife are in the process of divorcing. My sister-in-law called my husband the other night to see if he would meet with her to provide counseling …
Should I slow things down with my boyfriend just because he is a new Christian? I recently began dating a young man whom I like very much and who seems to be a person of strong character. He accepted Christ about five months ago, and had been attending church and Bible study before we met. …
Can you help me understand what it means to build a family life that is truly founded upon Christian values? My spouse is always talking about the importance of having a “Christ-centered home,” but I don’t really know what that means. I grew up in a family where people’s actions rarely matched their religious words, …
As newlyweds, what can my spouse and I do to ensure that our relationship will go the distance and weather the storms that life is likely to throw at us?
Am I obligated to take care of my parents even though they hurt me in many ways during my growing-up years? Our family was really dysfunctional. Now they’re old, feeble and increasingly unable to look after themselves, and I’m not sure how I feel about getting involved in caring for them given our past. What …
How should I respond when my child tells me that my ex-spouse has been making some very critical and unkind statements about me? What’s the wisest way to handle this situation?
As a Christian, how do I sort out the difference between my obligation to family on the one hand and to the work of the gospel on the other? And what’s my responsibility to my extended family as compared with my obligation to my immediate, nuclear family? Is there any distinction between the two? My …
