When couples read and study the Bible together, they increase spiritual intimacy and a general sense of togetherness.
Marriage
Alienation, anger, and anxiety developed from a young age will likely show up in your marriage, too. If you and your spouse could better understand what drives your “default reaction” or unhealthy coping skills, you could grow and move toward healthier responses in your marriage.
You may want to know how to help and support someone you love who’s in an abusive relationship. Here are several ways that can enable you to be there for them.
Just as pornographic images have the potential to ruin a man’s ability to love in real life, so too, a written form of pornography has the potential to ruin a woman’s ability to love in real life.
Be sure you truly know your fiancé before making that life-long commitment. Knowing about his or her understanding of certain topics like his or her spiritual life and history is key, as well as understanding how he or she views your relationship, the institution of marriage, gender roles, finances, communication, and parenthood are important.
Is it possible to practice a deep sense of awe and an attitude of gratitude in the ordinary moments of marriage?
Do you tend to offer your spouse authentic apologies, or cheap one-liners? Many of us need to learn to offer true apologies. But a thriving marriage requires two spouses who are good at giving and receiving apologies. Healing may take time, but forgiveness is immediate.
Warning signs alert us when the Enemy attacks your marriage. Learn how to be victorious against the Devil’s schemes.
Setting realistic expectations can help you avoid the pitfalls of this holiday
Many couples today are asking whether they should live together before marriage. At a recent marriage conference, one young man asked Greg Smalley that very question — honestly, directly, and with a desire to do what’s right. His answer, shaped by Scripture, research, and decades of working with couples, offers a perspective most people never …
Because of birth order, the place in their families of origin, spouses have different experiences growing up, and that shapes behavior, personalities and relationships with each other. Understanding how birth order affects how your spouse thinks and behaves can improve communication in your marriage.
Ephesians 5:23 calls men to be leaders in the home. “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior” (ESV).
Pornography — whether used infrequently or as an addiction — is a big deal. It sacrifices true intimacy, forsakes a real relationship for a lying imitation, and twists the true purpose of sex. Porn rewires the brain to focus on “you” — not on intimacy.
Don’t get swept away with the exciting notion that your soulmate has arrived. Check what the Bible has to say about soulmates first.
When spouses stay alert to changes in each other, they can catch warning signs of possible mental health issues early on and seek the help they need. Watch for drastic emotional, cognitive, physical, behavioral, or spiritual changes. If a souse needs help, it’s wise to initiate a gentle conversation, ask questions, and get an outside …
Since people are getting married less often, it’s important to understand the reasons to get married. There are practical reasons, like the fact that marriage creates stable societies, is the best environment for raising children, and greatly benefits each spouse. There are also spiritual reasons, such as becoming more Christlike and reflecting His love for …
Undiagnosed autism in marriage may result in confusion and pain for both spouses. If you discover that your spouse has autism, don’t lose hope for your marriage. You can move forward by accepting the differences, resetting your expectations, and finding help.
God’s design for marriage is an other-centered union where each spouse serves each other and depend on His grace and mercy. When we grasp the reality of marriage and stop expecting it to provide what it was never meant to give, we can build marriages that thrive.
When pressure to have the perfect holiday builds relationship tension, we need to change our unrealistic expectations. We need to accept that we cannot change our relatives. But we can set boundaries and not take things personally. Once we do this we can better appreciate the time spent connecting with family members.
As we grow in our understanding of God’s perspective on tithes and offerings, we may realize there are powerful reasons to give. Giving is a concrete way to acknowledge God and worship him in gratitude. But it is also a way to obey God and meet the needs of others.