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Marital Communication

Photo of a young man emotionally hurt from an argument with his wife. The wife looks on from the background. Sometimes it's hard to tell if its a bad conflict or emotional abuse.

Is It Bad Conflict or Emotional Abuse in Your Marriage?

Emotional abuse in marriage is one of the hardest forms of abuse to recognize, but unrepentant patterns are the key to identifying it.

A woman sits on the edge of the bed with her head in her hand, as if stressed out. Her husband sits on the other end, trying to talk to her. Here are some tips to deal with past abortions in marriage.

How to Deal With a Past Abortion in Marriage

If you’ve been through an abortion in the past, keeping it from your spouse can cause even more pain. Here are several ways you and your spouse can deal with a past abortion.

9 Questions to Ask Your Spouse That Can Reduce Conflict

People often adopt a reaction to stress when they’re kids, and the patterns continue into adulthood. But couples can learn to discuss nine points to deepen their understanding of each other.

A couple sitting close together, smiling and engaging in meaningful conversation, symbolizing the need for making room for the important things in your marriage.

Making Room for the Important Things in Your Marriage

Marriage requires making room for someone else in your life. To add this relationship to your life requires letting go of some of your other commitments and giving your spouse priority consideration.

Illustration of the equation 1+1=1 as a symbol of marital unity

Busting the Marital Unity Myth: 1+1=1

Uncover the lie that distorts true marital unity

Validating Feelings Creates Emotional Connection in Marriage

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes “Why can’t you care about how I feel?” My wife, Erin, was in tears as she stormed out of the bedroom. Not a great start to our evening together. She’d already been crying in the bathroom when I got home from work. I asked Erin what was wrong, and she …

How To Be Kind to Your Husband (Even When You Don’t ‘Get’ Him)

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes I stood in line to board the airplane, wondering if I should say something to the woman behind me whose conversation I could hear. As a social researcher, I often overhear strangers wondering about a question I’ve studied: Why do men do that? Most of the time, I resist the …

Are You a Selfish Spouse?

Although he wasn’t willing to admit it at first, Dr. Greg Smalley felt that God was making him aware of how selfishness causes issues in his marriage. Greg shares some of the things he’s learned.

A couple exchanging simple yet meaningful gifts by a Christmas tree, emphasizing the joy of budgeting for Christmas.

Budgeting for Christmas With Your Spouse

For so many couples, Christmas and the gift-giving experience can move from feelings of anticipation to disappointment. The Palmers share ways to turn frustrating exchanges into opportunities.

A couple embraces tenderly in a peaceful outdoor setting, reflecting the emotional journey of being diagnosed with cancer and finding strength together.

Prioritizing Faith and Family After Being Diagnosed With Cancer

Each day Steve was able to give his cancer diagnosis to God and experience a genuine peace in acceptance. This allowed him to come together with his wife, Pat, emotionally and spiritually.

Connecting With Your Spouse During Military Deployment

Couples with military training often show composure in tough times. But that strength can mask the needs of real people who long to be open with each other. Marriages suffer if these needs aren’t met.

Mismatched Marriage: When One Spouse Is an Unbeliever

While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula that will instantly revolutionize a mismatched marriage, a few principles can contribute to the health of a relationship.

Shadows of a man and woman arguing against a red wall. They have a lot of anger problems in their marriage and need to meditate on Bible verses for aid.

Six Scriptures to Help You Avoid an Angry Marriage

Learn how to avoid an angry marriage by memorizing these six verses and asking God to remind you of them when you’re tempted to lash out at your spouse.

A couple lying on the floor surrounded by heart confetti, symbolizing the power of commitment in marriage, as they gaze into each other’s eyes with love and happiness.

The Power of Commitment in Marriage

It is Christ alone who gives us the power to love others in a committed way.

A coiled snake sits on the grass in front of a home, symbolizing the lurking dangers and challenges associated with spiritual warfare.

Spiritual Warfare: When the Enemy Attacks Your Marriage

Warning signs alert us when the Enemy attacks your marriage. Learn how to be victorious against the Devil’s schemes.

Emotions are like a check engine light on your car.

What Does the Bible Say About Emotions?

Emotions are like the dash lights in your car.  They’re not the problem; they’re simply trying to tell you something.

A couple sitting back-to-back separated by a wall, portraying the emotional disconnect often felt when your spouse is emotionally distant.

Dealing with Emotional Distance in Marriage

When we feel threatened, we build emotional walls that don’t allow our spouse into the deepest parts of our hearts and minds. The emotional distance can cause marital problems.

Two people, a man and a woman, are standing outdoors, facing each other with serious expressions, pointing fingers at each other as if they are engaging in a blame game.

How To Put a Stop to the Blame Game in Marriage

Marriages only thrive as each spouse accepts responsibility for the impact of their own disappointments, fears and priorities on the relationship.

A young boy looks sad and frustrated while sitting apart from his parents, who are engaged in a tense discussion, illustrating challenges in disciplining kids in blended families.

Blended Families: Finding Common Ground in Disciplining Your Children

In blended families, conflicts often run deeper than the surface issues. Letting go of the past and establishing trust through open communication is vital to building a healthy marriage and family.

A happy couple embraces in front of their modern home, symbolizing building a strong marriage by giving grace and showing love.

Building a Strong Marriage by Giving Grace

If we want our marriage partnership to be beautiful, meaningful and lasting, then we ought to be living out God’s grace by extending it. And that means building each other up one word at a time.