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Conflict

FREE Companion Resources When You PRE-ORDER Today

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Scripture, Self Reflection, Time No Comments

We’re giving it all away! The ultimate package for a great marriage We are excited to officially announce here on the blog the release of the newly expanded edition of our best-selling book, Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before–and After–You Marry. This book has sold millions of copies, and the revamped edition hits shelves on October 27. When you pre-order it, you’ll get all the companion resources for free! The pre-order freebies are a collection of relationship products that we’ve put together over the years, and we’re giving them all away! It’s the ultimate package…

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3 Ways to Fight For Your Wife Daily

By Communication, Conflict One Comment

The call of a husband is a mighty one: to sacrificially love their wives, the Bible says, as Christ loved the church. What exactly does that mean, and how does it practically play out day in and day out? It is innate in men to love and protect, no matter the cost. Most men would go to battle for their wives–likely even die for them. But what does it look like to fight for your wife daily? In order to win the war, men, you must engage daily in the battle for your wife’s love. It’s a kind of sacrifice…

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Is Living Together Before Marriage OK?

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family One Comment

Living Together Before Marriage? In Biblical days, My fiance and I would be married. What are the differences? Cohabitation is very common these days, and many couples find themselves asking whether they should “test out” their relationships before they get married by moving in together. Conventional wisdom suggests that it makes sense, but research shows otherwise. In this video, we discuss some of the research findings surrounding unmarried couples who live together, versus couples who married before they shared a home. Did you and your spouse wait until marriage to live together? If you lived together before marriage, how did…

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ʺMind-Readingʺ Magic: Building Clear Communication in Marriage

By Communication, Conflict No Comments

I feel like since we got married I don’t know what’s going on in my wife’s head. What happened? When you were dating your spouse, you talked about everything–it felt like you were on the same wavelength. But now that you’re married, you realize you have no idea what your spouse is thinking. Everything between you two was open before, but now there are times when you feel totally lost. So what gives? In this video, we share some ideas for practicing healthy “mind-reading” in marriage that will help you overcome the communication barriers you may be experiencing. Did you…

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How to Support Your Spouse After a Traumatic Event

By Communication, Conflict No Comments

What Is the Best Way to Support My Spouse After a Traumatic Event? After a traumatic event, you might feel like you’ve lost your spouse–even though he or she is physically with you. As your spouse navigates the waters of post-traumatic stress or depression, you may feel lonely or helpless. How do you help your husband or wife through a difficult time like this? In today’s video, we offer advice for supporting your spouse through the emotional fallout that often occurs in the aftermath of a traumatic event. Have you or your spouse needed support after experiencing a tragedy or…

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Faith & Fighting: Is it OK to Argue in a Christian Marriage?

By Communication, Conflict One Comment

Somewhere along the way, a little lie snuck its way into Christian culture, whispering that couples who are truly following God simply won’t fight. That a Christ-centered marriage means an always peaceful marriage. That good, church-going husbands and wives should not encounter discord. The truth? It is absolutely OK to argue within a Christian marriage. And in fact, not only is it OK, but it’s actually good–when fair, mature, and under the right circumstances. Here are three reasons why fighting is not only OK, but also fruitful. It’s OK because fighting well allows us to live under realistic expectations. We’re…

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How to Reignite Your Spark and Fall in Love All Over Again

By Communication, Conflict One Comment

How to Fall Back In Love With Your Spouse Over time, it can be easy to stop getting to know your spouse over and over again. You might think your husband or wife hasn’t changed, even after years of marriage–and maybe you’ve become bored. Chances are, you’ve lost sight of one another’s passions and interest, and you have probably missed some changes in one another along the way. In this video, we address the issue of boredom in marriage, and offer simple (but powerful) solutions that will help you reignite your spark and fall in love all over again. Have…

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5 Ways to Overcome Ruts In Your Marriage

By Conflict No Comments

There is an inevitable “honeymoon” stage in every marriage: the time when you can’t imagine getting irritated by your spouse not replacing the toilet paper roll, where you overlook the crazy in-laws, and where marriage is smooth sailing. It may vary from couple to couple, but eventually we settle into the routines and demands of life. It can be hard to recognize at first, but every marriage will eventually come face-to-face with being in a rut. The problem with getting into a rut in your marriage, like any other time in life, is that it often happens gradually and can…

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Should I marry someone with a different cultural or religious background?

By Conflict, In-laws & Family One Comment

Can people of different religions and cultures have happy and successful lives together? So you’re considering marriage to a person of a different religion and/or culture. Can your relationship work long-term, given the challenges you know you’ll inevitably face as a couple, and as possible future parents? In this video, we discuss the obstacles that couples from different cultural and religious backgrounds face, and offer suggestions for successfully navigating through them together. If you and your spouse are of different religions or cultures, what difficulties have you faced and overcome together? Have you been able to maintain your unity as…

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Partnering in ʺNoʺ… Helping My Wife Create Space and Reduce Stress

By Communication, Conflict No Comments

My Wife Cannot Say “No” to Anyone. She is a Mess with Stress. How Do I Help Her? It’s difficult to watch the person you love most overextend themselves and lose control of their life because they have no boundaries. A person who never says “no” will eventually burn out from exhaustion, and it’s important for his or her spouse to recognize when it’s time to intervene. In this video, we discuss ideas for helping your spouse set healthy boundaries on external demands in order to alleviate stress and exhaustion. Does your spouse have a difficult time saying no? How…

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