Category

In-laws & Family

Dec 22
Love23

7 Ways to Dial Back Holiday Stress

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

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’” – Luke 2:13 (NIV) Jesus came to earth to bring peace and save humanity. Christmas was established to celebrate his birth, and to give us time to focus on the greatest gift ever given. But somewhere along the way, the holiday season shifted from a time of thankfulness and peaceful reflection to a time of overwhelm, stress, and discord. Unfortunately, the holidays have become a season that…

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Dec 08
Love24

5 Reasons Why Your Spouse Isn’t the Source of Your Happiness

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Self Reflection 8 Comments

When we get married, we expect that everything good in our lives will get better, and that being married will make the bad things disappear. Since our behaviors in marriage are fueled by our (often false!) beliefs about marriage, it’s important to shed light on unrealistic expectations and myths surrounding it. One of the greatest and most common myths we tend to believe (but don’t often express) when entering marriage is that we’ll somehow be completed or made whole by our husband or wife. As romantic as that concept sounds, it’s simply not true–and resting all your hope for happiness…

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Nov 26
Love19

Practicing Gratitude in Marriage

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Self Reflection, Uncategorized 2 Comments

Giving thanks for and with your spouse is one of the most significant habits you can build into your marriage. Gratitude is an essential ingredient in any relationship, but it takes intentionality and time to put it into practice. Being grateful can become a way of being, and that carries immense power to sustain and enhance a relationship when authentic. Gratitude illuminates the good gifts we’ve been given–both by our spouse and by God. When we come into marriage each day with thanksgiving, choosing together to see abundance rather than scarcity, relational satisfaction rises. Here are a few specific ways…

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Nov 03
Love27

5 Signs Football Season Is Ruining Your Marriage

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family 12 Comments

We are about halfway through football season. And for some of you, your obsession with football is slowly ruining your marriage. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” you say. “It’s just a game. How could it possibly be ruining my marriage?” You’re right about one thing: it is, indeed, just a game. The NFL is worth $45 billion. That’s the same as a little coffee company you may have heard of called Starbucks. The top 20 NCAA football teams generate around $1.2 billion per year, and there is plenty more where that came from. That is $46.2 billion worth of power that can…

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Oct 29
Love27

You’re invited to a FREE online marriage event!

By Careers, Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Scripture, Self Reflection, Time 11 Comments

Our newly expanded edition of New York Times bestseller Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts (SYMBIS) hit shelves on Tuesday, October 27, and we are celebrating its release with a one-of-a-kind, exciting event. And the best part? You’re invited! We’re launching a very special, FREE online marriage event: The Lifelong Love Marriage Summit. The summit begins Tuesday, November 3. You’ll hear from 20+ of today’s most engaging Christian influencers, including Shaunti Feldhahn, Donald Miller, Fawn Weaver, Dr. Henry Cloud, Michael Hyatt, and Dave Ramsey. They’ll be sharing their secrets to lifelong love, plus stories of struggle, faith, and hard-won triumph…

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Oct 22
Love16

How to Support a Depressed Spouse and Regain a Joyful Relationship

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

I love my husband but he has depression and I’m tired of the ups and downs. Can you help? Depression is one of the most challenging things a couple can experience together. It steals joy and peace from the marriage by robbing one spouse’s happiness and peace of mind. This has a profound effect on the spouse without depression, and often results in tension and unhappiness in the marriage relationship if not dealt with appropriately. Supporting a depressed spouse and coping with his or her condition can be emotionally, mentally, and physically draining. Be sure to prioritize self-care, and do…

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Oct 15
Love23

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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Oct 13
Love14

What Every Wife Should Know About Her Husband

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

The differences between men and women are significant, so much so that those inherent gender-based qualities often cause the greatest tension in a marriage relationship. Knowing the key needs of the opposite sex allows a person to understand his or her spouse better, and therefore operate with more patience and peace. A few weeks ago, we talked about the three things that every husband should know about his wife. Today, we’re examining the flipside: the three things that every wife should know about her husband. No one plays as significant a role in meeting a man’s unique needs as his…

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Oct 01
Love13

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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Sep 29
Love22

10 Ways to Pray for Your Wife

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

Your wife is a gift. She blesses you with love, companionship, help, and plenty of fun. As the spiritual leader of your family, you are responsible for guiding her (and any children you may have) in God’s path. Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” A major part of your role as husband and spiritual leader is covering your wife in prayer. Through prayer, you have an avenue directly to God; you can approach Him at any time on her behalf. Here are 10 ways you can pray for…

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