Dec 22
Love0

5 Ways to Celebrate Christmas Gratefully

By Marriage, Relationships, Self Reflection No Comments

Gratitude is a spirit that’s front and center for many people during the Christmas season. However, this time of year can also be hectic. In the midst of the holiday bustle, it can be easy to lose sight of what we’re thankful for. As we approach this year’s Christmas celebration, we’ve listed five ways you can celebrate with thankfulness in your heart. We hope these ideas inspire you! 1. Embrace childlike wonder. There’s truly magic and wonder in the Christmas season when we take time to embrace childlike joy. So often, adults “grow out” of experiencing true gratitude during Christmas…

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Dec 15
Love0

How Holidays Can Bring Fresh Perspective to Your Marriage

By Marriage, Self Reflection One Comment

For many people, the holiday season is hectic and fraught with too many obligations, and too little time to fulfill them all. But what if the holiday season was a time when you and your spouse could bring a fresh perspective to your marriage? We believe that’s possible, and in today’s post, we’ll share why. A Great Opportunity to Reflect The holidays are a wonderful time to reflect on not only the past year, but on the life you’ve built together. Holidays can be an emotional time, in both good ways and bad, and they have a way of making…

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Dec 08
Love0

Holidays With the In-Laws: Cultivating a Joyful, Peaceful Season With Extended Family

By In-laws & Family One Comment

Have you experienced conflict with your in-laws, particularly during the holidays? If so, you’re not alone. Many couples navigate challenging in-law relationships throughout the year. Oftentimes, challenges peak during the holiday season because there are so many activities, events, and family obligations to fulfill. If you’re looking for some additional guidance on constructively, successfully, and lovingly handling tough or uncomfortable situations with your in-laws this holiday season, we can help. Today, we’ve rounded up some posts from our archive that are packed with tips you can put to work to ease the tension. A note before we begin… Family tension…

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Dec 01
Love0

How You and Your Spouse Can Avoid Holiday Overwhelm Together

By Time 2 Comments

The holidays are here, and if you’re like many other couples, you and your spouse may be feeling a bit overwhelmed already. After all, this time of year gets incredibly busy. There are gifts to buy, meals to prepare, family to visit, and a host of other obligations on your to-do list. If you’re more apprehensive than excited about the weeks to come, you might need to take a fresh approach to celebrating this year. Luckily, you and your spouse are a team. You can work together to avoid holiday overwhelm and make this a season to remember. Read on…

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Nov 24
Love0

Is Fighting Allowed In A Christian Marriage?

By Conflict One Comment

Many Christian couples are highly uncomfortable with the idea of disagreeing with one another, much less fighting outright. For many people in the church, the idea of conflict in their marriages is crippling. A common question we’ve been asked is, is fighting allowed in a Christian marriage? The truth is, getting into disagreements and arguments is a common challenge every couple faces. While it’s not inherently wrong to fight, it’s how you fight that dictates whether you’ll be able to solve the problem at hand. So fighting, in and of itself, isn’t necessarily wrong in a Christian marriage; it’s whether…

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Nov 17
Love0

How Do I Avoid Marrying Someone Like My Mom Or Dad?

By Marriage, Relationships One Comment

Are you worried about marrying someone like one of your parents? It’s common for people to fear partnering with someone like their mom or dad, particularly if that relationship was strained or difficult growing up. If that’s your worry, then what steps can you take to ensure you are marrying a person who is a good fit for you? Wanting to avoid marrying someone who reminds you of a parent is not unusual. But it pays to put things in perspective and get clear on what you really want in a spouse, and in a relationship. Consider What Qualities You’re…

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Nov 10
Love0

4 Essential Tips You Need To Know Before Marriage

By Engagement, Marriage 2 Comments

There is so much to learn and experience through marriage, from the moment you say “I do.” Over the decades, you will learn more about yourself, one another, and the dynamics of marriage than anyone could ever tell you. Still, it’s helpful to understand certain aspects of this incredible relationship in order to set your expectations before you get married. Whether you’re dating, engaged, or planning to marry someday, there are a few essential tips you need to know before you walk down the aisle. These simple tips will make all the difference in how you experience this new chapter…

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Nov 03
Love0

Help! My Spouse Cheated On Me. That Means They’ll Do It Again, Right?

By Marriage, Self Reflection 4 Comments

If your spouse has cheated on you, then you’ve likely heard the phrase, “Once a cheater, always a cheater.” But is that sentiment always true? You may be surrounded by people who have your best interests at heart, feel hurt by what your spouse has done, and want to help protect you from future repetition of the same harm. And while there may be merit to the statement–and in some situations, there is–it’s important to look at your individual circumstances objectively first. Affairs are incredibly painful situations that cause deep pain and damage to marriages. The ability to recover from…

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Oct 27
Love0

3 Strategies For Successfully Managing Anger in Marriage

By Conflict 2 Comments

Marriage typically tends to produce more anger than other relationships. Perhaps this is because spending so much time with another person naturally generates more opportunities to become angry. We also put down our guard with our spouse — the person we love most. While being vulnerable and unguarded allows for greater intimacy, it also opens the door to more anger and frustration. Although every married couple will experience anger toward one another, it should still be kept in check. After all, how we manage our emotions directly affects our relationships, particularly the closest ones. Add disappointment, unmet expectations, and other…

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Oct 20
Love0

Does Keeping Secrets Make A Marriage Unhealthy?

By Communication, Conflict 8 Comments

Does keeping secrets in marriage make it inherently unhealthy? Over our years of marriage, and our years counseling married and engaged couples, we’ve found the answer to be both nuanced and subjective. The truth is, the idea that a couple should never keep secrets sounds and feels good at the surface level–but can a marriage really handle an overflow of transparency at all times? Many of us grew up believing that there are no secrets in a healthy marriage. We come to believe that spouses should tell one another everything, no matter what–hiding no details and laying everything out in…

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