Jun 29
Love243

What to Do When a Spouse Lies

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family

When you’ve caught someone in lies, it’s natural to doubt almost everything they say. And when that someone happens to be your spouse, the sense of betrayal is even more profound. How can you rebuild trust when your spouse has lied to you? Reasons Spouses Lie There are many reasons your spouse may be dishonest with you. Maybe they’re not fully coming clean because: They have already disappointed you, and they’re afraid of your reaction; They promised to change a pattern, and they haven’t; They promised to get something done, but didn’t…even though they meant to. People often lie not…

Read More
Jun 24
Love16

Do I Need My Husband’s Permission to Pursue a Dream?

By Communication, Conflict, Time No Comments

I want to go back to school. Do I need my husband’s permission? When you find yourself hoping to pursue a dream, do you need your spouse’s permission to do that? You’ll need to make the final decision as a couple, but there is a way to navigate this situation successfully. If your spouse is present-oriented and comfortable with where you currently are–financially, relationally, lifestyle-wise, etc.–you may have to help him or her stretch a bit to see the future benefits of pursuing this dream now. This may be challenging for you, but helping your spouse to see the long-term…

Read More
Jun 22
Love22

Panic Monster: How to Help Your Spouse When Anxiety Hits

By Communication, In-laws & Family, Self Reflection 11 Comments

Anxiety. Most of us have been there: an issue that–to the outside world–seems arguably small balloons into a crushing, suffocating weight. Our hearts race. Our palms sweat. We descend into a spiraling panic, and find that it’s difficult (and even hopeless) to stop the feeling of dread building inside our chests. Most of us know what anxiety feels like when it’s happening to us, but it can be difficult to know how to help someone we love when they are being riddled with it. It’s easy to feel at a loss, not knowing what to do or say. Can’t they…

Read More
Jun 17
Love17

Ending the In-Law Comparison Game

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

How do I get my husband to stop holding my parents to the same financial standards as his parents? So your in-laws have gifted you with something very nice, or very expensive. Let’s say it’s a large sum of money to go toward a down payment on a home for you and your spouse. What happens when your parents can’t match the same contribution your in-laws have made? And how do you handle it when your spouse holds your parents to the same financial standards as his or her parents? In today’s video, we’re discussing strategies for ending the in-law…

Read More
Jun 15
Love25

Intense Marriage, Intense Kids: How to Cope

By Communication, Conflict, Self Reflection, Time 6 Comments

Children are always a blessing. But children bring a tremendous change to your home and your relationship as you previously knew it. And if your kids have intense, spirited, strong personalities, the changes to your world are even more pronounced! If one of your personalities is also intense (or both!), this makes life all the more interesting. Today, we’re sharing a few tips on how to cope with intensity in your home. Actively manage your stress levels. We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep your stress levels as low as possible. Intensity in your marriage or family…

Read More
Jun 10
Love22

How to Choose the Right Church for Your Family

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Scripture, Self Reflection 6 Comments

We are looking for a new church. What suggestions do you have for choosing a church together? Finding a place to worship together can be a major challenge for you and your spouse. It’s not just about finding the right place for yourself as an individual; it’s about finding a place of worship that’s right for both of you (and your children also, if you have them). While you might not necessarily seek a congregation as a consumer, you still have to find that happy medium that works for your entire family–and that will take some careful consideration, observation, and…

Read More
Jun 08
Love34

Building an Intimate Marriage: Grace & Forgiveness

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Self Reflection, Time 13 Comments

Marriage is hard work. The reality that we’re broken people becomes very apparent when we share our lives with someone else. We bring our unique personalities into the marriage, but we also bring our selfish nature. Frustration, friction, disagreements–they are all certain to show up, but the way we react to these issues and obstacles shapes not only our character, but the strength and the intimacy of our marriage. As much as we lead with love toward our spouse, we must also lead with grace and forgiveness. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works…

Read More
Jun 03
Love20

What to Do When Your Spouse Leaves the Faith

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family, Scripture, Self Reflection 4 Comments

My spouse was a Christian, but just turned agnostic. My faith is important to me. What do I do? It’s devastating when your spouse leaves a faith that the two of you shared when you married. This is a totally unexpected turn of events, and it will rattle even the strongest person. You thought you had a completely wonderful spiritual match for life–what happened? More importantly, what can you do? In today’s video, we’re talking about what to do when your spouse leaves the faith. Because this revelation strikes at the core of what you value most, you need to…

Read More
Jun 01
Love28

Building An Intimate Marriage : Honesty

By Communication, Scripture, Self Reflection, Time 9 Comments

The most beautiful thing about Jesus is the He knows us fully, and yet He still loves us. That was His purpose when He created man and woman. His intentions were for us to live sinless in perfect harmony with one another, but we all know that story took a rather quick turn for the worst in the garden. The Bible says that when Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge, they became aware of their sin and nakedness and covered themselves with fig leaves. They were ashamed. Adam and Eve quickly went from naked and unashamed to…

Read More
May 27
Love21

Staying for the Kids: Can Your Marriage Be Saved?

By Communication, Conflict, Scripture, Self Reflection, Time One Comment

I feel lonely in my marriage, and at this point, I’m only staying for my child. Can our marriage be saved? Loneliness in marriage is a very common thing. If you’re female, you’re probably craving emotional intimacy that just isn’t there right now. And if you’re male, you might be missing activities or time that you and your wife used to share. We often crave a level of intimacy that no relationship can deliver consistently–at least, to the degree we’re expecting. Spouses want to “get” each other on the deepest level, and they want to know that, despite everything going…

Read More