Nov 05
Love15

My Guilt Alarm is Affecting My Marriage

By Communication, Conflict, Self Reflection No Comments

The littlest things set off my guilt alarm and I know this affects my marriage. Can you help? “I could’ve done this.” “I should’ve done that.” “If I could do it over, I would’ve done this.” How many times have you spoken to yourself this way? Do you ruminate often about things you probably shouldn’t worry about? Do you have a constant wave of regret and second-guessing that leads to an unhealthy self-perception? These thought patterns can easily become addictive and toxic if you allow yourself to settle in them. Did you know that loading yourself down with unreasonable guilt…

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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 27
Love13

6 Ways to Earn Your Spouse’s Trust

By Communication, Conflict No Comments

“We want someone who holds nothing back from us, someone who trusts us with personal secrets. Intimacy fills our hearts deepest longings…” Straight from our bestselling book Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, comes this truth about trust: it’s the cornerstone of all intimacy. Trust is truly the foundation of all healthy relationships. A strong sense of trust is essential to the longevity of a marriage. Whether you’re establishing trust in the beginning of your relationship, or whether you’re trying to rebuild damaged trust between you and your spouse, these six tips will get you on the road to a…

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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 20
Love19

3 Ways the Comparison Trap Can Kill Your Marriage

By Communication, Self Reflection, Time 5 Comments

Comparison is a trap and a dangerous gauge for the health of our lives and relationships. It’s often based on partial truths and unattainable reality. Most of us know this, yet we all do it. And thanks to social media, highlights, and sound bytes flooding our daily moments, we step willingly into the comparison trap early and often in our days. The problem with comparison is that we tend to do it under the influence of extreme emotions or insecurities. A fight with your spouse can simultaneously shout a lie that every other marriage is perfect. Swing to the other…

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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 08
Love8

Are ALL things permissible in the bedroom?

By Communication No Comments

Would God disapprove of anything that we do in the privacy of our home sexually? You and your spouse are incredibly blessed; you get to experience God’s gift of sexual intimacy within your marriage. Making love with your husband or wife can be an adventure, more amazing than you ever dreamed. If you’re engaged but not yet married, you’re probably looking forward to marriage with great anticipation of this almost incomprehensible freedom together. Once you’re married, though, you might wonder what rules God has placed around sex within marriage. What’s OK to do, and what’s not? Are there sexual acts…

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Oct 06
Love11

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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