Overheard in a fitness class recently was this advice from the instructor: “If you feel your form is sinking, take a reset and...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Draw closer to God and you’ll draw closer to your spouse. I’ve seen many marriages drifting apart simply because their...
In the marriage counseling world, I would often sit with couples who would feel stuck. One person would want one thing, the other...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
One of the most common conflicts in marriage is money. Often, a saver marries a spender. Then, one feels constrained or the other...
We’re all familiar with the phrase, “opposites attract.” And it’s easy to see this concept in action when we look at a couple...
We’ve all been there before. Your spouse says something that hurts your feelings or just makes you plain mad. We’re not talking...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Let’s lighten things up with this post and talk about marriage mistakes. The old saying is true, “Laughter is good medicine.”...
As a marriage counselor, I have seen my share of troubled marriages. While each marital crisis is unique, one thing is...
The name of this post was inspired by my friend, Don Whitney’s book, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. It's a...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
First John 5:14 says, “Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
If you get upset when someone says you are controlling, you just may be controlling. I find that most spouses are good-willed and...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Incarnating means putting something into flesh. Jesus was God incarnate. God put on human flesh or, another way to say it, he was...
I grew up in a farm family. While I’d love to have a farm and some “country” land, I do not want to be a farmer. However, I’d...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Right now in our culture, there is a societal trend of rudeness, disrespect, and toxicity. No matter what the issue, disrespect,...
Let’s agree on one foundational reality; having a good marriage does not mean you do not have conflict. No matter how much two...
Some spouses are extroverted and social. Some are introverted and quiet. Depending on which personality you are—and which type...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
Valentine's Day is the national holiday of love and romance. Well, that holiday is over. So, now what? I can only speak for...
Tags: Parenting, Faith, Relationship,
Conflict, communication, sex, finances, parenting, in-laws…these are always at the top of the lists of problems in marriage. In...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
I know three men who have lost their wives in the last five months. When their wives come up in conversation or they reflect on...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
In the biblical account of Adam and Eve, we encounter the first example of marital conflict. In the story, we are given perhaps a...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Desire makes a very poor guide, especially in marriage. Often, we don’t want to do the right thing. It is a reality of our flesh....
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
When’s the last time you dated your spouse? My guess is, it’s been a while. You’ve probably fallen prey to the busyness of life....
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
My wife asked me to stop by the store on the way home to pick up some diced tomatoes. As I was checking out, a woman suddenly...
There are two types of people in this world—resolution makers and non-resolution makers. Odds are good that whichever type you...
Think of the last time you went out of your way to help someone else. Perhaps you volunteered to serve meals to the hungry, or...
What do the Kardashians, PowerPoint presentations, rice cakes, and Shakespeare have in common? They are all once listed by Mirror...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Recently, a Grace Marriage participant’s husband was really stressed. She decided to help by telling him, “Calm down. Things are...
I know a couple whose marriage is one that many would envy. This man and his wife have been married sixty years and regularly...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Warning, severe congestion ahead. You've no doubt experienced this phrase. We hate congestion. My guess is you're already...
Your marriage is like your muscles. Not long ago, I hurt my back and was unable to work out or run. With some medical care and...
A dear friend recently left me a voicemail that said, “Hey Marilyn. Life has been going so well. I've been having a killer quiet...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
"OK" is not OK. When alcoholics have been sober for a while, they tend to quit going to support meetings and calling their...
Perhaps you've heard the saying, “Where there’s smoke there’s fire.” It's a true-ism that exists for fire safety. I recently...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
What is your first thought when you think about the spouse you want to be? Do you think of the areas you tend to fail, and long...
Several years ago, Marilyn and I had the unfortunate privilege of being visited by bed bugs. Marilyn hates all bugs, but even the...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Shingles, chiropractors, and brown recluse spiders. It wasn't too long ago that these three things were the topic of our everyday...
Are you suffering from IDS? IDS is a common problem we face at Grace Marriage. IDS stands for “I Don’t Syndrome.” When working...
My mentor confronted me and said “your peace is dependent on your perception of your own behavior, not on the grace of Jesus. You...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
One morning I was getting ready for work in the midst of sad-wife syndrome and five-kid chaos. I was doing OK until lost keys...
In our current culture, marriage is scoffed at rather than held in honor. Busyness and distraction are two of the primary...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
I have a friend who calls certain challenges, "Opportunities to serve." What if we really thought of the challenges ahead of us,...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Looking back, we both agree that we could’ve done better. We should’ve paid more attention to the signals and did something to...
Tags: Divorce, Interviews, Ministry,
Marriages struggle for many different reasons. That's no surprise. From communication to finances, each couple has to face their...
The Apostle Peter makes a profound statement in his first letter that should have a penetrating application to every marriage....
James Clear says, “Some people spend their entire lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement.” Let's be...
It's so easy for many married couples to blur the lines between work and home. Work emails, texts, and calls are answered at...
For too many marriages, the word "schedule" is a four-letter word. No, you say, it’s got eight letters…but you know what I mean....
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Technology can be a barrier to enjoying the moment and connecting with your spouse. Having the ability to act on almost every...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
Most of us know at least some of the lyrics from Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit song, “Respect.” In fact, just reading the song title...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Anne was completely enamored with her new car. She washed it regularly and drove it proudly. There was only one minor problem....
My husband and I recently attended the wedding of a young couple who are very dear to us. As I listened to them make their vows,...
You’ve heard it said that you can never have “too much of a good thing.” However, too much of a good thing always cost us other...
Most of us are aware Jesus taught on money matters more than any other topic He addressed. I still find that fascinating. What is...
Tags: Money, Faith, Relationship,
How do you prepare for things you are excited about? Do you ever buy new clothes for the holidays? Do you decorate your house for...
Tags: Parenting, Faith, Communication
Stop and think with me for a moment. Have you ever thought about where you'd be without your spouse? Have you thought about who...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
One of my favorite games to play is Spades. In the game, each player decides how many tricks they will be able to take, or win....
I have been seeing couples for nearly two decades. And while there are many techniques and skills that are important to help...
Are you a person who makes decisions quickly? Do you respond in conversation with the first thought that pops into your head? Do...
I have heard it said that “Sixty-five percent of stats are not true.” In the marriage and divorce arena, you'll hear stats all...
In my years of premarital counseling, the most contentious topic with couples-to-be was the blending of two extended families.
...
Tags: Parenting, Faith, Relationship,
Are you a warrior or coward when it comes to your marriage? I can speak as a husband, great husbands are warriors, not cowards....
As a mother of four children born within six years, I often heard a question that started like this: “Mom, where is my…?” Almost...
Honey, “Will you go to the basement and grab two cans of beans and some toilet paper?”
Hey babe, “Would you mind going...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
Fear of getting hurt. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of death. Fear of uncertainty. I had all of it. I tried to fit in...
My husband and I married in 2007. It was a beautiful, traditional wedding. My son walked me down the aisle. Our first pastor...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
“This call may be recorded for quality assurance.”
We’ve all heard this line before. Companies record conversations to use...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
At Grace Marriage, we strive to bring you resources that will infuse grace and affection into your marriage as you strive to love...
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy...
Marilyn made me a cake for my birthday not long ago. The cake was good, but the icing really made it. When you add icing, it...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
We received an article from a 13 year old expressing her perspective of marriage and divorce. It's enlightening to read this from...
Tags: Divorce, Interviews, Parenting,
Who Are You Pursuing?
Some folks will tell you to chase after your spouse. Some will tell you to take care of yourself first—so...
I knew I would marry my husband the day he told me, “Babe, when we get married you will never have to cut the grass.” Done....
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
It's been a busy year at Grace Marriage. We've tried to challenge and encourage you and your marriage over the year on our blog....
Tags: Money, Divorce, Interviews,
Whenever my husband and I attend a Grace Marriage session, our favorite lessons are the ones that involve a quiz about our...
“Hurt people hurt people.” Most of us have heard this phrase before, and its meaning is pretty clear. When someone has unresolved...
Married couples will experience conflict. Most marital conflict is because of miscommunication, finances, or physical intimacy....
Serving your spouse isn't always easy. I know. It can be tough. I have a friend. He's a great guy. He’d give you the shirt off...
The season is always right for a healthy marriage checkup. As a pastoral counselor and marriage and family therapist, I do these...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
Have you lost that lovin’ feeling? It is easy to do when life seems to suck all our energy and time away. Being intentional in...
How do we manage life without feeling overwhelmed? How do avoid feeling like life is this huge responsibility to fulfill? How do...
I don’t know if you ever wake up like this, but today I woke up really sad. Last night, things went south at our house. Feelings...
“Help, my spouse is married to their job.” This is what gets said so often in struggling marriages.
Are you the one saying...
We’ve all been to wedding receptions or other places where we’ve seen people dancing. Have you noticed how the couples dance...
John and Susan met through an online dating service. The techno-virtual matchmakers of the day ran the algorithms and determined...
As we move from the long, free days of summer into the colorful days of fall, I always try to take a moment to meditate on the...
Do you want to truly connect with your spouse? I believe you must first learn to truly connect with God. Now, do you ever feel...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
Maybe your marriage doesn't quite need "saving". But, there’s a phrase that Dr. Phil coined—or at least popularized—that's a good...
Eighteen years ago, a man waited by a church stage in Chicago as a beautiful young woman from Texas walked down the aisle. When...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that we are living in the most frantic and “connected” society the world has ever...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
When our son was 4 years old, a friend was visiting our home. Our son gently grabbed her face and gave her a soft, slow kiss on...
This is disturbing. Over the last 30 years, twice as many marriages of those over the age of 50 now wind up in shreds. Some of...
Why do people file for divorce? Well, it all depends on who you ask. Now, these seven reasons aren't in any order. And, I'm not...
I hate uncertainty. With all that's going on in the world, how do you handle COVID without driving yourself—and others—crazy?...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
Have you ever considered the fact that Jesus was the greatest question asker the world has ever seen? Think about that for a...
Tags: Ministry, Faith, Relationship,
At home date night ideas. Sounds, fun right? Well, let me ask you something else: is romance a priority in your marriage? I...
These are some trying times we’re living in. No one could have predicted that we’d all be working remotely, wearing masks in...
In our marriage of 34 years, hiking has become one of our favorite activities. Whether we’re hiking close to our home in Taylor...
Tags: Faith, Relationship, Communication
Working in ministry, I receive many prayer requests. They include issues related to depression, anxiety, self-worth, addictions,...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
I was reflecting on the great impact of Ravi Zacharias after we heard that he passed away. The first time I saw him he was...
One of the keys to having a fulfilling and enduring marriage is the ability to resolve conflict well. I’ve learned through the...
Tags: Divorce, Faith, Relationship,
