This morning, I woke up feeling… not my best. It was a slow start to the day. Then, about 20 minutes ago, my sweet and wonderful husband brought me a favorite Starbucks beverage as a pick-me-up. He used his short planning period at school to drive, buy, deliver, drive – just because he knew I’d … Continue reading All 5 love languages matter
I guarantee that there is someone in your life who is important to you. In fact, there are probably multiple someones who fit that description. And today I’m going to give you the key to making those relationships happier, more successful, more satisfying, and more honoring to God. Ready? Tell them five positive things for … Continue reading The Key to Happy Relationships
As a marriage and family therapist, one of my favorite things to hear from couples is: I kissed my wife the other day while we were making dinner, and our daughter rolled her eyes and said “Geez, dad, why are you always kissing mom so much?” Or perhaps even better: My kids had some friends … Continue reading Show a little love to your beloved
Most of us have a desire to love people well. We want to love our spouses, our children, our family members, and God himself well. But what does this mean? How do we do it? There is a popular Christian song out right now called Reckless Love by Corey Asbury. It includes lyrics about how … Continue reading Is it a good thing to give “reckless love”?
This Saturday at iHope, we hosted our first “Renewing Your Romance” event. Several local couples came together to learn about marriage communication, practice and enjoy positive interaction together, and to encourage each other. It was a great time! Our intern Jen Almers prepared and led the group, using material from well-known marriage therapists such as … Continue reading 5 Key Take-Aways from the “Renewing Your Romance” Event
Happy Valentine’s Day! Today, will you pray with us today for the marriages in our churches and community? O God Almighty, you have established the bond and covenant of marriage. You bring husband and wife together in a union of heart, body, and mind, for their mutual joy, for help and comfort, and for nurturing … Continue reading A prayer for marriage on Valentine’s Day
We all have expectations of ourselves and others. And we all know the feeling of frustration when those expectations are not met. Guess what? This is the normal experience of human relationships. Continue in our series through the Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every Day). #2: Expect unmet expectations. “Expectations” are often discussed … Continue reading Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every Day)… #2
Every couple needs to organize life together – are the dishes in the dishwasher clean or dirty? – but in the midst of this, it is easy to overlook the romance of the romantic relationship. There are only a few days left in our short blog series: Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every … Continue reading Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every Day)… #3
We’re close, but not quite there yet! Let’s continue with our blog series: Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every Day). #4: Give the gift of time. Yesterday’s blog post was lengthy, because apologies are central to a healthy relationship. But today you’ll get the gift of time even here in reading this … Continue reading Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every Day)… #4
You’ve heard the cliché before – “love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Well, I’m sorry, but that is flat-out wrong. If you never say “I’m sorry” in your relationship, it is likely not a very strong, honest, or long-lasting relationship. Confession and apology are central. Not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day. … Continue reading Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (Every Day)… #5