Give me my space!

"Eventually, you might find that once you’ve settled into marriage, your spouse might not want to be firmly attached to your side in the same way as before. Or you may have started noticing that some of the qualities that drew you to your spouse in the first place are now beginning to bother you. Sure, you may still have a great relationship, but it’s starting to feel like you’re drifting apart. Should you panic?".....

http://www.symbis.com/blog/gimme-space-importance-respecting-spouses-individuality/?utm_source=Devotion+by+Les+and+Leslie&utm_campaign=5379ff086d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_05_29&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e61eb22cfc-5379ff086d-138139101&mc_cid=5379ff086d&mc_eid=82de7e3bbf

Stuck in Conflict?

"Not all problems are resolvable! I wish more marriage experts would just tell us that from the beginning. Some problems we face are perpetual. These are problems that will always be in our lives in one form or another. You will have issues in your relationship where the best you can do is agree to disagree. When that is the case, move on. Find a workable solution so you can both live with it. You do this every day at work with co-worker relationships, so make it happen with your spouse".....

https://homeword.com/jims-blog/5-tips-for-resolving-conflict-in-your-marriage/#.WS3ED2grKUk

Do You Love Your Spouse?

Here are some excerpts from chapter 12 of Paul David Tripp’s What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010). 

https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2010/08/08/do-you-love-your-spouse/

10 Easy Ways to Show Gratitude to Your Spouse

"Showing gratitude to your spouse is an important daily practice; it’s essential to nurturing a healthy marriage. There are many ways to express your thanks to your husband or wife, so today, we’re sharing 10 ideas for showing him or her your appreciation".....

http://www.symbis.com/blog/10-ways-show-gratitude-spouse/?utm_source=Devotion+by+Les+and+Leslie&utm_campaign=5bfdf74895-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_05_22&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e61eb22cfc-5bfdf74895-138139101&mc_cid=5bfdf74895&mc_eid=82de7e3bbf

The Connection is Key

"The condition of your marriage depends on the connections you have with your spouse. If you have poor connections your marriage will suffer and struggle to survive. If you have good connections your marriage will grow stronger and stronger as the years go by. So if you’re wanting to save your marriage. Or, if you’re wanting to strengthen your marriage, your connection is the key".....

https://www.redeemingmarriages.com/connection-key-marriage-needs/#more-5701

Husbands...initiate!

"But most wives don’t want a passive marriage partner. They want a husband who will actively invest time, energy, work, and heart into the relationship. They want a man who will initiate".....

http://www.buildyourmarriage.org/husbands-initiate/

Boundaries for In-Laws (Protecting Your Marriage)

"Parents can be a blessing to a married couple by offering love, wisdom, and encouragement. The Bible makes note of several supportive in-law relationships, namely Ruth and Naomi, Peter and his mother-in-law, and Jethro, who guided Moses. Yet the abundance of in-law jokes and stories testifies to the fact that parents can also be a heavy burden for a couple to bear. The Bible also has an example of this. David's father-in-law, King Saul, tracked him down to try to kill him. And you thought you had problems".....

http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2008/september/boundaries-for-in-laws.html?start=1

10 Personalities that Have No Place in a Christian Marriage

"We are united together in Christ to wage this good fight alongside each other, not against one another. I am not her enemy and she is not mine. We are compatriots and fellow soldiers linked arm and arm waging battle with evil as our Lord Jesus leads us in this good and holy fight".....

(From Jimmy)--don't read this list and say "yep, my spouse better stop that!"  Read this post and ask yourself, "are there any of these in me?"

https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/kevindeyoung/2014/06/12/10-personalities-that-have-no-place-in-christian-marriage/

What Should be the Husband's Role in Marriage?

"During the last few decades our culture has redefined the meaning and responsibilities of men and women in society and in the home. Many men are confused and insecure. Many do not know how to act in the home. Growing up, they lacked a good model for leadership at home and have no mental picture of what it means to lead a family. Consequently, they do not lead effectively, or they do not even try".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/husbands/what-should-be-the-husbands-role-in-marriage

His Presence in the Midst of a Lonely Marriage

"In marriage we experience seasons of loneliness. Depending on the season of life you’re in, our definitions of loneliness look different but leave us feeling the same – alone, disengaged, frustrated and sometimes lost".....

https://fiercemarriage.com/presence-midst-lonely-marriage

Men, Intimacy Begins With Good Listening

"The kind of intimacy that typically helps women feel most connected to their husband is emotional intimacy. When you combine the words “emotional” and “intimacy,” men typically have ideas about what each word means separately, but have a harder time putting them together".....

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/men-intimacy-begins-with-good-listening

It's time to celebrate your spouse!

"One of the common causes of divorce is the feeling of being unappreciated by one’s spouse.  At least, that’s where it commonly begins.  Unappreciation leads to a feeling of being ignored, and the sadness that comes from feeling ignored leads to resentment, and you know the rest".....

http://drstoop.com/one-way-to-divorce-proof-your-marriage/

Why You Need to Accept Your Spouse's Needs

"Successful relationships come down to basic questions about our core needs:

• What do I need in a relationship in order to feel loved, happy, fulfilled, and secure?
• What do you need in a relationship to feel the same?
• Are you willing to meet my needs in this relationship?
• Am I willing to meet yours?".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/why-you-need-to-accept-your-partners-needs/?utm_source=Marriage+Minute&utm_campaign=d3a88acd55-MM_05092017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_56abe07ac5-d3a88acd55-135378537

Crushing Unhealthy Comparison

"It seems natural to compare ourselves to others. As humans, we compare appearances, careers, marriages, and even spouses. Society encourages it. The chief problem of comparisons is that they’re usually based on romanticized half-truths. Most often when we compare, we base expectations of ourselves on standards that aren’t accurate – they’re perceived".....

https://fiercemarriage.com/crushing-unhealthy-comparison

5 Biggest Little Ways to Improve Your Marriage

"Clearly, a few small actions won't fix deep relationship problems. But for most of us, a handful of simple day-to-day actions increase the likelihood that our spouse feels that we care deeply about them, instead of feeling that we don't. There's just enormous power in that!".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/communication/5-biggest-little-ways-to-improve-your-marriage

Married for Adversity

"What if we took Proverbs 17:17 seriously and thus considered ourselves “married for adversity?” Rather than resenting adversity, or feeling sorry for ourselves (instead of empathy for our spouse) that we have to deal with adversity, we would see adversity as a call to action, to closeness, to encouragement and support".....

http://www.garythomas.com/married-for-adversity/

Avoid the Crash

"To keep your marriage on a healthy course, headed toward your intended destination, you’ll need to learn to make tough choices to the many opportunities that will compete for your time. You’ll have to choose to say “no” to important options so you can say “yes” to what’s most important".....

https://homeword.com/articles/avoiding-the-crash/#.WQiJz9orKUk

How to Love a Depressed Wife

"Experiencing the languishing of your wife — your own flesh (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6) — while you helplessly watch, is all at once incredibly sad, painful, scary, and frustrating. I can’t imagine the difficulty this season has brought you and your family".....

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/jesus-will-lead-you-through-the-valley