Time to De-clutter Your Marriage

"Life gets so busy. We end up moving a million miles an hour, never feeling truly connected or like we are making any actual progress with fixing what needs to be fixed in our marriage".....

http://onpurposemarriage.co/blog/minimalist

Always More

"We need to keep seeking our spouses, to keep pursuing them, and to keep learning how to love them better. Our pursuit shouldn’t end when we say, 'I do.'".....

http://beating50percent.com/always-more/

Boundaries Are Not a Bad Thing

"Boundaries are a fundamental element of any relationship, business, or organization. Since marriage was created to be the most intimate of all human relationships, shouldn’t it be given more careful thought when it comes to boundaries?".....

http://beating50percent.com/healthy-marriages-common-boundaries/

My Spouse is Changing...What Should I Do?

"...the question becomes less about how much change we each will experience in our marriage, and more about "how will we react to and handle the change?" One constant we can certainly trust in is that God doesn’t change. Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We can rely on and take Him at His word".....

http://www.watermark.org/blog/my-spouse-is-changing-what-should-i-do

Trying Hard Not to be Defensive

"Understanding your partner requires the capacity to listen. Really listen. Couples are advised to hear each other’s complaints without feeling attacked, and as great as this sounds, it’s often unrealistic".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/listen-without-getting-defensive/?utm_source=Marriage+Minute&utm_campaign=0a8fa47b77-MM_07202017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_56abe07ac5-0a8fa47b77-135378537

Peace in Our Marriage

"Being a peacemaker isn’t easy. It’s not the passive existence of “keeping the peace,” or keeping your mouth shut to avoid confrontation. Instead, it’s an intentional, active state of existence that requires you to make careful–and sometimes difficult–decisions regarding the state of your relationship. Seeking and creating peace requires courage and fortitude".....

http://www.symbis.com/blog/7-ways-seek-peace-first-marriage/?utm_source=Devotion+by+Les+and+Leslie&utm_campaign=f271562a41-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_07_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e61eb22cfc-f271562a41-138139101&mc_cid=f271562a41&mc_eid=82de7e3bbf

Show Your Kids What a Good Marriage Looks Like

"It has often been said that the best thing you can do for your children is to love your spouse. At times, this means putting your spouse’s needs before your children’s. Many children who grew up in a home where the parents had a child-focused marriage say they have a difficult time knowing what a good marriage looks like exactly. In other words, your greatest family investment may be your marriage".....

https://homeword.com/jims-blog/keeping-the-spark-in-your-marriage-alive/#.WWzEi4jyuUk

Saying What You Mean, and Meaning What You Say

“Wedding vows are not a declaration of present love but a mutually binding promise of future love. A wedding should not be primarily a celebration of how loving you feel now — that can safely be assumed. Rather, in a wedding you stand up before God, your family, and all the main institutions of society, and you promise to be loving, faithful, and true to the other person in the future, regardless of undulating internal feelings or external circumstances.”.....

http://www.scottkedersha.com/wedding-vows/

How's Your Empathy?

Empathy is defined as the identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives. It’s a critical component to success in all types of relationships, but it’s particularly valuable in marriage, a place where peace and harmony are paramount to success.

http://www.symbis.com/blog/5-ways-empathy-can-neutralize-conflict-spouse/?utm_source=Devotion+by+Les+and+Leslie&utm_campaign=76f34f694b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_07_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e61eb22cfc-76f34f694b-138139101&mc_cid=76f34f694b&mc_eid=82de7e3bbf

Give Your Spouse the Freedom to Fail

"What is the solution for the fear of failure? How do you encourage a partner whose feelings of failure are triggered by the most insignificant of circumstances? We have found that one of the most powerful principles in building one another's self-esteem is: Give your spouse the freedom to fail".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/forgiveness/giving-your-spouse-the-freedom-to-fail/?popup=disabled&spMailingID=11427233&spUserID=MTM0NTg3NzIxMDAyS0&spJobID=1200606730&spReportId=MTIwMDYwNjczMAS2

The Little Stuff Matters...A LOT!

"Culture has distorted what makes passion sizzle in a marriage. Advertisements convey the message that a romantic getaway or expensive jewelry is the way to a woman’s heart, but I find the dull moments of relationships are the most significant of all".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/3-steps-reconnect-feel-disconnected-partner/?utm_source=Marriage+Minute&utm_campaign=33d51a2eff-MM_07062017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_56abe07ac5-33d51a2eff-135378537