Facing Tragedy Together

When the big tragedies come along, they can change us and our relationships. After a horrific accident, a death in the family, or some other type of loss, things will never be the same – for each person and for the relationship. The important thing is to get through it together, as a couple. Support each other, and love each other. You never know what the future holds, but if you are there for each other, you can both lean on each other and get through it together.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

http://www.heysigmund.com/tragedy-in-relationships/

Bad News: You Can't Change Your Spouse

"Have you ever played the If Only game? Here’s how it goes:

• “If only my spouse were more outgoing …”
• “If only she would stop spending money …”
• “If only my husband was more romantic …”

You get the idea. “If only” projects your wish list upon your spouse. Most married couples have played this dreadful game, including us, but it never nets any relational wins. It’s just a bad fantasy role-play that doesn’t inspire a healthy marriage".....

https://homeword.com/jims-blog/you-cant-change-your-spouse-you-can-only-change-yourself/#.WadAS8iGOUk

Wrestling with God Over a Broken Marriage

"I needed to hear from God stat. My world had caved in all around me, and I felt like I was in a deep abyss searching for any amount of guidance I could find. The consequences of my husband’s actions were being hurled at me with a force that knocked my breath and hope away. I had a decision to make. And I worried that if I took too long to make it I would waste more of my life than I felt had already been wasted by the so-called man of my dreams".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/troubled-marriage/saving-a-marriage/wrestling-with-god-over-a-broken-marriage

What's Your Excuse?

"Marriages that live with no sense of urgency in their passion and commitment to continuing to date one another or improve their relationship will eventually dry-up. Need proof? Look at the divorce rate".....

https://homeword.com/articles/10-reasons-excuses-not-to-date-your-spouse/?cat=families#.WZ2kNiiGOUk

Two Different Ways to Think About Sex in Marriage

"You have no right to a secret sex life. If you are married, you have no right to do anything outside the knowledge and consent of your spouse. That includes adultery, of course, but it also includes sinful fantasies and all manner of self-gratification. It’s simple. It’s obvious. It’s biblical. But it’s widely ignored. You have no right to a secret sex life because you do not own the rights to your body".....

https://www.challies.com/articles/two-different-ways-to-think-about-sex-in-marriage/

Is it a Fair Fight?

"We know that arguing in marriage is inevitable, but we believe that the fewer stinging darts we aim at one another, the better off we’ll be".....

http://staymarriedblog.com/no-yelling-and-9-other-rules-for-fair-fighting/

3 One-Liners to Try in Your Marriage

"the answer is finding super simple applications that work at the speed of life. For instance, my wife and I have incorporated three one-liners into our marriage that have been nothing short of life altering.".....

https://homeword.com/jims-blog/3-one-liners-that-make-a-huge-difference-in-our-marriage/#.WZWvvlGGOUk

Expectations are Everything

"As I let go of my unrealistic expectations of Drew, it’s much easier to love and enjoy him and live out Romans 12:10: 'Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.' I can’t be devoted to Drew in love if I’m expecting him to act like me and do things the way I do them".....

http://www.watermark.org/blog/expectations-are-everything

Where's Your Chair?

What would change in your marriage...what would change in you, if you started having coffee with God?

The Number One Problem in Marriage

"Good, open communication is the top need in marriage. Nothing is as easy as talking; nothing is as difficult as communicating. Using words correctly and skillfully is an important part of communication, but even more important is that both husband and wife have a willingness to communicate in ways that result in deeper honesty and openness".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/communication/the-number-one-problem-in-marriage?spMailingID=11687495&spUserID=MTM0NTg3NzIxMDAyS0&spJobID=1221167725&spReportId=MTIyMTE2NzcyNQS2

Are You Protecting Your Marriage?

"Against a cultural backdrop where cheating is more prevalent and easier than ever, what can couples do to strengthen their relationships?".....

http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2015/november/how-to-protect-your-marriage-from-affair.html?share=g%2bIVeOkXjxIi%2fJ0889yPE8qkAD%2bPqj9E

Stuck in a Rut?

"From time to time, every married couple gets stuck in a rut. It can happen for many different reasons, but the results are similar: ruts leave us feeling like life has just become 'blah.'".....

http://www.symbis.com/blog/stuck-rut-3-ways-revive-excitement-marriage/?utm_source=Devotion+by+Les+and+Leslie&utm_campaign=dc984b859a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_08_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e61eb22cfc-dc984b859a-138139101&mc_cid=dc984b859a&mc_eid=82de7e3bbf

Making Your Bed Can Transform Your Marriage

"Our thoughtless habits define our marriages for better or for worse. But the beauty of Keystone habits is that just a few new habits can be a powerful force over habits you don’t even know you have. Just like making your bed first each morning, these habits cascade, which bring joy and fulfillment to your marriage".....

http://www.watermark.org/blog/how-making-your-bed-every-morning-can-transform-your-marriage

Dating Your Spouse: it's good for the whole family

"...if your marriage is too 'child-focused' to accommodate a regular date night, may I suggest you change your 'focus?' Marriages that are totally 'child-focused' don’t work well…and, most of the time, they don’t last".....

https://homeword.com/jims-blog/why-dating-your-spouse-is-good-for-the-whole-family/#.WYh_MYjyuUk

Help your spouse understand...don't push them away

"Conflict isn’t easy. There’s hurt. There’s misunderstanding. And, at the same time, there are parts of us that are screaming to feel validated and understood. The problem for many of us is we have learned to communicate in a way that actually pushes our partners away from truly understanding us or meeting our needs".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/help-your-partner-understand-your-side-of-the-conflict-in-3-steps/?utm_source=Marriage+Minute&utm_campaign=da4e2a3975-MM_08022017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_56abe07ac5-da4e2a3975-135378537

Before You Give Advice, LISTEN!

"Mike finds his wife’s 'explosion' of anger 'unbearable.' When she gets angry, he tries to neutralize or fix her feelings. He often tries to problem solve before understanding why Stacey is upset. This makes Stacey feel dumb for experiencing and expressing her innate feelings. It also makes her feel like her emotional reality is something to be fixed and not legitimate".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/understanding-must-precede-advice/?utm_source=Marriage+Minute&utm_campaign=e6a2d4ee65-MM_07312017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_56abe07ac5-e6a2d4ee65-135378537