Avoiding Friction When You Come Back Home

"Whether a husband or wife goes away in uniform or a business suit, it seems that oftentimes they and their spouse somehow get through the challenges of being apart, but being reunited doesn’t quite turn out to be the sweet homecoming they had imagined. How is it that an anticipated happy reunion can end up in hurt feelings, frustration, and disappointment? I believe there are four reasons why re-entry can be so hard for separated families. Here is what you can do about it".....

http://www.markmerrill.com/coming-home-well-how-to-avoid-re-entry-friction

20 Truths from "Enter the Ring: Fighting Together for a Gospel Saturated Marriage"

"Married Christians are often distracted by the fight going on around them. They’re allowing self-oriented priorities to dictate their marriage instead of the gospel. They’re choosing the world’s priorities instead of God’s. The world is going to keep fighting against our marriages. We need to choose to fight back—by choosing to live out the gospel with our spouses".....

https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2018/january/20-truths-from-enter-ring-fighting-together-for-gospel-satu.html

7 Lies About Marriage

"As I’ve read comments on my marriage posts, I’ve come to realize that there are a lot of lies out there about marriage that people are not only believing, but also are embracing. A marriage lie can wreak havoc on your relationship. So, here are 7 lies about marriage to realize".....

http://www.markmerrill.com/7-lies-about-marriage

Being together is more than just being in the same room

"We’re around each other plenty more hours but together is a different story. Being in the same house does not necessarily constitute together. Neither does sitting next to each other watching a movie. Driving in the car while I answer email on my phone? Again, not together".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/marriage-is-more-than-checking-a-box-on-your-to-do-list/

Fight Naked! How Fighting Well Can Help Build a Stronger Marriage

"In marriage, you will disagree often and you will fight. It’s inevitable. The question is not 'what if we fight?' it should be 'when we fight, how can we do it in a healthy way?'".....

https://fiercemarriage.com/fight-naked-how-fighting-well-can-help-build-a-stronger-marriage

What to Do About Unsolvable Problems

"Trying to solve unsolvable problems is counterproductive, and no couple will ever completely eliminate them. However, discussing them is constructive and provides a positive opportunity for understanding and growth. Let’s look at three 'conflict blueprints' to help you and your partner constructively manage conflict around unsolvable problems.".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/managing-vs-resolving-conflict-relationships-blueprints-success/

Is Your Marriage in Trouble?

"Every marriage needs help. Perhaps yours, after a few months or years of marriage, needs help now. Or maybe any real difficulty in your relationship is far down the road. But at some time during a crisis or trial, every marriage will benefit from the counsel and care of someone on the 'outside.'".....

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/troubled-marriage/saving-a-marriage/does-your-marriage-need-help/

What Counts as Infidelity?

"The culture might refer to these as 'micro-cheating' but I’d still just call it cheating. 'Infidelity' just means broken trust and anytime you break your spouse’s trust it’s a form of infidelity whether sex was involved or not".....

https://marriagetoday.com/marriagehelp/what-counts-as-infidelity/

6 D's That Can Darken A Marriage

"There are six D’s that can darken your marriage if you do not put a spotlight on them, bring them to light and deal with them".....

http://www.markmerrill.com/6-ds-that-can-darken-a-marriage

The Effects of Porn on Marriage

"The effects of porn on marriage are widespread and devastating. Researcher Patrick Fagan, Ph.D. completed a major study of pornography and called it a 'quiet family killer.' His study found that 56% of divorces had one partner with an obsessive interest in porn. On average, 40 million Americans regularly view porn, and the overwhelming majority are men".....

http://www.allprodad.com/the-effects-of-porn-on-marriage/

Restoring Broken Trust

"When trust has been damaged or destroyed in a marriage, the rebuilding process takes a huge amount of patience, skill, and–above all–time. After your very foundation has been shaken, restoring trust in your marriage is literally a relationship makeover".....

http://www.symbis.com/blog/restoring-broken-trust/

It's "just" flirting

"I put flirtation and suggestive conversation in the same category as a loaded gun. Maybe that's because I believe in the power of words, written and spoken. Have you ever noticed that compliments and flattery are always heard?".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/troubled-marriage/infidelity/the-danger-of-flirting

Do You Really Need Your Spouse?

"Beware of living independently of one another. Sure, you're both busy. Yet sometimes busy people build their lives around activities only to find years later that they are alone. Imprisoned by selfishness and a failure to take risks, they are living independently of the person God has sovereignly given them to share life with".....

http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/communication/do-you-really-need-your-spouse