Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” — Genesis 3:12 I’ve got to be honest with you. When God challenged my heart toward Eve, it shifted the way I related to Adam. At first, I felt bad for the…
Hurt: But How Do I Get Through the Next 86,400 Seconds?
The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. — 1 Peter 5:10 I want healing to be as neat and predictable as a checklist. I don’t want to be inconvenienced by…
Fight: You Don’t Take Me Seriously
Note: Not one single marriage in the history of marriages has run perfectly all the time. At our worst, when our fights reached critical mass, we were miserable. We knew there had to be a better way to keep our marriage running smoothly, so we found ourselves an honest mechanic — our lifelong friend…
One Choice Every Couple Should Make in Their Suffering
What is one choice every couple should make in the midst of their storm? It might sound like a simple question, but it is incredibly important. One of the most important choices we can make as a couple is to move toward community instead of away from it. The challenge for most of us is…
To Love and to Cherish
Love is the muscle of marriage. Cherish is the heart of marriage. — Gary Thomas “To love and to cherish… till death do us part.” How many of us said these vows on the day we were married? Whether we spoke with a nervous, shaky voice or a confident, exuberant promise, most of us —…
Creative Love: A Lifetime Warranty
Safeguarding Your Love Story Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. — Romans 12:9-10 NIV Audrey Have you ever bought a warranty for something only to realize that when you needed to utilize that warranty, it…
Desperate for Immanuel
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. — Psalm 142:6 Years ago, when my second daughter, Morgan, was about two years old, I arrived home from my church office early one afternoon I was eager to spend a…
Say Goodbye to The Pit of Family Pileups
Pileups happen. Especially in families. That’s what happened to mine. That’s what happened to Keith’s. That’s the nature of family. The ties are so close that the same cord that hangs one tangles all. They say alcoholism is a family disease, but it’s not the only one. Both of my girls experienced some second-hand effects from…
God’s Plan for Partnership with Us
One of my favorite things about God is that nothing ever surprises Him. I take the greatest comfort in knowing that no matter how crazy the world gets, God is in Heaven saying, “Yep, I saw that coming. I’m still in control. You’re okay.” Knowing that the Creator of the Universe is in control reassures…
Don’t Forget These Two Things About Loving Your Spouse
I came into marriage thinking that between Song of Songs and the “marriage passages” of the New Testament epistles, we were fully equipped to tackle anything married life threw at us. I was excited to awaken the desires the daughters of Jerusalem had told us to keep a tight rein on until the time was…