Research findings are highly consistent concerning compatibility. The most stable marriages are those involving two people with many similarities. For couples, similarities are money in the bank and differences are like debts that must be paid. When people come from similar backgrounds they operate from a position of strength. Their relationship is made easier by [...]
It’s a strange thing. I rarely have a man ask me, “Why doesn’t my wife talk to me?” What I do hear is almost always the opposite—“Why doesn’t my husband talk to me?” It’s something of an axiom that men do not have as great a desire for conversation with their wives as women do [...]
A common complaint I regularly hear from those requesting marriage counseling sounds like this: “I feel distant from my spouse.” “I try to get my husband to open up, but he just shuts down.” “My wife just doesn’t seem interested in me anymore. I feel like we’re a million miles apart.” Marriage counselors refer to [...]
Have you ever said, “Look, I said I’m sorry; can we just drop it?” OR “All right, fine. I’m sorry. Do you feel better now?” Where did we get the idea that two simple words have the power to absolve all offenses and heal all wounds? When did we come to believe that we are [...]
Boundaries are one of the most powerful tools you have in relationships. They make you feel like you matter and that you're safe. Asking for what you want makes relationships mutually satisfying. When boundaries are a struggle, you feel unsure of yourself. You go along with what others want because it's easier. You don't want [...]
The couple that never has conflict does not exist. It is inevitable for a number of reasons: men and women are different; we have different backgrounds; and we all have a nature that is prone to selfishness. Unfortunately, conflict can lead to emotionally painful fights, which may result in hostility, bitterness, alienation, and even separation [...]
An emotional "word picture" is a communication skill that brings to life the thoughts we want to share. It uses a story or object to simultaneously activate the emotions and intellect of another person. It causes them to experience our words, not just hear them. Five Reasons to Use Emotional Word Pictures: Word pictures have [...]
Key Thought: Oneness develops through the consistent practice of marital love by both spouses. Introduction Sometimes we just don’t feel like being married, particularly when there seems to be more downs than ups. That’s when we must call to mind that the marriage vows (i.e. “for better or worse,” “’til death do us part”, etc.) [...]
Key Thought: Problems with sexual intimacy will hinder a couple from becoming one. A failure to communicate. Communication requires a listening love as well as a willingness to be vulnerable—to put into words what one is thinking and feeling and to trust those words to the partner’s understanding. Unresolved conflict. Anger and hostility, no matter [...]
Fill in the blank: “Behind every successful man is _________.” If you answered a pushy mother- in- law or a nagging wife, you need to keep reading! The correct answer is an admiring and respectful wife. Before you dismiss this as a worn-out joke, consider the fact that God instructs a wife to respect her [...]
