Don't allow the busyness or hardships of life to make you lose sight of how special your spouse is and why you married him. Make an effort every day to strengthen your marriage. I have been married for 16 years and with every passing day, I aim to help my marriage grow. Through every little daily interaction, to big life decisions. My husband and I said from the beginning that divorce was not an option. The thing about divorce is that it is never a sudden incident that leads to divorce. It's ... continue reading...
Search Results for: embrace your marriage
The Gift of Wisdom for Your Girl
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. (Prov. 16:16) The phone rang late one night, and it was one of our daughters calling from college. She found herself in a relational dilemma and wanted to know what she should do. Should she say something to her friend? Or should she stay silent? The situation was complicated and would have a cost either way she went. She called to see what I’d advise. I did my best to offer what insight ... continue reading...
Loving a Child Who’s Not Your Own
I was a nervous wreck. Unsure about the choice that was in front of me. As a single mom, you don't get to make important decisions on a whim. You have to think about what's best for you. And then you have to think again -- one more time for each of your children. I so desperately wanted to get it right. The last time I had this choice to make, I got it wrong and my poor children paid a heavy price. At the same time, I didn't want to miss out on something wonderful simply because I was ... continue reading...
How These 7 Things Can Make Your Marriage Better Than Ever
Only last week we were "traipsing around tropical islands like a couple of lovestruck teenagers." Or at least that's how our 19-year-old daughter described us. On social media, no less. A bit embarrassing, out there for all the world to see. My husband encouraged me by reminding me it could be worse. A lot worse. And he's right, of course. He and I were on a romantic holiday to celebrate our 25th anniversary and it was rather lovely. No kids. Just us. For ten warm and wonderful ... continue reading...
How Your View of Sex Affects Your Daughter
Have you considered your own view of sex and it could affect your marriage? Or how it has a profound impact on your daughter's view? Last week we discussed five things NOT to do when explaining sex to your daughter. Yet the conversation about sexuality begins long before your child is old enough to hear it from you! It begins in your heart and mind. How we view sex, and our own sexuality, determines how we present it to our daughters. Your view of sex has a profound impact – not only ... continue reading...
5 Things Not to Do When Discussing Sex with Your Daughter
Do you feel uncomfortable talking about sex with your daughter? Here are a few tips to get you pointed in the right direction. Salt-N-Pepa might have produced the song “Let’s Talk About Sex”, but if you’re a mom of a growing girl, you’re probably not singing it! Discussing sexuality is hard. Where do you start? How much is too much? As women and mothers of faith, how we present sexuality to our daughters has the power to shape this pivotal part of their worldview. Though we have the ... continue reading...
A Small Caution About Wishing Your Kids Would Be More Like You
I'm not sure when I first faced the reality. But I think it was when I saw how content she was sitting in the middle of a mud puddle. Right up to her neck. Soaking in the warm, wet dirt and letting it sink clear down into her soul. Her happy place. My nightmare. You will never see me joyfully splashing in mud. As in, not ever. I don't do dirt, mud, wind, or rain. Yet my daughter appeared as if she couldn't imagine being anywhere nicer. And I think the light went on at that ... continue reading...
Those 7 Things That Never Change in a Healthy, Loving Marriage
It became something of joke between us. I mean, if it had only happened once? Then I wouldn’t have thought much more about it. But it seemed that every time I gave birth to a child . . . He gave birth to a new project. A Major Project. A move to a new house. Switching to a new job. Starting up a new company. Always something new and something big. So I started to tease him that he was unconsciously trying to compete with me. As if it wasn’t enough of a life-changing event for ... continue reading...
This One Thing That Held Our Marriage Together
So strange. So strange that it would be one of the first things they told us. Stranger still, perhaps, that this is what continues to stand out in my mind. Out of all the things that the doctors at the hospital shared with us, that this statement would be the most memorable. "Most parents who give birth to this kind of child end up in divorce. We just thought we should prepare you for that." Yeah, thanks. It was like hearing two pieces of devastating news. As if one wasn’t ... continue reading...
The Best Thing I Did for My Son
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; James 1:19 (ESV) "What would you say was the best thing I did for you?” Our oldest son was soon be taking off for college across the country, and I couldn’t help asking the question before he left. “In our years together so far, what mattered most? Between mother and son?” He stood there silently. And I'll admit that I somewhat held my breath, waiting anxiously to hear what he would say. For ... continue reading...
Good Advice for the Parent of A Challenging Child
I get the shudders just thinking about it. How at only 8 years old, she would sit on our neighbors' fence. Wait for their horses to come galloping by so she could make the jump. How she would ride bareback through their pasture and how the neighbors never even knew about it. And neither did I. Not until later when she confessed. Oh, child of mine. What am I supposed to do with you? Except she's no longer a child anymore. She's in her 20's now and quite grown up. She's a lovely, ... continue reading...
How to Do Dating Better as a Christian
But I don’t want to date . . . I just want to get married. That’s what I told our family friend who was concerned that I wasn’t dating at the age of 26. Oh, not that I’d never dated. I'd actually dated a fair bit and found the whole dating scene rather depressing. Disappointing. Discouraging. You get the idea. My friend found my answer rather perplexing. "How can you get married . . . if you never date?" I don’t know, but I sure wished there was another way. As it turned out, a ... continue reading...
How To Overcome Rejection After A Betrayal
I couldn't believe my life. Sitting on the floor in my room, tears running down my face. I was heartbroken. Nothing in my world looked familiar. No one felt safe anymore. I was lost, hurt and alone. I tried going to church that Sunday but something didn't feel right. I was anxious and nervous the entire time. Worried that someone would come up to me and ask how we were doing. I couldn't get into worship service, or pay attention to the sermon. Everything in me was screaming at me to get ... continue reading...
Emotional Intimacy When You’re Not Naturally Romantic
Closing the book, I blinked back tears. It was the fourth marriage book I’d read and once again, I felt excluded from the conversation. Most of what I read made the necessary generalizations about gender to teach important marital concepts, but those generalizations didn’t fit my personality. I found myself wondering: What’s wrong with me? Am I less of woman – and less of a wife – because I don’t crave romance? When You're Not Romantic I’m a very practical person. In my marriage, my husband ... continue reading...
How to Grieve with Hope
My husband and I have six children, only three of whom share our dinner table. We have miscarriage to thank for the empty chairs. Nothing in my life has made me feel more lonely, defeated, and disoriented. Nothing has made me long for heaven more. When I shared openly online after my first miscarriage, I was dumbfounded by the messages that followed from friends, acquaintances, and readers. The volume was astounding. But so was the hush. It seemed this secret grief was just waiting for ... continue reading...