We weren’t designed to be self-sustaining organisms. We inherently require things from the world around us to survive and to thrive. We have physical needs (e.g. food, water, clothing, shelter), emotional needs (e.g. acceptance, love, friendship, empathy), sexual needs (e.g. well… you get this… Read More »Where’s your focus?
Happy New Year! Yep, it’s that time of year when we all look ahead and make promises to ourselves. The book is blank, and we have 365 days to fill in the content of our life story. We plan to exercise more, eat more sensibly,… Read More »Marriage Resolutions for 2012
A year ago I had a conversation with a good friend from church. This guy is a huge Dave Ramsey fan and as such follows a strict family budget for all of their family’s expenditures. He was talking to me about how he and his… Read More »Marriage Priorities
We’re all familiar with the “honeymoon phase” that couples go through. Everything is new and exciting. Both partners are in an exploration mode as they go through the process of adapting to the other. Everyday brings new learning and surprises creating a culture of excitement.… Read More »Archenemy #1 – Complacency
Picture this. You are at a business function with your husband. You stand loyally at his side throughout the evening and thoroughly enjoy the charm, the warmth and the conversation that he exudes with everyone that he encounters. You see a facet of him that… Read More »The unhealthy games we play – Part 2, Duality
I’m convinced that the difference between a mediocre marriage and a shocking marriage are the games that we play with each other. I’m not talking about recreational activities, but rather control-based games of power and manipulation. In the workshops we’ve led, we’ve had numerous men… Read More »The unhealthy games we play – Part 1 – sex
You ever watch a young couple in love? They’re always flirting and teasing each other. Laughter is the norm. There’s a playful quality that is present that is both infectious and energizing. Is it strictly youth that creates such a relationship? We went out… Read More »Keep it Playful
If you say you never argue with your spouse, I’ll say that you’re not talking enough! Conflict is inevitable in an intimate relationship. The biblical concept of “the two shall become one” is not an immediate transformation, but rather a process that happens over time.… Read More »Rules of Engagement
There’s a fascinating study out of Stony Brook University in New York that did brain scans on couples married over 20 years. In many cases individuals can really be in a state of passionate love that was long thought to dissipate after a brief time… Read More »Science proves you can stay in love…