If you’re reading this, there’s a great chance that you identify with being called a Christian. However, that’s about where the assumptions stop. You might be married, you might read your Bible, and you probably (statistically) don’t gather weekly with other believers in your area. Life is busy and church attendance tends to get placed on the chopping block. Given our culture’s adversity to ‘organized religion’ and…
5 Reasons Why Your Family of Origin Matters… a Lot
To put it plainly, “Family of Origin” refers to the environment in which you grew up. It’s not a new concept by any means, but it’s one Selena and I hadn’t explored at length. Until recently. I love thinking about family of origin in tree terms (hence the image for this post). How a tree grows doesn’t only depend on its species; it’s the net…
The Biggest Battle Every Couple Will Ever Face
Before I get started, I didn’t intend the title of this article to feel like clickbait (vis-à-vis alluding to a huge battle without actually saying what it is). Sorry about that, sort of. To be honest, this issue is so important to your marriage—so foundational—that I’m fine with sharing this message however possible (plus we have very little to gain monetarily by having you land…
5 Specific Ways to Pray for Your Spouse
Prayer is one of the most tangible and powerful ways you can love your spouse. For Christians, the importance of prayer is readily acknowledged but often forgotten. This tendency to forget is probably because we haven’t had a deep revelation of what prayer is and why we do it. NOTE: Our NEW prayer devotionals are here! Make sure to visit 40Prayers.com to get your copies.
8 Characteristics of a Healthy (and Happy) Sex-Life
One of the most prevalent topics we get questions about is sex and intimacy. And for good reason: sexual intimacy is an important part of marriage, but it also tends to be one of the most misunderstood. For starters, here are some biblical truths about sex: Sex is a good, gracious gift from God. He designed it. Sex is created exclusively for the marriage covenant.…
How is Your Phone Hurting Your Marriage? (Part 1)
You’re probably using your smartphone to read this. Truth is, your phone is a great tool, but it can also create problems in life and marriage. Don’t believe me? Take a moment to ask yourself a few diagnostic questions: Do you consistently check your phone first thing in the morning? Do you spend many of your idle moments checking it compulsively? What is the longest…
4 Ways to Build Lasting Unity
Unity. Deep, true unity is unmistakable and irreplaceable in a healthy marriage. God’s word says “they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Not two people with a common goal, but one flesh. Combined. Unified. God created us for deeper unity with our spouses than any other human. There are profound reasons for this, like the necessity of strong families for flourishing churches and societies. There…
A Wedding Sermon from a 1943 Prison Cell
I remember the sermon given at our wedding pretty well. It applied directly to Selena and me, and the pastor drew from things he knew were distinct to our relationship. Perhaps you remember the sermon given at your wedding? Perhaps it’s all a blur… mine is a mixture of vivid memory and foggy recollection. The below sermon is one written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer to his…
7 Reasons Why ‘Getting Away’ is Good for Your Marriage (and 10 tools we use for affordable travel)
Getting away with your spouse is a vital part of keeping things renewed and fresh. There’s just something special that happens when you leave your normal routines in favor of deepening your friendship with each other. This means taking time to intentionally disconnect from your everyday world and reconnect with your life partner. I strongly believe that getting away should be a regular (at least…
Stop Keeping Score
Keeping score is never healthy for a marriage, yet it’s often our default. Why? Because keeping score of wrongs, acts of service, faults, and personal victories can’t possibly come from a spirit of love. It most often comes from a place of insecurity and lack of faith in the gospel. In this episode, we’ll unpack how keeping score is damaging to a marriage, and share…