When we talk about transparency, the response is nearly unanimous: it’s a vital part of marriage and relationships. You really can’t build a meaningful bond with your spouse if you’re hiding part of yourself. But most often, hiding is our first instinct.
From Palms to Pine Trees: Life Lessons and Transitions
As you most of you probably know, Ryan, Dela and I are in the middle of a major life transition. And to be honest, the transition is much harder than I anticipated. Suddenly all the little things that frustrated me
Slivers, Secrets, and Shame: Why Transparency in Marriage is an Absolute Must
Selena and I have had our secrets. We’ve hidden things from each other in our marriage, both purposefully and passively. We’ve masked poor financial choices, hidden sexual addiction, and “failed to mention” costly mistakes. It wasn’t until relatively recently that we discovered the power of transparency in our marriage.
Out in the Cold: Why Your Marriage is Worth Fighting For
What if we always did exactly what we wanted? God wants us to be happy right, so why not do what brings us happiness? You’re probably already objecting. Anyone over the age of 6 knows you can’t have everything you want whenever it’s available to you. If you’ve ever vomited from an Otter Pop overdose (not that I’ve ever done that…) you’ll understand. Humans have a strange…
5 Phrases Every Wife Needs to Hear Daily
I heard a story of a man and his wife who were having difficulty communicating. She felt undervalued and he felt nagged. She felt that his love for her was fading, and he felt like she was getting overly needy. Flustered, she explained, “I’m not sure you even love me any more!”. In response he quipped, “Honey I said I loved you the day I…
6 Reasons Men Should Watch Where They Look
Men like to look at pretty ladies. Groundbreaking discovery, I know… For a Christian guy – i.e., a man who follows Christ wholeheartedly and seeks to live with integrity as a result – this desire presents problems. When a pretty lady passes us on the sidewalk, something inside drives us to look – once, twice, even thrice, or more. This looking “twice, thrice, or more” is cause for concern. It seems harmless (you’re…
Divorcing Society’s Ideals for Marriage
Ideals wreak havoc on our marriage. What do I mean by ideals? I mean, those perfect or “ideal” images of married couples we see everywhere we look.
4 Things to Consider the Next Time You Feel Misunderstood
A few weeks back, Selena and I had a new style of argument. I guess I’ll call it “repressed yelling” (with an infant at home, volume is now a luxury we can’t afford). Funny thing though, as I write this I don’t even remember what we were arguing about – it must have been something trivial. I only truly recall something about feeling misunderstood. I…
3 Things I’ve Learned from Unanswered Prayer
Have you ever felt like you were asking God all the “right” questions and getting only silence in return? We’ve been seeking God on a few things and have yet to hear His response. It’s causing us both spiritual heartburn. Now, on top of the questions we’ve been already asking God (some for years), we’re asking MORE questions like “Why is God being so quiet?”…
Your marriage is not a DIY project
Have you ever tried to do a DIY project? Honestly, I feel like I am somewhat of a creative mind, but when it comes to DIY projects (hello Pinterest) I’m like a first-grader learning how to write in cursive. Spoon rings A few Christmas’ ago I tried to do spoon rings for my Young Life girls. Easy-peasy right? Get a few sterling silver spoons from…