Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy. Reading those definitions, it’s easy to see why people routinely confuse the two. But make no mistake: they are not the same. The honeymoon is over! I learned this lesson the hard way when I got married. Just after the honeymoon ended, it seemed to me…
Hope and Lament in Seasons of Heartache
How do we delight in the face of suffering? When we walk through seasons of heartache— including seasons of difficulty in our marriages— how do we maintain a posture of delight? Here’s the bottom line: as Christians, our delight— even our faith—isn’t sustained by us. In my darkest hour, when suffering persists and pain swells, God is still good and faithful. Though my feelings waver…
God, Spouse, Kids— Priorities Matter
When things are in alignment, everything runs smoothly. But when one piece of the puzzle is missing— or one moving part of an engine is out of place— the whole system becomes compromised. My husband and I hit rock bottom in our marriage before we recognized that our priorities were way out of alignment. Perhaps you feel this in your own marriage right now. Maybe…
Priorities, Practically Speaking (Priorities, 4 of 4)
In this episode, things get practical. How do we step down the path of reorienting our priorities? How do we overcome the challenges and obstacles that stand between us and the priorities God is convicting us to live by? We’ll walk you through our story of writing our first Family Vision statement, and at the end, we’ll give you a link to get a free…
Married with Kids? Two Dynamics to Watch Out For
What do you do in marriage when the rival for your spouse’s love and affection is one of your own children? In fact, one of the biggest tests of a marriage occurs when kids start arriving. Raising kids can draw a couple together like nothing else or it can rip the two of you apart with fury. Here are two dynamics to watch out for. …
The Path to Rebuilding Broken Trust
The path toward repairing and rebuilding trust is neither easy to find nor quick to travel. Your heart hurts and your relationship seems like it will never be the same again. Could it be that God wants to use this difficult time to show you more of his mercy, goodness, and grace? Could it be, that this could make your marriage better than ever before?…
Lowering the Walls Around Our Mess and Inviting Others In
Healthy boundaries in marriage can look like a lot of different things— establishing regular date night rhythms, using accountability software, saying “no” to extended family, etc. But sometimes in marriage, the best thing we can do is lower the walls around our mess and invite others in. Christian community is a means of grace to you Five years ago— in the weeks and months after…
3 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Divorced My Wife
This isn’t an article by someone who doesn’t understand. I went through with it. I divorced my wife. I filed the papers and walked away from my marriage. Do you know someone who is thinking about it and feel desperate to understand? Maybe that person is you? I don’t mean the thought flew by once in a moment of weakness or anger. That’s definitely a…
Following God Wherever He Leads
Hi there! I’m Zena, the editor at Fierce Marriage and Fierce Parenting. I read this excerpt from Gospelbound by Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra and was so encouraged by it— this line in particular got me: “[My wife’s illness] is not some big distraction. This is not some huge detour. This is the path God has for us, and it leads somewhere good.” I…
How Past Trauma Might be Affecting Your Marriage Today
The following is adapted from Marriage in the Middle, by Dorothy Littell Greco. Copyright (c) 2020. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com Traumatic experiences affect every aspect of life and all of our relationships— perhaps most notably our marriage. It’s not a question of if you or your spouse have experienced trauma. It’s more a question of to what degree and have the…