Being Pregnant and Married

The secret is out; Ryan and I are due to have a little baby girl in December and we couldn’t be happier! However, we are wrestling through being pregnant and married; and trying to strike new balances in this new season of life. Don’t worry, we’re not turning this into a “How to parent your child” blog – we are still all about marriage and…

Keeping the Sabbath: rest, refreshment, and recognition

Growing up, I never really studied the meaning of the Sabbath. I knew it was on Sunday’s and that it was basically a day to relax from work and have fun. It wasn’t until I was a married adult that I began to realize and discover how much we NEEDED a day of rest together. Although I wasn’t completely off in my understanding, I’ve definitely…

Getting Away With Your Spouse – Why It’s Vitally Important

Getting away with your spouse is a vital part of keeping things renewed and fresh. 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 monthly) occurrence in marriages – allow me to make my case!

Proverbs 31 Woman

These past few weeks I’ve been spending time reading and absorbing Proverbs 31. Yes, the famous chapter in the bible about how to be a Godly, virtuous woman. Growing up in the Christian community, I’ve heard sermon after sermon about how to be a “Proverbs 31” woman. Needless to say, it was a chapter that I was almost too familiar with. If you read the…

Matters Of The Heart: Priorities and Purchasing

Glancing at any social media site today (ehm, Valentine’s Day) it’s littered with “I Love You” status updates and online gifts for you to purchase for your special someone. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely enjoy an excuse to get dressed up and go out to a nice dinner. Or get a special gift from Ryan (hope he’s reading this!)

Muddy Monday

In this blog, Ryan and I continue to aim for transparency and honesty. I’m not convinced there are 3-steps to success in any area of life…especially marriage. The Issue Being a Washington native (go Dawgs!) and horse-crazy as a young girl, I’ve had my share of trudging through the rain and thick wet mud. Having lost more than one rubber-wellie boot in ankel deep sludge…

Quality Time: 3 Habits for Unplugged Dating

Quality time with your spouse is one of the best investments of time and energy you can make. In our super-connected society, we have to fiercely protect that time against leeching distractions. If left unguarded, true quality time with your spouse may be eroded and contaminated.

What Happens When the Happiness Fades?

After (almost) 10 years of marriage, and 4 years of dating before that, I’ve learned that making decisions about your marriage/relationship based on happiness is never a good idea. Are we supposed to make our spouses happy? Of course, God wants us to be intentional with our spouses; to cherish, love and honor them. However, happiness is NOT the ultimate objective…it can’t be.

10 Resolutions for a Strong Marriage (pt 2)

Thank God for new beginnings. There’s nothing quite like a clean slate to refresh and renew your energy. January 1 marks a time to celebrate (or mourn) the previous year and set your sights high for the year to come. New Year’s resolutions are typically aimed at burning off extra holiday “festivity” or cleaning up personal finances.While setting goals in fitness and finance can be…