Growing up, I was not taught to tithe. It was years later as an adult watching John Hagee speak on TV regarding tithing that it began to sink in. The information was powerful and new to me. I tried to ignore it, but everywhere I …
Marriage
Jesus Loves Women
The thought that God loved me never crossed my mind as I gasped for air, his hands tightly gripped around my throat. My husband was an angry man and a misogynist – he hated women. If only he had come with a list of …
Is Divorce Contagious?
There is no question that we influence the behavior–for good or bad–of those around us, particularly in the area of relationships. King David is an example of someone whose marital sins were passed on to the next generation to his son Absalom, who committed adultery …
Man in My Mind
My husband has faults. His work kept him from home for much of our marriage. He snores. Our ideas of clean are different. Our interests clash. There are times it seems we have less in common than black and white. Slowly I became discontent, lonely …
Date Night Ideas
(An oldie, but goodie–we originally published this way back in 2006. The ideas are still as good today as they were then!) *Frank and I like to go out for dessert in the evenings around 7 or 8 p.m. Going later cuts down on the …
The Subtle Faces of Pride in Marriage
Our most dangerous problem in marriage we may not even see. Pride is the underlying cause of all marriage problems — big and small. Its easy to see our spouse’s shortcomings and be blind to our own. One test of spiritual pride is how little …
Spitting Llamas & Pride
Several years ago when our children were still quite young I decided to take them for an afternoon visit to Timber-lee Christian Center, a Christian camp that has a petting zoo, just north of the Wisconsin border. We walked into the gated area and found …
My Pledge To Do
Dictionary.com lists several definitions for the word “commitment.” The one that stands out to me the most is “a pledge to do.” Marriage is a commitment, a pledge to do for lifetime. Jesus says of marriage in the book of Matthew, “So then, they are …
Putting Your Spouse First
Here are five simple suggestions to help make loving your spouse a top priority, second only to your relationship with Christ. Remember, giving your marriage the time and attention it deserves truly matters to God. He will help you implement these steps if you are …
Is it Possible for Prayer to Protect Your Marriage?
Did you know that 1% of couples that pray together, divorce? But, do you find it difficult to pray with your spouse? Maybe the words come awkwardly or not at all. Let us make a simple suggestion that could turn things around. To start with, …