Marriage

You can reap the benefits of spending time with a newly married couple you respect because, truthfully, it doesn't matter how long you've been married–we all have so much room to grow when it comes to loving our spouse like Jesus loves his church. Their humility will be a refreshment to you, and it can soften things that have been blocking joy in your marriage, too.

Whereas society used to hold contempt and stigma towards divorce, now the process is common, normal, and expected. When? When you’ve had enough of being unhappy. Why? Because you deserve to be happy. But are these ideas biblical?

The popular thing to write on one's 50th anniversary is a glowing tribute to one's spouse in admiration for her patience and perseverance, but I know also that few would benefit from reading that. What interests people and benefits other marriages is learning from our mistakes.

My husband and I had entirely too much on our plates with every child we added to our family. We didn't relax enough, I definitely was critical of my husband's parenting, and he was clueless about my emotional struggles. We didn't get it all right, but we've stuck together and learned a lot along the way. Even if your postpartum season feels chaotic and your marriage feels tense, give it time and keep at it. You'll get better at this thing in time.

Your spouse deserves crystal-clear communication. They get upset when your phone distracts you from engaging with them. They detest hearing you spew out incoherent, disjointed statements because you are fixated on your phone. They feel disrespected and hurt.

God designed your marriage for more than bills and schedules. Break out of the roommate rut with practical, biblical help that brings warmth and intimacy back.

Healthy relationships exist when mutual love, respect, and submission exist. The Hebrew word for submit is a verb that means to apply, serve, present, or bring near. God’s good plan for our marriages is that we both serve each other in love daily. This looks like both husband and wife feeling free to speak their minds, share their needs, and express their wants. When our goal is to lift each other up by showing each other the love of Christ, freedom to be the person God made us to be is the result.

How does the Bible say for husbands to treat their wives? With love. But not just the feeling of love, but self-sacrificing, selfless love. The kind of love that Jesus expressed when he died on the cross! The type of love that cares for her provides for her and leads her well toward good health.

Before your next hard conversation with your spouse, here are three wise, biblical ways to bring calm, clarity, and even a little joy back into your marriage.

It’s easy to keep score when we’ve been hurt, but true healing begins when we hand our pain to God. Learn how Scripture guides us to let go of resentment and love again with Christ’s strength.

"Marriage is work"! Does that statement strike a chord with you? Do you feel as if you breezed through dating and courtship only to hit a bump in the road in marriage? If you do, you are not alone. Many couples opine that there's a stark difference between marriage and dating. In marriage, they realize that they need to exert mental and physical effort to keep the wheels of their marriage turning. What came so easily and naturally during dating seems to have morphed into work. Hard work. What exactly changed? Did God design marriage as hard work?

Do you sometimes find it hard to be honest with God regarding the fertility problems you face? I know that I do at times. Perhaps sometimes it just feels easier to give God my best spiritual performance by telling him what I think he wants to hear instead. Perhaps a part of me still thinks my healing is based on my goodness or how well I weather the challenge.

God desires marriage to be between two believers; this means a man and a woman who both have placed their faith in Christ and follow Him. It doesn't matter which denomination you are a part of. As long as you are both believers, dating and getting married is okay.

The head of the household. The king of the castle. The man of the house. Our world has a lot to say about being a husband, but men looking to follow the godly mandate for marriage must turn to Scripture to see what it truly means to be a God-honoring husband.

The easiest way the Devil can steal from our marriages often does not look like dramatic breaks of trust or infidelity - it's actually just letting life consume us to the point that we slowly are strangers living in the same home. The way to avoid the slow fade out of love is intentionality! 

What if marriage is so hard we can hardly utter words of hope? This is where we must pray God’s Word. Praying God’s Word gives us the words when we have none.

The more time you and your spouse spend intentionally focusing on God—the source of all love—the more God’s love will flow between you. Love is much more than a feeling; it’s an action that you need to intentionally choose on a regular basis. When you choose to act in love toward each other, loving feelings will follow.

Marriage is a gift – an amazing blessing from God.

Praising God and praying His will for your spouse is guaranteed to be your most rewarding work as his wife. With these five powerful prayers, you will be arming your marriage with God’s Word and investing in his role as your spiritual leader.

A godly man knows he is accountable for his wife and kids when he gets to heaven. He is responsible for teaching them, guiding them, making wise decisions, serving them, and loving them well. He is to protect them at all costs.