We wrapped up our series DISCONNECTED this week and we did so by answering your questions and discussing practical ways to apply everything we’ve been learning.
Read MoreWORDS WE NEED - Disconnected, Part 2
Every word you USE is a word you CHOOSE.
We’re in week 2 of DISCONNECTED and this week I invited two special guests to join me as we discuss the “words we need” based on our temperaments. The same words that motivate some, discourage others. The same words that some brush off quickly; others hold on to for years.
But the more we understand ourselves and those around us, the more we can speak to their needs and communicate more effectively.
Read MoreThe 4 Temperaments - DISCONNECTED Part 1
“Even though we’re all using the same words, we might not all be speaking the same language.”
We kicked off a new series yesterday and I was so excited about it, that I decided to invite a special friend to join me…MY WIFE!
Check out our latest series DISCONNECTED as we examine the unique ways in which God wired us, and how understanding those differences can help us communicate more lovingly and effectively with the people we love the most.
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A Story About Marriage
Today's post is one of the most powerful stories I've ever read about marriage (I didn't write it; I found it online). It's a bit long, but it's absolutely worth it. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Whether you’re single or married, I promise you, it's worth the four minutes it'll take you to read it. Trust me...you'll thank me when you're done.
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Why We All Need to Work on our Marriage
“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Matthew 19:4-6
Several years ago, I did something that I strongly encourage every married couple to do – I attended a Weekend to Remember marriage getaway hosted by FamilyLife. I had heard many good things about the getaway, but I had no idea how beneficial and needed it would be.
Marriage isn’t easy. Anyone who says it is probably isn’t married. We all dream about marriage and have ideas about what it will look like one day, but rarely does the reality ever line up with the expectation. That could be due to a myriad of reasons, but the point is that marriage isn’t easy. It's hard work and if you want to have a successful marriage, you’re probably not going to stumble upon it by accident.
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4 Characteristics of a Godly Wife
It’s hard to believe but next week Marianne and I will be celebrating our 18 year wedding anniversary. I know what you’re thinking - it’s hard to believe that two people who look so young have been married so long - trust me, we hear that all the time :)
So I thought it would be appropriate to repost something I wrote a few years ago about my wife and what it is that makes her the greatest gift I could have ever asked for. As you’ll see below, this isn’t to say that she’s perfect or we’re perfect; but it’s my way of sharing some of the specific characteristics that she brings to the table that have contributed to our success thus far.
Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
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The Foundation of Success in Every Marriage
I refuse to accept 50/50 in my marriage. No way. Not me. I know what the statistics say – that 50% of marriages end in divorce. And I know that the other 50% are mostly just sputtering along – keeping it together but not really finding the true intimacy and closeness that they each so desire. I know all of that. BUT I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT MY MARRIAGE WILL BE LESS THAN GREAT!
50/50 odds are not good enough for me. I want better for my wife, and for my kids, and most importantly, FOR MY SELF! I don’t want the same results as everybody else – and that is why I believe I must live differently than everybody else.
So with that said, I want to talk about what I believe is the most important factor upon which a successful marriage is built. There is one factor that I believe will contribute to your success in marriage more than anything else. This one commitment, if you keep it, won’t lead to a perfect marriage at all times – but it will certainly lead to one that is long-lasting and fulfilling for many years to come.
Read MoreConfessions of a Bible Powercouple, Part 3 - Abraham and Sarah
It’s Part 3 of our series Confessions of a Bible Powercouple and this week we’re looking at one of the most famous and well-known powercouples ever: Abraham and Sarah.
Abraham and Sarah are two GIANTS when it comes to faith. They’re known for their incredible trust in God. But was their faith always strong? Or did they ever falter? Did they ever have any moments of weakness?
YOU BET! And through their story, we learn some critical lessons about what it means to “trust in God.”
Read MoreConfessions of a Bible Powercouple, Part 2 - Ahab and Jezebel
We’re in Part 2 of our series on Confessions of a Bible Powercouple and this week we’re looking at one of the most common dynamics in marriage today: the PASSIVE husband and the CONTROLLING wife.
By looking at the story of Ahab and Jezebel, we see how that dynamic might play out and the results of neglecting to STEP IN to the role that God designed us for.
Read MoreConfessions of a Bible Powercouple, Part 1 - JACOB AND LEAH (and Rachel)
There's nothing quite like a juicy love story...the romance, the intrigue, the drama, and maybe a little scandal. In this series, we'll travel back in time and take a closer look at four famous marriages from the Old Testament. We'll see what lessons we can learn and allow their stories to speak into our lives to empower and enrich our marriages.
Up first: Jacob and Leah…….and Rachel.
Read MoreNO ONE TOLD ME THAT - Into the Wild, Part 5
Our INTO THE WILD journey has now come to a close but we ended with a bang! For this final session, I invited my lovely wife, Marianne, to join me on stage as we answered questions from the audience and shared three critical lessons that we've stumbled upon over the past 16 years in our marriage.
Read MoreLost that Lovin' Feeling - INTO THE WILD, Part 4
What’s IN you will eventually come OUT of you regardless of who’s WITH you.
Ever wondered how it's possible for a couple to go from "madly in love and can't get enough of each other" at the start of a relationship, to "can't stand the sight of one another" just a few years into marriage?
Well, I believe I can help shed some light on the answer. That's the topic of Part 4 of INTO THE WILD. We discuss the real reason so many of us struggle to find love and stay in it.
Read MoreWhat Every Woman Needs to Know About Men - INTO THE WILD, Part 3
Alrighty ladies, this week it's your turn! Last week I was preaching to the gentlemen and this week it's time to turn our attention to you. In this week's message, I share the one choice you can make that can take your relationships to new heights.
What is it? Check out the video above and see for yourself.
Read MoreWhat Every Man Needs to Know about Women - INTO THE WILD, Part 2
Gentlemen, grab a pen and get ready to start taking notes. In this week's message, I share the vital information that every man needs to understand in order to be successful in relationships. Trust me, this one piece of information has the power to transform your relationships if get it right.
What is it? Check out Part 2 of INTO THE WILD and see for yourself.
Read MoreThe Indisputable Laws of Relationships - INTO THE WILD, Part 1
"Being Christian is not enough to be successful in relationships. I must understand the rules."
Relationships. They aren't as easy as they look. Sometimes it can feel like trying to navigate your way through a wild jungle. But thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way. Help is on the way!
In Part 1 of our latest series, INTO THE WILD, we looked at what I call "The Indisputable Laws of Relationships" - three rules that you need to understand if you hope to win at relationships.
Read MoreAre You Avoiding Conflict or Resolving It?
“Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” William James
Never is that more true than in marriage. There is no such thing as a marriage that doesn’t have conflict. The only marriages that don’t have conflict are the ones where they aren’t trying – where either one or both of the people involved have simply given up.
Conflict is the most difficult part of marriage – it’s the part that can cause tremendous pain and hurt. But it doesn’t always need to be negative.
Conflict can actually strengthen a marriage (or any relationship for that matter), if we simply learn to follow some Biblical principles on how to fight fair. In fact, conflict is often times the very thing that catapults relationships to new heights and new depths.
Therefore, I believe the following: the goal of marriage is not to be conflict-free. The goal is to handle the conflict correctly when it occurs.
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Submission & Partnership
The two seem pretty contradictory right?
Submission is a word that has caused confusion, and sometimes, disgruntlement for many engaged and married women. A newlywed myself, it was something I struggled with prior to my wedding. I struggled to understand what God was commanding of me and I was unsure that I’d be able to fulfill and obey what was asked of me properly.
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Finding My Soulmate
This is a guest post from Peri Koussa - a fourth year PharmD student at MCPHS University in Boston. Aside from being a future health care professional, Peri is also - in her own words - "a closet poet and strong believer in the power of words." You can see more of Peri's work by checking her out on SoundCloud. And if you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.
Here I am, a young girl in her twenties, drowning in the waves of a community I struggle to understand. It is a community that boasts of an ultimate feat: finding a soulmate.
Everywhere you go there seems to be some sort of indication that it is time to start the search for 'the one'.
Read MoreEvery Wedding is a Mission (Impossible) - Crowns of Glory Part 3
It's the week 3 finale of the CROWNS OF GLORY: Lessons from an Orthodox Wedding Ceremony and this week we looked at the most controversial and most misrepresented portion of the ceremony - the instructions to the bride and groom.
TO THE GROOM: Do all that is good for her. Have compassion on her and always hasten to do that which will gladden her heart. Take care of her as her parents did in love and in humility… Remember that if you fulfill the divine commandments which urge you to look after your wife, the Lord will bless you in all you do…
TO THE BRIDE: You must honor and respect him, do not disagree with him but increase your obedience to him over what was commanded many times… Receive him with joy and cheer, do not frown in his face, observe all your obligations to him, and fear God in all you do… so the Lord will support you and provide for your livelihood and blessing will descend upon your house.
Wondering what all that means? Check out the video above and see for yourself.
Every Wedding is a New Birth – CROWNS OF GLORY Part 2
Marriage isn’t something we shouldn’t undo.
It’s something we CAN’T undo.
Week 2 in our series CROWNS OF GLORY: Lessons from an Orthodox Wedding Ceremony. This week we saw that in addition to being a funeral, every wedding is also a NEW BIRTH – that is the beginning of a new person that didn’t exist beforehand.
That new person is not born out of an agreement between two people, but rather out of a mystical union of two people. And once that union is formed, WATCH OUT! Because what God has joined together, let NOT man separate.
Check out the video above to see how this lesson is given to us in the Orthodox wedding ceremony. Enjoy!