Do you listen to your spouse? My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. {James 1:19-20 NIV}This has to be one of our favorite scriptures pertaining to effective, healthy communication in marriage (or any other relationship). This scripture contains essential keys that give us the ability to Continue Reading
What Is Prayer?
When seeking after something, an important first step is to figure out what that something really is. We all know we should pray for our spouses and with our spouses, but just what does that really mean? What does it look like? What should we be praying? What should we expect from such prayers?The Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches a concise yet deep definition of prayer: Q. 98. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up Continue Reading
Is Your Spouse Your Intimate?
Usually when we use the word intimate, we are using it as an adjective to describe a person, an event, an encounter. If we want a noun, we talk of intimacy -- the act of being intimate. But intimate itself can be a noun, a person, a thing. Your intimate friend is your intimate. The dictionary defines the noun intimate as "a close friend or confidant."Intimacy in marriage includes sex, but is not limited to it. Sex is a symbolic ritual, Continue Reading
For our Marriage: In God We Trust
Trust is a key component to any relationship, especially the marital relationship. Communication, intimacy, and happiness are all built upon trust.But at times our spouses let us down. We let our spouses down. And we are left to wonder if it is safe to trust.While we must address trust within the marriage relationship, there is an even more foundational trust that will help us not be shaken. Our trust must first be in God before it can be Continue Reading
The Bible's Communication Commands
A pastor of mine likes to say, "What you believe comes out your fingertips" to explain why doctrine and beliefs and Bible-reading are vital to our life and lifestyle. The corollary is also true: "What comes out your fingertips is what you actually believe." Unfortunately, what we say and even what we think we believe is not our true belief, our real faith. When we worry, we show that we don't actually believe God is in control (or that He is Continue Reading