Biblical forgiveness in marriage is the decision to no longer credit an offense against your spouse with a view of exacting vengeance. It means you release your spouse from a debt owed to you as well as the blame he or she may deserve. Forgiveness is first and foremost a decision. It doesn’t begin with…
Years ago, my husband and I kicked off a church retreat with a teaching on confession. Following the talk, we joined a prayer team around the perimeter of the space and invited folks to confess their sins. The first woman who approached me shrugged her shoulders apologetically and said, “I don’t have anything to confess.”…
Our tenth anniversary kicked off a season of unprecedented strife, most of which was circumstantial. My husband and I were homeschooling our three young sons, navigating multiple part-time jobs and trying to manage my health crisis. Both of us lacked sleep, energy, and patience. Prior to this season, conflicts had not been an issue for…
Communication may be a skill of thinking, speaking, and listening, but what happens when someone listens but cannot hear? James and Ashley had a rough first year of marriage, to say the least. They had met during the fall of their senior year of college. Marriage plans progressed quickly after Christmas, and they were married…
My husband has low standards—for cooking, that is. As a bachelor, he often ate whatever he could prepare using a Mr. Coffee: Ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, and his all-time favorite, Stove-Top stuffing, just to name a few of his specialties. His favorite food? “Leftovers.” Since we’ve been married, I’m proud to say he’s never…
