Marriage

Our marriages will inevitably fail—or at the least, be completely miserable—when we withhold forgiveness.

You have eighteen years with your children, and then they grow up to have their own lives. But when you got married, you vowed to be with your spouse "till death do you part." You'll be with your spouse much longer than you'll have your children in your home. Set a good example of what a healthy marriage will look like by putting each other's opinions first, even if there are moments when you don't agree with your parenting strategy or the other's perspective on life.

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.

This love language is also the only category that involves verbal expression. You can spot people whose love language is based on Words of Affirmation because those people don’t hesitate to cheer others on. So, making them feel valued with words is love.

A person can get divorced if their spouse is unfaithful to them or abuses them in any way. The Bible also tells us that our identity is in Christ; therefore, if we leave our marriage, it does change our worth in God’s eyes.

Being a “wife of noble character” is a rarity because she is not everywoman. Rather, she is an idealized model we should aspire to, understanding that perhaps no one can reach this pinnacle of behavior.

I would venture to guess that most married couples can identify with escape, business meeting and maintenance dates in their relationship. But it is essential to be intentional about creating romantic memories, too.

Our marriages have to be guarded and continually prayed for. Temptation lies everywhere! How quickly our eyes can pull us away from honoring the gift of marriage we have been given. Maybe it's a picture that tempts us online, a comparison that says I should have it better than I do, or lust that draws us towards a person other than our spouse. The struggle to remain faithful to each other in heart, mind, and body is real.

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.

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.

Our unity was tested and we learned, through God’s refining fire of suffering, ways in which to love and honor each other regardless of our circumstances.

It is perfectly okay for Christians to decide not to have children, as the Bible doesn't mandate parenthood, and the decision should be based on personal convictions, health, finances, and lifestyle. God's love for individuals remains unchanged regardless of whether they have children, and the purpose of marriage is to reflect the love between Jesus and the Church, not to fulfill societal expectations.

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.

If you cannot resolve an issue before bed, accept that you may go to bed angry. Try to find a semblance of agreement that, yes, we’re still upset, but yes, we still love each other. Agree it needs to be worked on, but time is not being friendly, and sleep must come first.Whatever you do, do not sweep these issues under the rug. Resolve them. Make a point to resolve them, even if it means twenty-four hours later.

The way that we approached studying our Bibles was completely different. I related to Scripture in the themes and how the “story” made me feel. Conversely, he related to Scripture by digging into its cultural context, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the radical life-changing truth of the gospel. The first time we sat down to read our Bibles together, I felt overwhelmed and frustrated.Photo credit: ©Unsplash/Ben White