Priming the Pump

THE FEELING Do you feel like you’re starving in your marriage? Maybe you’ve not admitted it to anyone. Perhaps you’ve tried to downplay it, rationalize it, or ignore it. But you feel it. Inside, you’re starving for: Attention. Affection. Time. Support. Appreciation. Acceptance. Encouragement. Etc. Whatever it may be, if you feel like you’re starving […]

Clean Your Windshield

  “I want to be broken over the sins of my heart. I wish I grieved over them more—even the little sins.” A friend said this to me recently and I have been pondering her words ever since. She was concerned about the casualness of her heart toward those sins we deem “small.” Her reasoning? […]

Not Yours to Define

How many times have people assumed things about you that are so far from the truth? It alienates, discriminates, and propagates ideas that are damaging to connection and compassion. The truth is, we are all walking a God designed path in a world that makes it hard to do so. Our past experiences aren’t written […]

How Parenting Can Take a Toll on Partnering

  Parenting is supposed to be one of the most fulfilling experiences of your life. It’s supposed to bring spouses together. But without care and attention, just the opposite can happen. If you’re not careful, parenting can take a toll on your partnering. LOSING YOUR PLAYMATE When spouses come to me with problems in their […]

Grief Reflections

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven; a time to be born and a time to die. â€”Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a … but joy cometh in the morning. —Psalm 30:5b Grief, in essence, is reaction to loss. In one sense, it is universal. In another sense, it is unique. Grief is […]

When the Chains Fall

  I have this necklace that clinks. It jangles and rattles with my every movement—the faux-gold circle clacking against a wooden piece. The colliding makes a cacophony.  At times it catches my attention, so much that while walking I will grasp it to silence the sound. Other times, I remove it completely in annoyance—and all […]

Is Your Marriage Out of Focus?

  When you go to have your eyes checked, the first thing they do is determine your focus. They want to know what you’re able to focus on and what you’re not. Just like your eyes, the health of your marriage has a lot to do with your focus. And just like your eyes, your […]

What If?

  We are living in exciting days! (I bet you haven’t heard that much lately, have you!?) You’ve probably heard statements like…. “We are living in trying times.”, “These are strange days.”, “These are difficult days.” It seems like this year has been full of negativity, frustration, and fear. We are constantly bombarded with reports […]