Jun 30
Love11

5 Things You Need To Know Before You Get Married

By Communication, Conflict No Comments

Marriage is the most sacred relationship we can enter into. It is ordained by God, and is the oldest institution. It is spoken of throughout the Bible, and is sacred in every way. But it isn’t always easy, and you will never have all the answers. Couples often enter into marriage with rose-colored glasses. When two very different, and admittedly selfish, people join together until death do us part, it can be hard to see exactly what problems could arise. There are five things I wish I knew before I got married, and I want to share them with you….

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Jun 25
Love11

How to Create Intimacy in Marriage In Spite of Your Past

By Communication, Conflict No Comments

My husband has more sexual experience than me. I always wonder if I measure up. HELP! Having a spouse who engaged in sexual activity with someone other than you prior to your marriage can create anxiety, discomfort, and distance in your relationship. Likewise, past sexual experiences with individuals other than your spouse can generate guilt, shame, and a toxic environment in your marriage. In this video, Drs. Les and Leslie talk about the importance of leaving the past behind and creating an intimate marriage based in the here and now where both spouses can thrive. If your spouse is more…

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Jun 23
Love18

4 Tips for Choosing Wise Friendships In Your Marriage

By Communication, Time 8 Comments

Friendship is a gift. We need our friends, and that need doesn’t come to an end when we get married. Here you’ll find tips for choosing wise friendships that will enrich your marriage, as well as balancing the intimacy in your marriage with the important friendships in your lives. 1. Make Past Friends Part of Your Shared Life When you get married, the landscape of your relationships changes. There are many adjustments to make because it becomes impossible to cultivate your marriage while supporting the same time investment you put into past friendships. While there’s nothing wrong with each of…

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Jun 18
Love8

Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater?

By Conflict One Comment

Is the saying “Once a cheater, always a cheater,” true? In today’s video, Drs. Les and Leslie tackle the accuracy of the saying, “Once a cheater, always a cheater.” They provide hurting spouses with potential ways to protect themselves as they attempt to salvage their marriages, and to discern whether the offending spouse is sincere in his or her efforts to change past behaviors and build a healthier relationship. If your spouse had an affair in the past, was your relationship successfully reconciled? What boundaries did you set, and how did your spouse hold himself or herself accountable for past…

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Jun 16
Love11

Are Your Hearing Aids Working?

By Communication, Self Reflection No Comments

Five Ways To Become A Better Listener In Your Marriage Ask any married person for a list of what makes a healthy marriage, and communication will always be in the top five. Ask that same person about a time when their marriage has broken down and high atop their list of reasons will be lack of communication. The importance of communication can almost seem overstated, but nonetheless, it’s an issue that arises in every marriage, including ours. We can often forget that healthy communication is not just about talking, but about listening, a trait that seems to be rapidly declining…

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Jun 11
Love12

Should I Expect My Wife To Care About Her Looks?

By In-laws & Family, Self Reflection No Comments

Am I wrong to expect my wife to care a little about making herself look nice for me? Advice? During some seasons of marriage–child-rearing, for example–wives often find themselves with less reason or interest to invest energy in their outward appearances. In this video, Drs. Les and Leslie provide suggestions for husbands who want to remain physically attracted to their wives throughout the seasons of marriage, but don’t know how to approach the issue. Husbands, how have you created moments for your wives that allowed them to focus on nurturing their physical appearances, and what were the results? Wives, how…

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Jun 09
Love26

11 Questions to Ask Your Spouse to Spark Deeper Conversation

By Communication 5 Comments

All of us, at some point, go through times in our marriages when we find it difficult to create the meaningful conversations that keep intimacy alive. Here you will find 11 questions you can ask your husband or wife on date nights, on road trips, and during tough times that will initiate deeper communication in your relationship. When using questions like these as conversation starters, remember to keep the questions open-ended (don’t ask anything that will elicit only a “yes” or “no” answer), and always follow up. After your spouse has shared his or her thoughts, engage and share your…

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May 25
Love9

Take a Guilt Free Drop

By Careers No Comments

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1 “This morning we are going to learn to juggle. Each of you should be holding three brightly colored scarves.” More than a thousand of us had gathered in the ballroom of a hotel for a conference on laughter. This morning we were listening to Dr. Steve Allen Jr., the son of the famous comedian. “I’m going to lead you through a dozen steps to teach you the fine art of juggling,” he told us. “First, take one of your scarves, hold it out at…

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May 18
Love7

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares The Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

Jeremiah 29:11
May 11
Love10

How to Stop Being Too Busy

By Careers One Comment

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28 We’re busy. Crazy busy. At least that’s what we’ve been telling ourselves – for a long time. We’ve got deadlines to meet, classes to teach, meetings to attend, emails to exchange, articles to write, seminars to give … oh, and then there’s kids to raise, a house to keep up, friendships to maintain, and, well, our marriage. It’s become our default response when asked how we’re doing: “Busy!” And we’re not the only ones. Almost every couple we talk to is…

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