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LOVE & MARRIAGE

  • marriage

Ain’t Marriage Grand!

What makes for an epic marriage? A marriage that faces and transcends challenges and obstacles, that has an interior resilience and grace that comes from the God who is always ready to encourage us. We recently attended two weddings of close family friends. This time, a different part of the ceremony really stood out for us. It was the preamble the celebrant said immediately before the couple exchanged vows. N and ...

By |2023-05-31T11:48:53+10:00May 31st, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • Resolutions

Divorce Proof Relationship Resolutions

January 3 is known as ‘divorce day’ – the most popular day for women to file for divorce. Perhaps because they’ve held it together for the festive season but can’t keep up the charade any longer. Sadly, most men don’t see it coming. Going through life blissfully unaware that their partner is desperately unhappy. I recently read an article in Psychology Today called “7 Relationship Resolutions Worth Keeping”. I’ve decided my New Year’s resolution ...

By |2023-05-29T08:08:37+10:00May 29th, 2023|FAMILIES, LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • marital resilience

Marital Resilience

Let’s face it – marriage is a tough gig these days. With divorce rates higher than we’d like, too many families are being torn apart by marriage breakdown. What can couples do to immunise their marriages against this tragedy? Marital resilience starts with a well-grounded understanding of what marriage is and what it isn’t. A lot of couples get themselves into trouble because they expect marriage, that is their spouse, to ...

By |2023-05-24T09:54:05+10:00May 24th, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • boats

Burn the Boats

A recent analysis of modern-day wedding vows reveals around a third of couples shunning the traditional commitment for life. According to the results, 34% dumped the phrase ‘until death do us part’. This really shouldn’t surprise us as the prevailing message young couples hear is that divorce is not only commonplace, it’s also to be expected. Understandably, many couples simply do not have confidence in marriage as a life-long proposition. So ...

By |2023-05-17T13:39:09+10:00May 17th, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • respect

Sexual Differences – Respect and Cherishment

When we understand our sexual differences, we are empowered to use them constructively to build great relationships.  We’ve always maintained that our differences are something to celebrate; that they allow us to more deeply appreciate the unique contribution we each make to our shared life. We can be different, with differing abilities in various areas, without that detracting from our dignity or worthiness. Difference does not mean unequal. To adapt an overused ...

By |2023-05-08T13:29:32+10:00May 10th, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • choosing

Choosing to Love

If there is one thing that makes motherhood so worth celebrating, it’s a mother’s capacity for love for her children. Whether it’s her willingness to give over her body to nourish a newborn, her patience with the endless ‘but why’ questions of a toddler, or the testing rebellion of a teenager, mothers seem to have a special empathy for the heart of their children. But most mothers will admit that they ...

By |2023-05-04T11:49:13+10:00May 3rd, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE, MOTHERS|0 Comments
  • landmine

Trigger Warning: There’s a Landmine Below

Over the previous columns, we have been exploring how our formation from our family of origin can continue to impact us and our marriage negatively. In this article, we want to unpack the third and final way our formation experiences play out – through emotional injuries. Some years ago, Francine purchased a new espresso machine. It came with two espresso cups which she stored in the cupboard for use with visitors ...

By |2023-04-27T10:14:28+10:00April 26th, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • programmed

Programmed for Love or for Trouble?

We were recently hosted overnight in the country home of friends. It was a beautiful experience in every way. Our hosts greeted us with warmth, housed us in a tastefully appointed bedroom and nourished us with a delightful meal. Their home was a beauty to behold; magnificent views overlooking the valley, landscaped gardens and an immaculately clean interior. Dust is a daily challenge in most bush homes, but you wouldn’t know ...

  • prayer

Prayer for Couples in Times of Trouble

We had a request recently from someone looking for a prayer for a couple going through tough times in their marriage. While we were very happy to oblige, it struck us that for many couples in this situation, prayer is often far from their thoughts, and yet, it is one of the most effective interventions for a troubled marriage. Dr Frank Fincham, Director of the FSU Family Institute, conducted a study ...

By |2023-04-11T12:41:13+10:00April 12th, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
  • mid

Mid-Life Madness and other Stressors

As mid-lifers in the midst of working through some of our ‘issues’, we are acutely aware of how easy it would be to let our individual stuff derail our marriage. It’s normal for a person in midlife to be irritable and volatile. Some react with depressive symptoms, others get angry and aggressive, and others withdraw or self-medicate with alcohol, drugs, work, food, affairs, tv, gaming or exercise. Some cope better than ...

By |2023-04-05T10:27:27+10:00April 5th, 2023|LOVE & MARRIAGE|0 Comments
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