Bids for Connection: The Tool This Expert Says Is the Secret to Great...
It’s not big, blow out fights that wreck a marriage. It’s how we treat each other day to day. And that’s why...
4 Ways to Dig Marriage Roots That Last a Lifetime
In 1962 someone built our home. I don’t have the deeds for the other homes on our street, but I assume they...
How Do You Dole Out Your Household Chores?
Household chores represent probably the most pressing “minor issue” in marriage for a lot of couples because it’s a conflict that never...
What Stage of Marriage Are You In?
Social scientists have observed that marriages typically move through a series of at least four stages. Each stage presents unique learning opportunities and blessings,...
Understanding the Mind of the Man you Married
Did you know men and women think differently? I KNOW. Surprising. Turns out there's a perfectly logical, scientific explanation, and today's post from Gary...
Don’t Want to Drift Apart? Make Plans to Grow Together
As I was reading this post from Gary Thomas, I was reminded of a catchphrase from one of my all-time favorite show: LOST. The...
Communication is a Kind of Communion
There’s no doubt about it: Communication is vital in marriage.
When couples don’t share their lives and hearts with each other consistently, the atmosphere in...
Staying Power: 5 Signs Your Marriage Will Make It
People often ask us, how can I tell if my marriage will have staying power? In some cases, it may not be...
What to Do When You’re Not Feeling It
What do you do when you're not feeling it? Most marriages go through this. You might not want to hear it, but love is a choice.
How to Treat “Soul Cancer” In Your Marriage
So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your...
How to Minimize Marriage’s Little Annoyances.
Minimize the Little Annoyances in Marriage
It’s obvious there are some marriage issues that are so big they cannot be ignored. Left unresolved,...
5 Ways to Improve Your Communication
This past Memorial Day weekend will go down as one of my least favorite holiday weekends with my family. We scrapped, argued, bickered, and...
How to Stop a Marriage Breakdown Before It Happens
In marriage it's easy for there to be "check engine" lights that we ignore and lead to a marriage breakdown. Maybe it's a pattern...
The $1300 Parking Ticket That Changed Our Marriage
This week we are celebrating our friends Cherie and Brian Lowe’s new book, Your Money, Your Marriage, with a series of posts all about the sexiness of...
Husbands: God Doesn’t Want You to Change Your Wife
God has not called you to change your wife. Instead, He has commanded you to love her as Christ loves the church.
Self-Righteousness is Satan’s Favorite Attack Against Your Marriage. Here’s What You Can Do About...
What if one of the most dangerous attitudes for believers is self-righteousness?
What if it’s possible to be “right” and toxic at the...
5 Practical Ways to Rekindle Romance In Your Marriage
A friend recently asked me the following questions about how to rekindle romance:
“What do you do for fun as a couple? What...
Reclaim Your Weekend In Four Simple Steps
Do you spend your Sunday evenings dreading the end of the weekend? Here are four techniques to turn your weekend into rejuvenating breaks.
Words Can Burn it All Down
Words can burn it all down. Words can destroy your family, they can destroy your heart, they can destroy your marriage. Words...
An Open Letter to My Imperfect Wife
Hey babe, so just so you know up front, I'm writing this private letter to you publicly, and a few thousand other people will see...
Does Your Husband Really NEED Sex?
Does your husband really need sex? In many marriages (but not all), sexual intimacy is very high on a husband’s list. In books like...
Why Emotional Responsibility Will Save Your Marriage
In the early years of our marriage, confrontations between Sheri and me usually involved her turning into a T-rex and me turning into a...
How Bad Married Sex Can Actually Be Good For You!
Steve meets Michelle.
They fall in love and get married shortly after graduation.
For our story...
Sometimes Your Spouse Doesn’t Want Your Help. Here’s Why.
In married life we can misread and overstep our bounds. Even when this is under the umbrella of trying to help, beware...
How To Be Romantic Even When You’re Exhausted
Q: Between work, the kids, and taking care of the house, I have almost no time or energy to dedicate to my...
What To Do When You’ve Hurt Your Spouse
Have you ever hurt your spouse in some way? All right, so it’s a trick question. Of course you have hurt your...
2 Reasons to Stop Giving Your Spouse the Silent Treatment
The silent treatment creates distance instead of unity
Marriage involves a lot of decisions, big and small. The small ones may not seem like a big...
The Past Doesn’t Stay in the Past
One of our biggest passion topics here at Thriving Marriages (other than, you know, passion) is the importance of your past. Just like today's...
4 Tips for Dodging Drama
In lieu of my normal introduction, I'll just let Homeword introduce today's topic and say I wholeheartedly agree.
I love all things John Townsend. He...
Is Shame Ruining Your Relationship?
Dr. Richard Nicastro, Phd, deftly illuminates the undercurrent of one of the most toxic relationship challenges; shame, often at the root of individual distress...
How To Have Healthy Boundaries With Your In-Laws
Q: My mother-in-law really has my husband under her thumb. How can I get her to back off without hurting either of...
Close the Loop: The One Vital Habit That Will Keep Your Marriage Moving Forward
The moment you do or say something that hurts your marriage partner, you stand at a fork in the road. Whether you...
“True or False?” Don’t Turn Love Into a Test
The test is never verbalized but still erodes our marriage's intimacy. What we are really asking is, “Can I trust you with my heart?”
3 Easy Keys To Clear Communication.
Just because someone’s mouth is moving doesn’t mean clear communication is taking place. Clear communication is sharing yourself verbally and nonverbally in...
It’s Not About the Nail
Heading in to the weekend, here's a really funny, short video about marriage, communication, empathy and ... well someone with a nail in their...
Kick Out Fear & Make More Room for Love in Your Marriage
Today's post from Friend of the Newsletter™ Danny at Loving on Purpose wrecked me (Josh) in the best of ways. Sometimes we need reminders of...
Forgive Your Spouse…It’s Far Better Than Regret
Today's great post about how to forgive your spouse comes from our friends at Live Your Best Marriage. Enjoy!
Ever noticed how difficult it is...
Last Year Was One of the Hardest Years of My Life … but One...
Most of the time here at Thriving Marriages we bring you the best content we've found around the web for building a...
The Only “Fair” Marriage Is When Both Spouses Give 100 Percent.
Happily married Eric and Jill climbed out of bed at their normal Saturday morning hour. They had a lot to do around...
Watch Your Tone! Say Things In a Way Your Spouse Will Hear
When it comes to communication, even more important than words is the tone that accompanies them. You’ve most likely heard the phrase,...
All Marriages Are Imperfect. And All Can Improve.
“You know, your prayers are pretty shallow. Why don’t you pray a real prayer?”
The young man was reeling—was she really going to leave him...
Nag or Treasure? How Do You Treat Your Wife?
Pastor Brandon Cox drops an important truth bomb: when a guy continually complains that his wife is a nag, she might not be the main problem.
Getting Rid of Marital Disappointment
Today's post about marital disappointment comes from our friend Tammie. You can check out more of her work here.
When I go to the hair...
Sometimes “Don’t Go to Bed Angry” is Terrible Advice
There's a scene in the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day where Bill yells at a groundhog "don't drive angry!" (it makes more sense in...
Why Saying “I Was Wrong” Will Transform Your Marriage
If you are old enough to recall the sitcom Happy Days, you’ll remember “The Fonz.” Henry Winkler played the character of Arthur Fonzarelli, the coolest...
Good Communication Is Saying the Right Words at the Right Time
You’re in penguin adorned pajamas headed to bed, then your partner starts to talk about their day.
Gritty stuff,...
Marriage’s Scratches and Dents Are Priceless
I’m not sure about you, but my marriage feels like it would now qualify for a scratches and dents sale. After 25 years and three children, my husband and I have weathered some storms. I sometimes wonder if our marriage has lost its newlywed beauty.
4 Money Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
Money mistakes are one of the top reasons that marriages end in divorce, yet unfortunately, most engaged and newly married couples fail...
Husbands Don’t Need To Be The “Tie-Breaker”
When we give husbands "tie-breaker" power, do we end up damaging intimacy?
Often the best conversations on this blog don’t happen in the...
3 Tips for Difficult Conversations
No one sets out to be disconnected in their marriage. However, we can easily end up there when we allow hurts and misunderstandings to...