“A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential.” – John Maxwell And, a word of encouragement from a friend can strengthen a relationship. Eric and I both strongly encourage couples to make and maintain friendships. Even if it seems like all you need is your significant other, it is simply not true. We need people with all types of backgrounds and personalities in this crazy life. All of my friends, in one way or another, have been … [Read more...]

Does anyone besides me watch classic television? There is something about old black and white television shows which make me feel calm and uplifted. Perhaps I enjoy such entertainment because media revered the father’s role back then (rather than making men the punch line); dads were respected rather than mocked.  No matter how much society and the media try to downplay the importance of fathers in the lives of their children, little ones (children and teenagers alike) will always need their fathers; dads will always be important. A few bitter generations and liberal media will not blot out … [Read more...]

Yesterday, Eric and I celebrated twelve years of marriage. Considering I never had a relationship last more than twelve months before Eric came into my life, I am truly amazed that we have been on this journey together for so long. Here’s to our next forty anniversaries! In his comedy routines, Bill Engvall gets real about how marriages change over time. He says that in your first year of marriage when you come home from work exhausted, your spouse is there to comfort and love you. Then, years later, you walk in the house complaining about your day, and your spouse yells, “Do you want to … [Read more...]

“But, I don’t understand. What did I do wrong? Do we have to break up over this? I thought we had a good relationship and now it is over? I cannot make sense of this. Just tell me what I did wrong!” If you are a young adult, chances are you have been on the giving or receiving end of a breakup. Whether you are the one walking away, or the one standing in shock, ending a relationship is never fun. As a teenager and young adult, I hated feeling that familiar pang inside my gut. The one that said, “You know you have to end this.” There was another uncomfortable feeling I dreaded as well – the … [Read more...]

Have you ever taken a stroll down the relationship book aisle at your local bookstore? If not, try it sometime. Everyone has an opinion on what makes relationships great, what tears relationships apart, and how to heal a broken marriage. One reason relationship self-help books are so pervasive is because God created us for relationships. God created us to need Him and to need others (Genesis 2:18). Our love stories are important to us – and most of them don’t come easy – so, that is why the market can sustain thousands of marriage books. We want good marriages. We want our love to last … [Read more...]