"Gentleness (meekness) is strength under control." This quote came from the book The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace, and I strongly recommend it for you ladies. Eric loves this book too… though, he's never read it; however, he loves the effect it's had on me… and, in turn, our relationship! One huge issue in the church, especially the American church, is the issue of wives submitting to their husbands. Submission is a four letter word for a lot of ladies. And this is not surprising for in Genesis 3:16, after Adam and Eve had fallen into sin, it says, "To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly … [Read more...]

If there is one thing that will surely put a damper on a good relationship, it is constant complaining. Complaining is such a way of life for many of us, and that is partially due to the fact that in America, we are used to having many things at our disposal. If our power goes out, we complain and act as if it is a travesty without thinking about the fact that many in our world will never know what it’s like to have electricity. Heaven forbid if the cable goes out or we are stuck in traffic on the way to work. Listen to others the next time you are out; count how many complaints you hear from … [Read more...]

Benjamin Franklin once said, "You may delay, but time will not." It is so easy to procrastinate, and thanks to all the things to do, buy, and watch in America, we are never at a loss for something to distract us from our less exciting tasks. We are all likely guilty of it to some degree as there is rarely a person who has all of their ducks in a row all of the time. However, if you do not stay on top of your tasks, they will eventually cause you stress – and, if it doesn't cause you stress, you can be fairly sure it will cause your future spouse some stress. When you get married, your spouse's … [Read more...]

Today, as I was leaving the grocery store, I passed a freezer full of bagged ice and I had to laugh at the advertisement on the door, "healthier than homemade." Really? My homemade ice is not as healthy as the grocery store ice? Seriously? I guess my water filter doesn't stack up to their water filter? My first thought upon reading this was, "I think we've gone too far…." If you find that you are having a pleasant day without a care in the world, then flip on the news… and in no time at all, you will find your mind full of things that can cause you to worry! Is worrying really necessary? Does … [Read more...]

Maybe after reading some of the PreEngaged.com posts, you are thinking, "There is so much to know about relationships! Is there anything small I can do that will make a significant difference in my relationship without me having to turn my world upside down?!?!" There sure is....  and it's simple... smile. If you’ve read the title of this post and thought of the movie Elf, I’m sure you couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps the advice above may seem too simplistic; but, I guarantee you, it is a small thing that will make a huge difference. We don't realize how much we walk around with unpleasant or … [Read more...]