Your spiritual intimacy will be enhanced when you learn to pray as a couple. Praying together is a profound experience, as it joins your hearts in the midst of the concerns of your shared life and invites God into the challenges. Praying for your children can help unite you as you ask God for wisdom about each one’s unique needs and personalities. Acknowledging your shortcomings…

When we are hurt, it is natural to want to protect ourselves from further pain. When our mate wounds us, we think they owe us something. An apology would be nice—a guarantee or promise never to do it again even nicer. We withhold forgiveness until they have sufficiently paid for their offense or to keep our barriers up in an attempt to avoid future hurt….

Nobody likes to be wrong. Being right feels a lot better. As children, doing the right thing usually got us approval and praise, or at least helped us avoid criticism for doing something bad. We came to equate being wrong with punishment or the withdrawal of a parent’s affections. To avoid this, we learned how to defend ourselves and justify our behavior. We all make…

All strong, enduring marriages have a hearty amount of compromise. To some, however, compromise seems like the slippery slope to losing oneself. It feels like a capitulation that diminishes individuality and freedom of choice. When a couple marries later and has established their own ways of doing things, compromise can feel like an unwanted sacrifice. In reality, compromise is necessary if a couple is ever…

Respected family therapist Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” Research consistently affirms the value of touch in the life of a growing child. Touch communicates that the child is valued, wanted, safe, and loved. The same is true for adults. We never outgrow…

Laughter has a way of relieving stress and reminding us to enjoy our mate. Famed comedian Bob Hope said laughter is an “instant vacation.” It relaxes us and reminds us that there’s joy even in the mundane moments of life. A steady diet of humor will go a long way toward giving your relationship the elasticity it needs for the two of you to stay connected, even in the midst of challenges.