In a few days, Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July. With fireworks, flags, and a whole lot of barbecue, we will cheerfully commemorate our country’s heritage– our independence. What we may not realize is just how much this basic American value has shaped our relationships. Independence can be a valuable attribute in many contexts –but in marriage it can have a sneaky sting. And nowhere is this more pronounced than around that oh-so-prevalent issue of money. . In doing... Read more
Sixteen years ago, in December of 2004, I met a remarkable woman who drove from Nashville to Atlanta to visit with me. Three months before, I had published my first relationship book, For Women Only, which was quickly becoming one of those unexpected best-sellers that turns your life upside down. Only I had no idea how to guide it to being “upside-down” in a good way. I had no idea how to steward this incredible opportunity I had been given. ... Read more
This is Part 5 of a series that looks at the research-based solutions to navigating this trying time in our lives and marriages—and emerging stronger. Feel free to share this with those who might benefit! As we noted last time, one of the greatest needs today (and one of the most important factors for emerging stronger from the pandemic era) is for couples to get on the same page about money. Yet that requires . . . um . .... Read more
This is Part 4 of a series that looks at the research-based solutions to navigating this trying time in our lives and marriages—and emerging stronger. Feel free to share this with those who might benefit! We all know that money is one of the main issues in marriage even during normal times. These are not normal times. And coming together around money has never been more essential—not just for our finances, but for our relationship. Believe it or not, Jeff... Read more
This is Part 3 of a series that looks at the research-based solutions to navigating this trying time in our lives and marriages—and emerging stronger. Feel free to share this with those who might benefit! If you listen to the pundits, the conventional wisdom is that this quarantine is fracturing marriages in an unprecedented way. We hear about China’s divorce filings spiking as soon as their lockdown let up, and divorce requests breaking a city’s single-day record. We hear that... Read more
This is Part 2 of a series that looks at the research-based solutions to navigating this trying time in our lives and marriages—and emerging stronger. Feel free to share this with those who might benefit! How do we come through this season with our personal relationships not only intact but stronger? How do we move past the inevitable daily hurts and build delight instead? That question is even more important now that our current shelter-in-place mandate seems unlikely to be... Read more
This is Part 1 of a series that looks at the research-based solutions to navigating this trying time in our lives and marriages—and emerging stronger. Feel free to share this with those who might benefit! All of us are caught up in a natural disaster, aren’t we? Unlike a hurricane, earthquake, or flood, this natural disaster is hitting everyone worldwide, all at the same time—and with no clear end point when we know cleanup will begin. Yet even though this... Read more
While we’re all working to “flatten the curve” on COVID-19, I want to challenge all of us to “raise the curve” on kindness! We are starting a major 30-Day Kindness Challenge initiative on Friday March 20, 2020; please join us in doing it for one or more important people in your life! (See below for how.) We will do a “Raise the Curve on Kindness 30-Day Kindness Challenge” over social media and on a special page on our regular website,... Read more
The coronavirus is all anyone is talking about . . . and we have a choice to make. Two decades ago, we had a choice to make in another time of great uncertainty. With the impending approach of Y2K, would we respond in faith or fear? I argued then that this was an incredibly important moment for a balanced Christian response. Neither downplaying nor running for the hills. Not getting trapped in making predictions, but preparing to be a blessing... Read more
Today’s the day! We are so excited to announce our latest research-based book! Jeff and I finally tackled that issue that causes issues in SO many marriages: MONEY. The book is Thriving in Love & Money: 5 Game-Changing Insights about Your Relationship, Your Money, and Yourself—and as many of you might guess, we’re tackling it in a very different way. We don’t discuss budgeting, getting out of debt or money management. Instead, it’s all about how to have a great... Read more
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