After another heated argument, Josh and Hannah came back together with calmer attitudes to sort out what was going on. Lately they had been getting irritated with each other and they wanted to figure out why. Josh had been saying that Hannah doesn’t appreciate him, and she fiercely disagrees with that. But he says she never thanks him for things he does around the house like taking out the trash or mowing the lawn. Hannah certainly appreciates everything he does,... Read more
What would you say if I told you that you could do one thing tonight in the bedroom for your husband that would most likely MAKE HIS DAY (or week or month)? Keep the lights on during sex. Did I just hear a collective gasp out there from women who are cringing at the thought of exposing, well . . . we all know what we don’t love exposing! Especially after several years and babies and let’s be honest—gravity.... Read more
Erica’s teenage daughter took out her phone for her daily ritual—taking photos of her outfit possibilities before school and waiting to see which one got the most likes before deciding what to wear. Erica tried to hide her exasperation. Her daughter’s obsession with social media had reached ridiculous levels. She already placed far too much value on what her peers think of her, and social media was making it worse. Ready to throw her daughter’s phone in the trash, Erica... Read more
I’ve discovered something. When I spend time a lot of time scrolling through social media, it messes with my head. It can leave me feeling a little, well . . . less than. Can you relate? One minute you’re catching up with friends and seeing pictures of their families. And the next minute—wham. Photos of someone’s latest spectacular dinner party with place settings made of raffia and freshly grown herbs. Or the newly organized office space of a friend that... Read more
Sometimes encouragement happens in the most unlikely places . . . when we’re least expecting it. A few months ago, I was in a tough season. As I got into my car that morning, I was anticipating another stressful day in a long string of stressful days: my dad’s recent, incapacitating stroke had really thrown me; it was painful to see my brilliant, loving father unable to really communicate, walk, or do much for himself. At the same time as... Read more
So, guys, you’ve just had a big fight with your wife and now you’re ready to cool off and mend the relationship. What better way to make up than to spend a little intimate time together, right? Just one little problem, though: physical intimacy is the farthest thing from her mind. What’s the deal? Read more
We recently celebrated our son’s 16th birthday. Trust me, Jeff and I spent more than a few moments wondering where the time had gone. How was it that we now have a daughter in college and a son who is allowed to get a drivers license?! The celebration was simple, involving a dozen of his friends—some new, some he’s known his whole life. We laughed, we bowled, we ate pizza and cake. He planned it all himself . . .... Read more
In the interest of sharing a personal and ministry update, I wanted to let you know that the next few months are going to be an interesting season for Jeff and me. I’m going to go into what my staff jokingly refers to as “Cave Mode.” Here’s the thing: Jeff and I are finishing up two years of research for our next book – but we’re quite behind on the actual book deadline. This is in part due to the... Read more
Unless you’re in counterterrorism, nothing good comes from keeping secrets from those you care about. And believe it or not, a recent and infamous business debacle has a big lesson on the four most dangerous ways we try to hide things—even in our marriages. For several years, I’ve followed the story of Theranos, the company helmed by media darling Elizabeth Holmes. This twenty-something genius was transforming the medical industry by creating (she claimed) a revolutionary technology that could test... Read more
I know what it’s like to take a daughter to college, and it’s not easy. So when a man shared this story with me, I could understand why his wife was acting the way she was. And it wasn’t her that needed to change; it was him. After they dropped off their daughter for her freshman year of college, they intended to add a few days on to their drive home and do some sightseeing now that it was just... Read more
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