Intimate Communication

Last updated on: September 29, 2018 at 6:48 am By Jimmy Evans

In recent weeks, I’ve introduced two of the most important skills for healthy communication between husbands and wives: speaking in a caring tone and frequent communication. Today’s important skill is intimate communication. Remember those magic days of new romance when you and your spouse first began dating? The ways you hugged and cuddled, the pet names you used, the sweet nothings you whispered, the way you held hands and gazed into each other’s eyes. Those little acts of affection helped... Read more

Exercise Your Marriage Muscles

Last updated on: September 28, 2018 at 2:19 pm By Jimmy Evans

Once, Karen and I ran into a woman in a shopping mall. We had known her previously, but hadn’t seen her in a long time. She looked fantastic. She seemed to have lost about fifty pounds and was benefitting from a total makeover. We complimented her on how great she looked. The woman thanked us, and admitted that she and her husband had gotten a divorce. “I knew right away that I had better get to work,” she told us.... Read more

Rust-Proofing Your Marriage: The Need for Romance

Last updated on: October 1, 2018 at 6:23 am By Jimmy Evans

Failed marriages are like cars that have rusted out and been banished to the junkyard. At one point they were shiny and new, but eventually the owner stopped maintaining it. All it took was one little spot of rust. How can we keep our marriages from rusting out? One of the best methods for treating marital “rust” is to practice the art of romance. There are many ways to restore romance into your marriage, but one way is by speaking... Read more

Don’t Let Your Anger Age

Last updated on: October 1, 2018 at 6:15 am By Jimmy Evans

(Adapted from Jimmy’s newest book, When Life Hurts) “‘In your anger, do not sin,’” Paul instructed the Church at Ephesus. “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Ephesians 4:26). Some of us may have grown up with the impression that anger is a bad thing, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. The Bible depicts God getting angry at the unfaithfulness of his people, and Jesus is shown confronting the money-changers in the temple... Read more

Dependency and Friends’ Marriages

Last updated on: October 1, 2018 at 6:05 am By Jimmy Evans

We are dependent people. We are dependent upon God, upon the opposite sex, and upon our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are dependent upon the abilities and resources of the world around us. To deny our dependency is arrogance and a type of deception. However, we need to realize that distorted, misplaced dependency is one of the pitfalls that can sabotage our hopes for happiness and fulfillment in life—and can lead to a dysfunctional family. I’ve counseled many dysfunctional... Read more

Frequent, Intentional Communication

Last updated on: September 29, 2018 at 6:47 am By Jimmy Evans

Last week, I mentioned that a major communication skill for a healthy marriage is the ability to speak in a caring tone. Today I want to share a second important skill: frequent communication. Healthy communication is a daily practice. To build an open and honest relationship, you and your spouse have to talk often and intentionally. Now, many husbands and wives will hear the “often” part of that sentence and agree. “We talk all the time!” they’ll say. But they... Read more

Cleaving

Last updated on: September 29, 2018 at 6:40 am By Jimmy Evans

On hundreds of occasions, I have listened to unhappy couples in my office say something like this: “I just don’t love him (her) anymore. I guess we made a mistake when we got married.” Those words might sound shocking to happily married couples, but I can sympathize. Karen and I expressed those exact sentiments to each other before the final crisis that nearly split us up early in our marriage. It’s hard to comprehend today, but there was a time... Read more

Stress-Proofing Your Marriage: The Penalty of Stress

Last updated on: October 1, 2018 at 6:21 am By Jimmy Evans

Our culture is one that is filled with stress. It tells us that we must always strive to succeed, that an upward career trajectory is worth whatever negative impact it might have on a marriage or a family. That is a lie. Stress carries with it a number of serious problems. Some of them are physical. Many of them are emotional. Depression is an epidemic in America today because we are so emotionally exhausted. And there can be no doubt... Read more

Give Your Pain to God

Last updated on: October 1, 2018 at 6:16 am By Jimmy Evans

(Adapted from Jimmy’s newest book, When Life Hurts) Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Some may read this and think Jesus is saying that sadness is a blessing. But that’s simply not true. It hurts to mourn. It is painful. Mourning for the sake of mourning is not a blessing. What Jesus really meant is, “When life gets hard, bring your pain to me and I will comfort you.” The blessing is... Read more

Dependence Between Parents and Children

Last updated on: September 29, 2018 at 7:06 am By Jimmy Evans

God created us to have a healthy reliance on our spouses, friends, and even authority figures (like a pastor or spiritual leader). These respectful relationships help us live in the fullness of Christ. But sometimes individuals may fall into an unhealthy reliance on others which violates God’s design for dependency. One of these unhealthy scenarios is parent-to-child dependency. By God’s design, children rely on their parents. Parents meet the needs of the child. But when a parent becomes dependent upon... Read more