Marriage as God created it is bliss. It's a safe, secure place of loving friendship, where each member can be who they are without fearing rejection. Before sin entered their relationship, Adam and Eve were "naked and unashamed" (Genesis 2:25). Unfortunately, none of us have sin-free marriages, and the presence of sin often gives way to the presence of shame and hiding j...

"We all wanna be loved. Tell me, what's wrong with that?" Those words come from an old dc Talk song, and they resonate with our hearts. The answer to the question is "Nothing." There's nothing wrong with wanting love; this longing is at the core of being human. We're born desiring love, desiring companionship, desiring relational intimacy. In childhood some of us though...

Marriage is one of the most precious gifts God has given His children, yet our daily experience in marriage doesn't always mirror that reality. Selfishness, conflict, and other fruits of sin work to break the notion that marriage is a good thing; they can even begin making a spouse feel more like an enemy than a blessing. One negative byproduct that can spring from two si...

What we expect from our marriages can have a huge impact on how we respond to trouble in our marriages. If we believe and expect that marriage should be like the fairy tale examples we're exposed to in childhood, then the slightest hint of trouble will lead us to question and doubt. We may start to ask, "Did I marry the right person?" Or perhaps we'll begin to lose faith i...

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The issue of marital roles for husbands and wives can be a challenging topic. The Bible has much to say on these matters, and recently in our counseling training we've spent two hours studying what God has prescribed in His Word. But even armed with what Scripture says, there can sometimes be a disconnect in our homes when it comes to practically applying Scripture's teach...

At the time this article is being published, we have just kicked off our counseling training classes on the topic of marriage. We have looked and marveled at God's good design for marriage, and will spend more time doing so in the weeks to come. My preparation for these classes has been a refreshing reminder of the beauty of marriage. But as a sinner with a bent toward wa...