Mark Twain once said that “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Well, the bad news over the years about the institution of marriage has been exaggerated as well. In her book, The Good News About Marriage, best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn presents groundbreaking research that reveals the shocking and incredibly inspiring truth. Her research shows first that the actual divorce rate has never...

When our expectations for our wives become unreasonable, we are really setting our marriages up to falter and perhaps even fail. Here are some unfair expectations husbands should avoid. First, that she always needs you to fix it. Just because Susan tells me about a challenge doesn’t mean she wants me to fix it. She usually knows how to fix something and just wants me to listen to her. Second, you should not just...

We all want our marriages to get even better. But improvement only comes when we are intentional with our words and actions with our spouse. To become more intentional, here’s a simple checklist of things to do for your wife each year.  First, take a trip alone with her.  Spending time together away from the world is the perfect way to reconnect.  Second, make a big deal about her birthday.  Instead of just...

If you’re a father, being a dad is your most important job. And in that job, it’s important to have a job description that spells out what is required of you. So, here are some essentials to being a successful dad. First, spend quantity time with your kids. How you spend your time is a reflection of what’s important to you. You value your kids by being with them, making memories that will last a lifetime.  Second,...

In the movie, Mom’s Night Out, it shows us how we can get so caught up in the do’s and don’ts of parenting, that we forget what it means to simply love our kids well.  So if you’re ready to get back to the basics, let me start by asking you a question... When was the last time you sat on the floor and played with your child?  At its core, parenting well means getting on your child’s level—whether it’s painting...

Recently, I said something to my wife that I thought was harmless…I don’t even remember what it was. I was surprised when she didn’t respond favorably. I asked her what I said wrong. She said “It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it.” She couldn’t have been more correct.  How we say things are so important. When communicating with your spouse, remember your tone. Is it soft or harsh? Second, remember your...

When our expectations for our spouse become unreasonable, we are really setting our marriages up to falter and maybe even fail. Here are some unfair expectations wives should avoid. First, that he will always “Get You.” My wife, Susan, sometimes says…“You just don’t get me.” And she’s right. As a man, I don’t think like Susan and don’t always understand how she’s feeling even when I try. The second unfair...