There are lots of qualities that matter: character, integrity, stability. But here’s something else to consider: look for someone who encourages you and has a positive outlook. It’s hard to have a happy marriage when your partner constantly criticizes you or makes you feel inadequate. Your spouse should be trying to build you up, not tear you down. And, it’s easier to have a happy marriage when you’re with someone...

I am so grateful for my 23 years of marriage to my wife, Susan.  She’s awesome! But I can tell you that I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my marriage. Here are 8 of them. Mistake number one…thinking that Susan was responsible for my happiness. In my early years of marriage, I felt like an important part of Susan’s “duty” as my wife was to make me happy. I was a bit more focused on me than us. Mistake number...

Romantic movies often give us the wrong impression of what love is.  They tell us that it takes grand gestures to show real love.  However, I’d suggest that many small acts of love add up to much more than one big gesture.  So, here are 7 love actions to show your spouse day in and day out.  First, write a note.  It can be a long love letter or just a short sticky note with words of encouragement.  Second, buy...

Emotions are so powerful that at times they seem to overwhelm us. Emotions like jealousy, anger, fear, worry, and grief can put us on a reactionary path. But you don’t have to be controlled by your emotions. These tips may help. First, be the boss of your thoughts. Emotions certainly affect your thoughts, but your thoughts can also guide your emotions. Try to look at an emotional decision or situation with someone...

Here are some of the best kept secrets to a successful marriage. First, understand that the universe does not revolve around your child. Do everything you can to keep your spouse a top priority.  Second, realize that love is a daily choice that you make and an action you take. Love is all about giving selflessly and sacrificially to your spouse. Third, never everstop dating. Carve out consistent time each week or...

When we talk about what a good marriage takes, we like to focus on the basics. We talk about loving our spouse, caring for our spouse, and spending time with our spouse. And while those things are certainly important, there’s a huge part of marriage that we don’t talk about as much…and that’s physical intimacy. When you’re married, you’re called to love your spouse in every way…emotionally, spiritually, and...

She interrupted me mid-sentence…again. He left his clothes in a heap on the bedroom floor…again. Those annoying habits can be frustrating, especially when we’ve asked our spouse to stop doing them so many times. So what should you do? First, ask yourself, “Why does that habit really bother me?”  A habit might frustrate us if we have a certain way of doing things and our spouse does things very differently. Second,...