Just like your physical heart has four chambers that need to be consistently filled with life-giving blood, there are four emotional chambers of every man’s heart that need to be filled as well.  Here are the four chambers. Chamber 1, Validation. Validate his value, his gifts, his worthiness, and his manliness. A husband really does want his wife to see him as her superman, a man who can “leap tall buildings in a...

We’re constantly being bombarded by sexual images—in movies, magazines, television…the list goes on and on. And unfortunately, these seemingly small temptations have the power to ruin relationships. But instead of giving up and giving in, here are 3 ways to fight against sexual temptation. First, fight with your eyes. When tempted, don’t take that second look. Second, fight with your mind. Instead of dwelling on...

Before you pack your bags and call it quits, here are some questions to ask. First, ask, “Have we done everything we can to rehabilitate our marriage?” It’s important to fight hard for your marriage—whether it’s by seeking counseling, slaying addictions or reprioritizing your life. Second, ask, “Is there unresolved conflict?” Instead of covering up your hurts, try sharing and working through those feelings...

Before you take the first step down that painful path, here are 3 truths to consider.  First, remember your vows.  You promised to have and to hold your spouse from this day forward for better or for worse.  This commitment was meant to be for a lifetime.  Second, remember what marriage is.  It’s not a conditional contract, but an unconditional covenant of love.  The difference?  A contract is all about what you...

My wife, Susan, and I have different styles of communication. So, to help us, we use what’s called the speaker/listener technique. Here’s how the speaker/listener technique works. The speaker holds a pen or some other object to show they have the floor. The speaker then makes a short statement or point. After the speaker makes their first point, the listener repeats it back or paraphrases what they heard so that...

In his book, Uncommon Marriage, Tony Dungy shares why couples often fight harder for their own pride than for the good of their marriage.  He says “it goes against our human nature” to apologize when we think we’re right and our spouse is wrong.  It may not be easy to take the high road, but here are 3 steps to fight for your marriage rather than your pride.  First, identify what the conflict is really about. ...

Twenty-five years of marriage to my wife, Susan, has taught me that women often communicate by saying one thing, but meaning another. So for all the men out there who thought it was impossible to understand women, here is a key for decoding your wife’s words. First, when she says “I’m fine” she really means “I’m not fine, but I’m not ready to talk about it.” Second, when she says, “Didn’t you go out with your...