Marriage

Family dynamics present constant challenges, particularly during the holidays, when everyone is expected to gather together. Couples can get pulled in different directions by family pressures and sometimes by their own spouses. The stress can pile on, causing your marriage to fray in the smallest ways. What can you do? Here are some ways to keep your marriage strong amidst holiday family drama.

No matter how hard we try, holidays are difficult. They can provide stress with making food and dealing with overbearing parents, nagging siblings, and jealous relatives. Setting healthy boundaries from the beginning will take the stress out of the holiday and not place an undue strain on your marriage.

The holidays often bring out the best—and worst—in people, including relatives and close friends. While most of us look forward to spending extensive time with our families, sometimes, there's someone in that circle who's toxic to you or your spouse. Whether or not you have children, shielding your marriage from toxicity during the holidays is important. Let's first focus on why a husband and wife should be a united front in this and other matters—because that's how God created marriage.

Wives give so much of themselves to their husbands, their families, and to the responsibility that comes as a wife. Very rarely do wives get a portion of time to enjoy themselves with their friends, hassle-free. An option this Christmas is to set up a time when your wife can unplug from all on her to-do list and plug into time with her friends.

The last thing any married person wants to hear is that their spouse has been unfaithful. But, the truth is, you’ve probably been unfaithful and didn’t even realize it.

But expecting understanding from someone without voicing your struggle is a surefire way to initiate hurt feelings for you or both of you.

Regardless of what intimacy means to you, it can be affected by outside influences. If you or your spouse have been struggling with intimacy lately, read on. Let’s explore 10 factors that might be at play in your struggle.

During that first year, dissatisfaction, disappointment, and discouragement were a part of daily life. It was clear to me we weren’t a match.

Proverbs warns that adultery destroys the one who commits it. If you’re on the edge of a sinful choice, stop here first. Here are five God-honoring steps to protect your relationship.

It's amazing what any couple can accomplish when even one partner is willing to do the work.

It may not make sense. The situation may seem impossible. The odds may be stacked against you. Trust God.

Marriage takes prayer, purpose, and perseverance. These five steps can help you and your spouse stay united and spiritually strong in the new year.

Let this Christmas be a time of unity, relying on God to bring clarity to the situation. You can trust Him in all things—even disagreements in marriage.

Cohabitation is common, but is it biblical?

The holidays should bring peace, but many marriages feel more strained than blessed. Discover how to push back against the spiritual attacks that come through stress, busyness, and misplaced expectations.