Family by God&#039;s Design

The Family Economy of Christmas

Have you ever thought about your family economy? Family economy represents our expectations about each member’s contribution to the family and the compensation they receive in response to that contribution. We generally don’t think about it, but consider these common statements heard in families: You get the idea. None of these statements are necessarily inappropriate...

Celebration Grace

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November 3, 2025

Step Out of the Conflict

Conflict arises in every relationship, even in healthy marriages. It’s inevitable, but it’s not necessarily detrimental. In fact, conflict with our spouse allows us a window into their values, priorities, and desires. If we manage the conflict well, it teaches us how to love our spouse in the best way possible. So, the question is...

Grace Honor

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October 20, 2025

Immunize Against Marital Breakdown

John Gottman, PhD, describes four phases a marriage goes through as it falls apart. Each phase reflects a symptom of the disease of marital breakdown. And, fortunately, each phase has a solution, a remedy, an antidote. In the first phase, the couple gets stuck in repeated arguments and conflicts. As many of these repetitive conflicts...

Grace Honor

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August 16, 2025

Words to Build Love

Words are powerful. They create the relationship we share. Words can destroy or build our marriages. So, if you want to enjoy a happy, healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime, use your words wisely. Here are several words that spouses hear often in a marriage that lasts a lifetime. You can modify these words to...

Celebration Honor

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July 26, 2025

5 Ways to Keep Your Marriage Precious

Marriage is precious. In fact, our marriages thrive when we elevate them and honor them as precious. When we commit to our marriages above all other relationships, including relationships with other people as well as relationships with substances or material desires, we set them apart as precious. A study completed by Christian Hem and Caroline...

Celebration Honor

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June 16, 2025

In Your Marriage, Don’t Say This…Say That

If you’ve married for any length of time, you have probably discovered that some statements hurt your marital relationships while others strengthen your marital relationship. Some are subtle, even somewhat surprising. Some are quite obvious. But learning the difference between statements that hurt your marriage and statements that damage your marriage will make the difference...

Honor

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April 7, 2025

6 Practices to Build a Haven for Family Connection

Family life can become rushed…and the more rushed it becomes the more stressful it feels. Unfortunately, that’s the mode of our world today—rushed and stressed. But you can make your home different. You can incorporate some simple practices in your home that make it a place of respite, connection, and calm. Let me offer a...

Celebration Family Shepherds

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March 29, 2025

Beware of Friends When…

We all need friends. Even married couples need more friends than just their spouse. Our friends provide support, companionship, and joy. However, we must exercise caution in our friendships, especially when we’re married. If not, the boundaries between friendship and romance may begin to blur and damage our marriages. If not addressed, the friendship may...

Honor

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March 24, 2025

One Question to Save Your Marriage

Relationships tend to drift unless we become intentional. Today, they drift into the stream of a culture that threatens overwhelm with busyness and stressful events, robbing us of joy. Or they drift on negative feelings that, left unaddressed, eventually accumulate and drown our joy. A simple “research-approved” question can turn that drift around, giving married...