Marriage Challenges - FamilyLife®

Am I in a Healthy Relationship? David & Meg Robbins

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 10:15:00 +0000

Find freedom in a healthy relationship with David & Meg and Shelby Abbott. Uncover tips on how to rewrite your story. It's never too late!

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5 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Marriage: Ted Lowe

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 09:15:00 +0000

Are there ways you’re shooting your own marriage in the foot? Author Ted Lowe knows 5 bad habits that could stealthily undercut all the closeness you crave–and 5 ways to stop them.
Show Notes and Resources

Connect with Ted Lowe on his website, tedlowe.com and learn more about his company marriedpeople.org
Get Ted’s book, Us in Mind in our shop
Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
See resources from our past podcasts.
Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife’s app!
Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

The post 5 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Marriage: Ted Lowe appeared first on FamilyLife®.

Masculinity, Christianity–and the (Surprising) Truth: Nancy Pearcey

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 09:15:00 +0000

Author and professor Nancy Pearcey explores sociological data to uncover why it’s open season on masculinity—and the surprising role of Christian men.

It turns out the very concept that masculinity is toxic has much deeper roots than most of us realize. Most of us probably think about the ‘60s or something, with the feminist movement, second wave. No, no, no; you have to go all the way back to the Industrial Revolution. — Nancy Pearcey

Show Notes and Resources

Connect with Nancy Pearcey on her website: nancypearcey.com
and get a copy of Nancy’s book, The Toxic War on Masculinity
Go to familylife.com/comingsoon to sign up for the Art of Marriage live event and to be notified of when pre-orders are live!
Check out more episodes from Nancy Pearcey
Check out all of Brant’s podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network
Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
See resources from our past podcasts.
Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife’s app!
Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

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5 Tips We’ve Learned Through Our Family Moving

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 18:43:02 +0000

“Brace for impact” painted my face as our realtor called and delivered the good news—we were set to close on the sale of our house! I was happy, but I immediately imagined a box truck loaded with the logistics of our family moving, speeding in the direction of Olivia and me with our 7-month-old twin girls.

Packing, organizing, and moving our belongings felt overwhelming. Add in the emotional toll of saying goodbye to our community, adjusting to a new environment, and adapting to a different routine and it all seemed like a rush of stress and anxiety.

I knew moving would not be easy, and I was right. I thought it would mean no peace for the next couple of months, and I was wrong.

Tips we’ve learned from our family moving

Relocating our whole life to a different state was an ongoing process, but so was remembering to seek Christ during the challenges we’d face. Here are five tips we’ve learned through our family moving.

1. Invite Jesus to the moving party.

No matter the reason for your family moving, there are many potential obstacles to navigate. There were many opportunities for the enemy to scheme and get Olivia and me to lose our cool during our move: We felt exhausted daily from packing decisions. Not everyone liked us moving. And did I mention our twins were 7 months in the midst of this?

Setting aside a moment to be still and asking the Lord to lead our family in the move was pivotal for starting well, but also for grounding our perspective to His when challenges came.

Pray and ask God to give you peace during moving challenges (John 14:27).
Consider meditating on Philippians 4:6-7: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Express your trust in Jesus as you seek Him first before each decision and before you start moving (Matthew 6:33).

2. Get a “moving checklist” that works for your family and schedule.

Remember that box truck of logistics I felt rushing in our direction? Well, a good checklist paired with Philippians 4:6-7 didn’t change the speed of time, but it gave us a calm feeling while planning for its impact.

Moving got crazy and chaotic real quick. We needed to start changing mailing addresses, making endless calls and texts to communicate with loved ones, transferring medical records, and scheduling movers—my heart is racing just remembering it all.

A checklist helped us stay focused and gave extra safety so we didn’t miss any important tasks as a family moving. It helped us break down the whole process into manageable steps, from sorting and packing to scheduling movers and notifying utilities. Plus, checking off items on the list gave us a sense of accomplishment and reduced stress.

Trust me, having a checklist will save you from last-minute panics and make the whole moving process smoother. So grab a pen and paper, use a cool moving app, or pull a free one online, and with prayer as your first item, let that checklist be your ultimate moving buddy. Your family will thank you later.

3. Have family meetings.

Though our twins weren’t at the age of talking yet, having several family meetings during our season of moving was a game changer. It’s important to mention that these were extremely informal. If you’re picturing an organized couple talking through a to-do list with finely rowed boxes and quiet babies playing, you might be picturing a different couple. That wasn’t us.

Our home felt a mess because we were transitioning. We had to accept that. But what we didn’t accept was for our family moving to cause a disconnection. Our meetings were used to walk through to-do lists on our phones, but it was also a time to connect emotionally and communicate.

Sometimes a move is a lot for a heart, and the enemy can leverage common challenges to pull families apart (Ephesians 6:12). Instead, we leveraged the hard season as an opportunity to care for one another in Christ, which drew us closer together.

Here’s a handful of questions we would ask each other with a gentle heart:

Is there anything you’d like to add to our shared moving to-do list?
What has been your favorite memory of living here?
Is there something you wish we were doing better in the move?
How can we help the next part of the transition be easier for the kids? (Or ask your kids directly.)
What’s something you wish we did more of here?
What can we do together as a couple (or family) to make this move less stressful and more enjoyable?
What are your hopes and dreams for our new home and neighborhood?
Can we pray together in gratitude and need?

Our twins were babies. But if your kids are old enough, consider engaging with them on these questions too. Growing up, it meant much to me to have my parents make me feel a part of the transition process.

4. Receive help from your community.

As we experienced during our wedding, friends and family come in clutch during any transition, especially moving. I never knew we were surrounded by loved ones who carried a commercial driver’s license with a trucking background until I expressed a need to move a truck during our relocation. More so, the number of people who advised us to pace ourselves during a move came in handy.

It is popular to think those in our community can only provide physical assistance with packing, lifting, and moving stuff to save money. However, their emotional support can be a gift too. Whether lending an ear to listen to your concerns, offering encouragement, or simply being there to share a laugh, having your tribe by your side makes the whole experience less overwhelming.

So with wide open arms, embrace the support from your community, lean on them when needed, and let them be a source of strength and comfort during this transition.

5. Put the good in goodbye.

Saying goodbye to old friends and family when we moved was tough. Of course, it’s completely normal to feel a mix of emotions, including sadness, nostalgia, and even hesitations about your family moving.

Our little family shared countless memories, laughter, and tears with these loved ones, and leaving them behind was heart-wrenching. But we remembered change is a part of life. We were excited about our next phase of life, and as difficult as it may be, it also opens up new doors of opportunity and growth. Though new doors were opening, here are a few ways we walked away from old doors in love:

When we could, we wrote “see-you-later cards,” expressing our gratitude to the relationships that meant much to us (individuals at our church, our neighbors, pediatricians, family, and friends).
We considered throwing a get-together, but we’re heavier on the introverted side as a family. Instead, we had small dinners with a few families individually to spend intentional time with them before we moved. Some dinners were out at our house, some at theirs.
When we arrived at our new home, we grabbed some postcards of our new city and sent them out to let our loved ones know we had arrived safely. They loved them, and it served as a transitioning way to keep in contact. Now, we write letters!

Captivate your kids with God’s Word.

Embrace it

Moving to a new place can easily be one of the most challenging situations a family can go through. At the time, our twins were 7 months old, and we’d never experienced moving before. Still, as we began embracing the adventure ahead, embracing the awkwardness of being in limbo, embracing the rough patches as opportunities to care more for one another, we began embracing joy in tough times, seeing more beauty in the plan God had for our journey.

Experiencing our family moving became a lesson of embracing change, stepping out in faith, and embracing God.

Now we’re at a stage of making this new place we live feel like home, and it’s challenging too. But we’re grateful, because we’re remembering God is in control no matter where we move. He reminds us that He is here and everywhere. I can’t lie and say our family moving has been easy, but I’ve loved embracing God and witnessing Him come through beyond our comprehension. He’s the same God we’ll trust to lead us in finding a new church.

Ashford Sonii is a writer for FamilyLife. He enjoys ministry, learning, and communicating practical life applications of God’s Word within marriage, family, and how to walk with Jesus. Ashford and his wife, Olivia, currently live in North Carolina with their twin girls, Ivey and Oakley.

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The Toxic War on Masculinity: Nancy Pearcey

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:15:00 +0000

Author and professor Nancy Pearcey knows her personal, searing path toward war on men. But on a broader level, she began to ask, how did the idea arise that masculinity is dangerous? She uncovers why the script for masculinity turned toxic—and how Christianity reconciles the war between the sexes, renovating manhood for good.

There’s a sociologist who did a study, where he would ask young men, “What does it mean to be a good man?” They had no trouble answering that: “Integrity, honesty, sacrifice; to be a protector and be a provider; be generous,” and so on. Then, when he’d say, “But what does it mean to be a real man?” they would say, “Oh, no, no, no!—a real man; that’s completely different.” — Nancy Pearcey

Show Notes and Resources

The post The Toxic War on Masculinity: Nancy Pearcey appeared first on FamilyLife®.

Porn Addiction, and How Our Marriage Survived: Bob and Dannah Gresh

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:15:00 +0000

In the wake of porn addiction, where you do turn? How do you rebuild trust after such intimate, searing betrayal? Authors Bob and Dannah Gresh share the pervasive realities of their own heartache—and their own rocky path toward healing.

Scripture warns us not to trust in other people. We’re only supposed to trust in the Name of the Lord our God. That’s who we trust. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him.” What this is saying is that I can trust God with what’s happening in my marriage, even when I can’t trust Bob. So, I’m going to put all my trust in God. — Dannah Gresh
Show Notes and Resources

Connect with Bob and Dannah Gresh at dannahgresh.com/ or on Instagram @dannah_gresh
Buy Dannah’s book Happily Even After on our shop
Listen to Bob and Dannah’s podcast, “Happily Even After”, where they talk through the redemption and healing from addiction that they’ve experienced in their marriage.
Interested in connecting with a Christian counselor regarding an addiction. Use this resource to get started
Revitalize your marriage: 50% off Weekend to Remember Getaways, Sep 4-18! Strengthen bonds, create lasting memories. Learn more at weekendtoremember.com
Intrigued by today’s episode? Think deeper how to recover from addiction and move towards a healthier marriage on this FamilyLife Today podcast
Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
See resources from our past podcasts.
Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife’s app!
Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

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Addiction–and Our Marriage’s Happily Even After: Bob and Dannah Gresh

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:15:00 +0000

Bob and Dannah Gresh’s marriage has traveled dark roads of addiction. But they decided to participate in God’s redemption story. Together, they discovered something better than romance: a love that endures, and happily even after.
It’s so much easier to pretend everything is okay and to just keep going through the motions. That’s not okay. What that is, is us avoiding pain. Pain is not a problem. It is a gift from God. When you feel the pain, that’s God’s friendly messenger saying, “There’s something that together we can fix if you’re willing to be brave enough and feel the pain.” –Dannah Gresh
Show Notes and Resources

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Made to Last, The Parenting Edition: Bryan & Stephanie Carter

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 09:15:00 +0000

Want quality, long-lasting relationships with your kids? Bryan Carter, author of Made to Last, and his wife Stephanie share doable ideas for feeding spiritual growth and unshakable family ties.

“How do we raise our daughter? How do we raise our children well? How are they gifted? How are they wired?” So part of us discovering this strong-willed nature was figuring out how valuable it is, how the leadership gifts were there, how this would turn out later in life. So we had to figure out, “How do we cultivate each of these personalities in such a way that they feel loved, they feel valued?”

Show Notes and Resources

Connect with Bryan and Stephanie Carter and find out more about Bryan’s story at http://www.bryancarter.org/landing or on Instagram at @mrbryanlcarter and @mrsstephcarter
Revitalize your marriage: 50% off Weekend to Remember Getaways, Sep 4-18! Strengthen bonds, create lasting memories. Learn more at weekendtoremember.com
Check out the Fearless Moms podcast mentioned in this episode
Intrigued by today’s episode? Think deeper on building resilient marriages, overcoming challenges, and faith-based relationship advice on this FamilyLife Today podcast
Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
See resources from our past podcasts.
Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife’s app!
Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

The post Made to Last, The Parenting Edition: Bryan & Stephanie Carter appeared first on FamilyLife®.

When Finding Success Feels Empty: Bryan & Stephanie Carter

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 09:15:00 +0000

You’ve found the success you were shooting for. Why does it feel so…disappointing? Bryan Carter, author of Made to Last, is joined by his wife Stephanie as they share their own story of success, emptiness, and seeking true significance.
Now, every year, we set goals for our family. Where do we want our family—our marriage and family—to go for the year? So, we set goals as a couple; as parents; financially; the house, kind of what we’re trying to do around the house; spiritually. So, we’re looking at our lives probably through the lens of about six key categories. And we’re saying, “Okay, what does God want to do in our family this year?”
Show Notes and Resources

Connect with Bryan and Stephanie Carter on Instagram at @mrbryanlcarter and @mrsstephcarter
Get Bryan’s book Made to Last at his website: bryancarter.org
Revitalize your marriage: 50% off Weekend to Remember Getaways, Sep 4-18! Strengthen bonds, create lasting memories. Learn more at weekendtoremember.com
Check out the Fearless Moms podcast mentioned in this episode
Intrigued by today’s episode? Think deeper on building resilient marriages, overcoming challenges, and faith-based relationship advice on this FamilyLife Today podcast
Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
See resources from our past podcasts.
Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife’s app!
Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

The post When Finding Success Feels Empty: Bryan & Stephanie Carter appeared first on FamilyLife®.

A Relationship that Lasts: Our Story: Bryan & Stephanie Carter

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:15:00 +0000

Long-lasting relationships don’t happen by accident. Bryan Carter, author of Made to Last, is joined by his wife Stephanie as they share their own story—and how it’s helped them build a stronger forever.
Show Notes and Resources

Connect with Bryan and Stephanie Carter and find their book at http://www.bryancarter.org/ or on Instagram at @mrbryanlcarter and @mrsstephcarter
Revitalize your marriage: 50% off Weekend to Remember Getaways, Sep 4-18! Strengthen bonds, create lasting memories. Learn more at weekendtoremember.com
Check out the Fearless Moms podcast mentioned in this episode
Intrigued by today’s episode? Think deeper on building resilient marriages, overcoming challenges, and faith-based relationship advice on this FamilyLife Today podcast
Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
See resources from our past podcasts.
Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife’s app!
Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

The post A Relationship that Lasts: Our Story: Bryan & Stephanie Carter appeared first on FamilyLife®.