The Nature of Marriage and Families

Every marriage has conflicts.  Most of these are perpetual problems.  That means they will last the duration of our marriage.    These are core beliefs each spouse has that are different from each other, not likely to change.  These differences are not deal breakers.   The key to a happy marriage is learning how to cope with them.  According to Dr. Gottman of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work , 69% of the conflicts faced in marriage are perpetual. (138)  "When choosing a long-term partner...you will inevitably be choosing a particular set of unsolvable problems that you'll be grappling with for the next ten, twenty, or fifty years." (Gottman 139) "The most common conflicts couples face are money, sex, housework, kids, and work stress." (Gottman 194)   A person may be asking themselves, "Why even get married (or stay married)?  If there is going to be unsolvable problems, why go through the trouble?"...

There is nothing that will kill love faster than pride and power struggles. This blog will discuss how to fight these enemies. "The natural man is inclined to love himself and fix others. God has asked us to do the opposite. We are to fix ourselves by repenting, and to love others" (Goddard 69) Dr. Wallace Goddard, the author of Drawing Heaven into Your Marriage , says literature in history teach of the honor and respect that accompany those who live to sacrifice and selflessly serve others. Today's culture has done away with the old code in favor of a belief that it is our right and duty to go after our own interest and take care of our own needs. (Goddard 70) We are a "me centered" society. This doesn't bode well for marriage.   "The natural mind is an enemy to truth. Each one of us sees our own versions of "truth" and imagines that no one in the world sees truth as clearly as we do. This way of thinking is a pernici...

It is time to find out what you are made of.  Are you willing to do what it takes to make your marriage rise above the mundane into the magical?  We hope so, because this week we will share how to Love The One You're With!   You l oved them enough to m arry them , n ow m ake the c hoice to e njoy t hem.   The b lessings of this c hoice will be far reaching for t hem, y ou, y our f amily, and f riends. "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can transform our imperfect relationships into purposeful growth and soul-filling companionship.  It is the foundation on which strong relationships are built" (Goddard 66) . How do you Love The One You're With?   YOU TURN TOWARD THEM  Dr. John Gottman calls this the Third Principle in his book, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work .  He says turning toward your partner is an easy accomplishmen t , and that real-life romance is fueled by what we would ...