Guest post by Gina of GinaMPoirier.com   When we were newlyweds nearly 13 years ago, my husband had some really firm expectations.   In particular, he insisted that we would go on a date every Saturday night. Not that I was opposed to the idea (I mean, who would be?), but was it really necessary to make this practice non-negotiable? Especially at the time, when we didn't have kids and spent most of our evenings together anyway? Looking back, I am so thankful for his wisdom and his dedication to setting good habits in our relationship, from the very beginning.   Since then, a lot has changed: kids, careers, friends and location—in addition to the ups and downs of everyday life. But our marriage has held together firmly, in part because of the habits we've learn more...

If you had to choose 3 adjectives to describe your relationship with your husband, which 3 would you choose?  Would you choose adjectives like fun, close, exciting, fulfilling, silly or passionate? Or would you choose adjectives like boring, routine, strained, frustrating, or lonely?   While obviously each marriage is going to have its own dynamics, and no one's marriage is perfect 100% of the time, if you find yourself choosing more negative adjectives than positive ones, it may be time to make a change.   Related: 10 Ways to Make Your Marriage Fun Again   For many couples, it can be REALLY easy to fall into the trap of "same 'ol, same 'ol" -- especially after the kids come along! After all, after working, cleaning and taking care of kids all day, learn more...

Guest post by Mary at Healthychristianhome.com   "You know she has a stubborn streak, right?" My soon-to-be husband stared at his soon-to-be father-in-law in bewilderment. "Wait, are you talking about my sweet, quiet Mary? Stubborn??" Not long after our wedding day, my husband discovered the truth in my dad's warning. Yes, I do have a stubborn streak. And it makes submitting to my husband a daily challenge. Can you relate?   If submission doesn't come naturally to you, you can still learn how to submit to your husband -- regardless of your personality. Let's learn what true submission means, what the Bible says about it, and what real submission looks like in daily life.   We Have the Wrong Idea of Submission   The modern woman's inner learn more...

Guest post by Gina of GinaMPoirier.com   National Husband Appreciation Day. Yep, that's a thing and it is happening April 20th, 2019 this year, to be exact.   When I first heard about it, I'll be honest, I thought it sounded kind of silly. I mean, do we need an excuse to appreciate our husbands? Aren't there enough random "holidays" on the calendar? But the more I think about it, I have to ask—why not? There is so much "man-bashing" going on these days in the news and in popular culture. Can't we share some good news too?   I don't think I'm alone in saying that my husband is a good man who is 100% devoted to God and his family. It's important to me that we establish a family culture that honors him and builds him up instead of tearing him learn more...

Guest post by Mary at Healthy Christian Home    Do you remember the fun of getting dressed up and putting on makeup before a date?   Talking on the phone to your significant other for hours? Being excited about mundane activities like getting groceries or standing in line in the cafeteria, simply because you were together? When you’re dating and newly married, everything feels exciting. But inevitably, over the years this excitement begins to dwindle and is replaced with a feeling of familiarity.   This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since it gives us a sense of security and steadiness in our relationship. But, it can tempt us to feel discontent as we look longingly at younger couples. It feels like a bad joke that after a few years of marriage, just learn more...

Guest post by Lisa Yvonne at Graceful Abandon.   I sat next to the man I'd been married to for nearly two decades, loading Netflix yet again.   As I watched the red letters grow on the screen before our viewing history popped up, I wondered how we'd become that couple... ...that couple who equated date night with staring blindly at the screen instead of into each other's eyes. ...that couple who was so tired from living that they didn't have the energy to do anything extra to keep their marriage alive. ...that couple who had grown so comfortable with one another that they no longer enjoyed the slow simmer of anticipation leading up to being able to spend an evening together.   And that's when it hit me: we needed to shake things up! It was time learn more...