Our friends are blessings (and sometimes seasons) as we mature throughout life. The people that God puts in our lives are meant to bring us closer to Christ by offering compassion, fellowship, humble correction, and forgiveness. If we want to truly maintain and strengthen our friendships, we need to have an open heart and mind on how to love them better as life goes on.
Read MoreChoosing counseling takes humility as it exercises the belief that there is always room for growth and improvement. It’s showing yourself and your significant other that you’re willing to grow as an individual while also growing together- this kind of mindset helps build a steadier foundation of trust for your future marriage. The number of sessions you choose to invest in prior to the wedding date are up to you and your counselor, but we recommend anywhere from 5-10 and definitely incorporate counseling into your normal married life routine!
When most of us hear or use the words “just love them like Jesus” what we mean is the unconditional love and acceptance of the person irrespective of their behavior…
Read MoreHere’s the thing: Jesus doesn’t say that “life abundantly” starts when we get married….he says it starts when we enter relationship with Him. For the believer in Christ, life abundantly is happening right here, right now, in this very moment – no matter what your relationship status.
Read MoreBasically, we realized that the box of relational tools we’d been handed by our parents and families was a box of broken tools. We were both the recipients of a legacy of multiple broken marriages and family breakdown.
Read More“Sex is not a social construct, it’s the way God has decided to reveal himself” Chris Cruz, Bethel Church’s Young Adult Pastor shares his message on the theology of sex. This message is a mix of his own personal revelation from the Lord partnered with biblical understanding about the difference between human understanding vs God’s real intentions for sex. From intimacy, to conversation, to protection, to emotions, sex is sacred and telling a story that is all put together to be worship unto Him.
Read MoreBefore you’re married it’s easy to see marriage as the grande finale. It’s the thing we dream of and live for. It’s the force propelling us forward into this destination we call life. And then it finally comes! Now what?
Read MoreFor many partners, finding out their significant other has secretly watched porn can feel just they discovered they’ve been cheated on. For some other partners, they may feel upset but not betrayed. And still, for others, they may not be bothered at all by their partner’s porn habit.
Read MoreMany marriages and relationships are suffering right now due to the prolonged effects of this pandemic. Patience is wearing thin and ironically, even though we are spending considerably more time together than ever before, our loved ones can still experience surmounting loneliness.
Read MoreOnce punishment is off the table, however, how do we move forward? First, we need to establish that both people in the relationship have the goal of restoration and are ready to do the challenging work of restoring connection and rebuilding trust. If the offending party is not repentant, or the injured party is not willing to forgive, they won’t be able to move toward each other.
Read MoreCole and Caitlin Zick invite us into a very raw and authentic take of their stories. What would it look like if parents healthily and intentionally talked about sex where they understand God’s full design for sexuality and that He said YES, not no? They’ll talk about helpful tools for taking an inventory on the impact your childhood had on your current perspective of relationship and sexuality. In that, the depth of your vulnerability will determine the completeness of your healing and wholeness in your marriage.
Read MoreAs stress happens in your brain, it will turn off the relational part of your brain and send it into problem-solving mode. You and your husband may have different ways of solving the problem but because your brain has “turned off” the relational mode, it’s difficult to appreciate his strategy. You both just want the problem to stop! Whatever the challenge, remember that relational problems need relational solutions. Wait, pray, and talk through things once you are in a good emotional state and can see your husband as a resource and a teammate.
Read MoreWhen someone is happily married, society has taught us to just give it time. Someone will fall out of love. Someone will screw up. Someone will decide marriage no longer suits them. Just give it time. And when we meet a couple who has been married for quite some time and they are still happily in love, we treat them like an anomaly- a unicorn of romance that must be documented and studied closely. This is the world we live in.
Read MoreThere are many reasons why people really aren’t ready to commit to covenant. Perhaps you are immature, or started late in the game of growing in personal responsibility?In this situation, the best thing you can do is to ready yourself: discover who you are in God, learn responsibility, get a mentor, and find someone who can help you prepare for the responsibility and joy of marriage.
Read MoreThe reality is, at some point in our marriage we may find ourselves "noticing someone other than our spouse". First, let me say... there is NO SHAME. Just because you noticed an attractive human being does not make you unfaithful or "unhappily married". God created some seriously beautiful people in this world and I am impressed with His artistry.
Read MoreGet some sweet smelling oil or lotion, and give each other back rubs, foot rubs, or any kind of rubs you’re in the mood for! If you’ve never done this before, it might help to google a couple how-to’s on the best way to give a good massage.But at the end of the day, almost any kind of rub is a good rub. So enjoy feeling close through the gift of touch.
Read MoreYep, you read that right. We are doing a podcast this month on bedroom talk for married couples! We partnered up with Adam and Karissa King, licensed marriage and family therapists, to do a podcast with the Zicks on what it looks like to pursue intimacy and connection in the marriage bed. Grab a cup of coffee, your spouse, and tune into this month’s podcast!
Read MoreTake 2 of the MR Podcast with Adam and Karissa King! We are excited to share more of our two part series for married couples with you, and we think that you'll love it as much as we do. Adam and Karissa even offer practical guidance counseling to Cole and Caitlin Zick in this episode, offering an example of what professional marital counseling often looks like.
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