During all the different seasons of marriage, it can be a challenge to keep romance alive. Here are some ideas!
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Is your marriage struggling around trauma, grief, PTSD, depression, betrayal, or other serious challenge? For those of you staying together through it, here are some tips for working on marriage with difficulties such as these in the picture.
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What did you think the empty nest or retirement would be like? Was it what you expected? For many of us, it wasn't! What about navigating marriage during these seasons?
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Sharing beliefs is communication at its deepest. To get here, we're likely already doing well talking about almost everything else and feeling a good bit of trust to share.
Can you unite on needs and goals? These are deeper topics of communication. Sharing on this level deepens intimacy.
Can you share your feelings without a verbal and emotional explosion? This is a deeper level of communication. To get here, we first want to get better at more surface levels of small talk, facts, and opinions.
Sharing opinions goes deeper than our usual surface level of communication. Here, we can learn to respect each other's differences, which sets us up to go deeper.
A lot of us easily communicate on the surface. It's in this zone we can work through going deeper.
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Do you long to talk on a deeper level? Here's a good starting point. _______
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While some of us excitedly plan for the holidays, others are dreading it. As a couple, what can we do to improve the holiday scene and make precious memories for our family?
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Communication happens on different levels. In marriage, the hope is that we will learn to share our deepest self to each other, and that we would receive such communication with gentle interest and curiosity with a goal to know and be known.
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We're always investing via our time, energy, and focus. We receive a harvest from the direction of our investment. The question is, what are we investing in? If it isn't our marriage, we shouldn't be surprised if it is no longer fulfilling. To enjoy what God intended, we should invest as God intended.
How do you maintain a healthy marriage while parenting? Here are some ideas.
Parenting together well requires husband and wife coming together, blending very different ideas about parenting. Here are some thoughts to get you started.
When we over-address, it can seem everything's wrong and push the spouse toward losing hope, but when we pretend nothing's wrong, we neglect cleaning out the relationship and allow walls to build.
When we over-address, it can seem everything's wrong and push the spouse toward losing hope, but when we pretend nothing's wrong, we neglect cleaning out the relationship and allow walls to build.
If we address issues too frequently, we create the feeling we are unhappy and dissatisfied, but if we address them infrequently, we come across as not caring. How can you land on somewhere in the middle?
Temper your sharing frequency toward your spouse's to avoid overwhelming an under-sharer and to meet the conversational needs of the over-sharer.
When we talk more easily, we can come across as aggressive, and when we don't talk as much, we can come across as withdrawing. This can send a message we didn't intend.
Tone of voice can twist a well-intentioned message. Anytime we express negative feelings via tone of voice, it's likely to return a negative response.
Let's talk about Proverbs 16:24 and what it means for our words to be sweet for another person to receive them.
Let's look at Proverbs 22:17-18 to understand how to listen to someone we want to blend with.
Male and female read and interpret non-verbal cues differently, but how does this affect relationship? Let's talk about some info from Dr. Carolyn Leaf's book, Who Switched Off My Brain?
What's different about his and her communication? Lots! Join us as we talk about those differences and their impact on relationships. Some of this info came from Dr. Carolyn Leaf's book, Who Switched Off My Brain?
Male and female are different in the way our brains are wired. Let's look at what's different in the way we perceive, with info discussed from Dr. Carolyn Leaf's book, Who Switched Off My Brain.
Couples in healthy marriages actively pay attention to each other.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/3eGqwYnyf1Y_______Check our our website ...
To be influenced by our spouse, we need to be able to hear what he/she contributes to decision making.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/qqjb...
If we're not careful, we can get in our own way when it comes to catching our spouse's heart message.
If it's important to you, it should be important to me. Validate what your spouse is seeing in the relationship - It takes two.
Couples in healthy marriages respond to each other with interest.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/3eGqwYnyf1Y_______Check our our website a...
The next time you want to share something from your heart with your spouse, try sticking to the rules to see if you're more likely to help your spouse receiv...
Just like there are rules for games, there are rules for sharing hearts. When we play by the rules, we're more likely to get a "win" for both spouses.
If it hasn't been working well the way you've been sharing your heart with your spouse, consider evaluating the way you've been doing to prepare to do it bet...
When we're empathetic with our spouse - connecting on a head-plus-heart level, we begin creating a safe environment - a place where our spouse feels heard where we've positioned ourselves as approachable.
When we're listening empathetically when our spouse is sharing, we can connect with not only the words, but also with the feelings behind the words to help our spouse feel heard and understood.
Empathy goes beyond catching the meaning of the words to include understanding the feeling behind them. To watch this video in it's entirety - https://youtu.be/FHRX_wv1sbg _______ Check our our website at https://blessedmarriage.net _______ Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnrhondabardon/?ref=pages_you_manage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blessed_marriage_/ #blessedmarriage #marriage #marriageadvice advice #marriagegoals #godlymarriage #biblestudy
As a couple, we've developed a history together. Now, our spouse expects conversation to go a certain way based on our responses. We need to create new expectations.
Our brains are wired differently, and it affects the way we communicate. Let's look at how men and women are different and how knowing this can improve communication in marriage.
Did you know the way you start communication can determine how it goes?
If you're struggling with getting your spouse to hear you when you present a problem to resolve, maybe you could improve your set up.
Prevent your presentation from blocking your heart message by being aware of how you may be coming across.
What can you do to improve the chance your spouse may really listen when you share?
If you’re the listener, you’d want to be listening…. If you’re the speaker, you’d want to share your message in a way the listener can hear.
How can we hear the heart message of our spouse if we're focused on explaining self or dismissive of thought, feelings, and ideas outside self? Let's talk a...
Know your role. Are you the speaker or the listener? It isn't nice to push aside the speaker to switch roles.
Have you ever attempted to share a heart message only to be pushed aside as the speaker while your spouse shares something "more important"? Have you done t...
We both have something to say, but we can only work through one topic at a time and must wait until it's our turn to share.
Are you trying to become on in marriage while thinking and acting like a single person? To the extent we hold onto our "singleness," we hinder our "oneness....
To hear our spouse's heart, we mustn't be so self-focused we can only hear ourselves. Is your own perspective so loud in your mind you can't hear anything e...
How do we make decisions together when we have such different perspectives? We're supposed to have different perspectives! Let's look at how to blend.
In a marriage, God didn't mean for only one spouse to be expressed in the union. Instead, He means for two to become one. For this to happen, the contribut...
When you clash on a decision, do you go with the way you want to do it without really hearing out your spouse's idea? What if there's another option that cou...
Husbands and wives are supposed to be influenced by each other - and this tends to be present in healthy marriages and absent from failing marriages. Since ...
When we clash, we miss heart-messages. To really hear, set aside yourself and realize your spouse is revealing self - not you. When we only see ourselves a...
We expect so much in marriage! Regardless of what we think our spouse SHOULD do, we need to be Ok with what our spouse CHOOSES to do. (We're not talking about destructive choices here)
Is it a priority to you to do what pleases your spouse? To what extent do you go to find out what is pleasing? What is the amount of effort expended to ble...
Maintaining connectivity while your spouse is sharing is doing your part as listener.
When our spouse shares a problem, we need to be willing to adjust. How might we do that well?
To find "we" in marriage, we need to be willing to adjust.To watch this entire video, go to Ready to Share at https://youtu.be/RdDLSLl3b14_______Check our ou...
Are you self-aware? Have you made your spouse aware of the things that derail communication for you? Does he/she really know how it impacts you?To watch th...
How might you help your spouse become aware of your challenging preferences or triggers?
Keeping our cool while sharing a challenging thought can be difficult, but it's the only way to talk things through.
When we see communication failed, we can evaluate where we could improve for next time, so we respond in a way to keep communication open instead of reacting...
Let's talk about how to improve communication by watching our attitudes have a lot to do with how we share and how we hear.
Before we'd address something we'd like to see changed in our spouse, we should first work on the things that need worked on about ourselves. When we're tak...
When communication doesn't go well, the first thing to do is check our own heart to be sure our motives and intentions are pure.To watch this entire video, g...
You might be challenged with your spouse's responses to you because you aren't sharing enough information to really be known.To watch this entire video, go t...
Do you tend to hint at what you wish your spouse would know about you? Being indirect can block your spouse from getting the right message.To watch this ent...
Is it easy for you to become argumentative when trying to get your spouse to consider your perspective? This can actually block him/her from hearing you.To ...
Are we passing judgment on our spouse, deciding what he/she intends without really hearing him/her?To watch this entire video, go to Ready to Share at https:...
Are we coming across as aggressive or accusing without realizing it? This can shut down communication and result in our not being heard.To watch this entire...
Sometimes our own vulnerabilities hinder us from sharing with our spouse challenging insights about us._______Check our our website at https://blessedmarriag...
While research shows husbands in successful marriages receive influence from their wives, wives can make it a little easier.To watch this entire discussions:...
Couples in healthy marriages accept each other as is and celebrate their differences. To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/3eGqwYnyf1Y_______C...
Couples in healthy marriages share by beginning with a gentle start up and receive by accepting influence.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/...
Couples in healthy marriages honor each other's dreams and share the same purposes/goals.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/3eGqwYnyf1Y______...
Couples in healthy marriages believe their spouse has good intentions.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/3eGqwYnyf1Y_______Check our our webs...
Couples in healthy marriages spontaneously express admiration and affection.To watch this entire discussions: https://youtu.be/3eGqwYnyf1Y_______Check our ou...
Let's do some self-evaluation to understand our behind-the-scenes thoughts that influence how we respond._______Check our our website at https://blessedmarr...
Until we can talk through our differences, we can choose to believe the best and that our spouse is well-intentioned._______Check our our website at https://...
We can't force our spouse to please us, and respecting their right to choose is healthier for the relationship._______Check our our website at https://blesse...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
In the Listener Rules series, Shawn & Rhonda talk about what you can do to become a better listener when communicating and working through difficult issues i...
Jesus set an excellent example for us to follow when it comes to how we respond when we don't like the way we're being treated.
Do you or your spouse easily play the victim anytime you're asked to make a change? Let 's look at the victim mentality.
Submission poses lots of problems because of misunderstandings about it. Let's talk about it....
The way we begin sharing an issue can determine the way it'll end. Why not start off in a way that's less likely to slam the door to the discussion you want?
Do you hold off on addressing issues until you can't take it anymore? Did you know it's healthy for the relationship to go ahead and address them before the...
You get to choose your perspective, and we usually pick the one that makes sense to us - but what if there's a better way to look at it?
To make friends we need to be friendly. (Proverbs 18:24). Are you friendly in your marriage? If you wouldn't speak to anybody else that way, why with your s...
How do you let your spouse know what you need in the marriage? Couples need to be aware of the different needs of the husband and wife in the deepest of relationships to facilitate marital growth. Let's talk about his and her core needs and a good way to make those needs known.
When we present our issue well, we increase the likelihood of being heard. Our spouse isn't perfect, but when we reduce his hurdles, he doesn't have to weed...
To look at things the way God looks at things requires changing our perspectives. Could it be there are ways we think that are causing trouble in the marria...
How can we get the attention of our spouse? Let's look at what God's word shows are "winning" ways to engage.
Most people long to be known for who they are deep inside their hearts, but who will go that far to know us or care so much to tread delicately there? Hopef...
Do God and your spouse get the best of your time, focus, attention, enthusiasm? Or do you give that to someone or something else - or use it on yourself? W...
In 1 Peter 3:8, we're told how to treat fellow believers. What does it look like to treat our spouse at least as well?
Do you have ears to hear beyond the presentation to really hear the meaning of your spouse's message?
When couples are conflicted, everyone's talking, and nobody's listening. Let's look at what being quick to hear can do for communicating and resolving issues.
In James chapter 1, we read that we should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. These are great concepts for marital communication! Let's lo...
Did you ever think conflict could create closeness? Well, it depends on what you do with it. The things we say are loaded with information, and many times,...
If we're really listening, our spouse has something important to say, and we could really benefit from it. Next time, instead of discounting it because it d...
When there's a lot of conflict in the relationship, it can be overwhelming. This can happen to the spouse who is less verbal because the more verbal spouse ...
There is power in marital intimacy missed when we choose to push away our spouse. When our spouse presents yet another area for blending, how do we respond?...
Are you both pushing and pulling in opposite directions? Does it feel like a wild ride, and you don't know how you got here or how to get off? Let's look a...
Has your heart become hard toward your spouse? Or has your spouse's heart become hardened toward you? What will you do now?
