Nearly anyone can see that marital happiness has taken on an entirely new set of challenges in today's world. Of particular concern for Christian marriages is how to rectify basic problems in a formerly solid Christian marriage without disobeying God's words on forgiveness, love, and understanding. Christian lifestyle can return your Christian marriage to a state of bliss, yet you can only accomplish such a task by adhering to biblical foundations and fundamentals. Intentionally remembering to respect the God-given character and dignity in others, especially our chosen spouse and primary loved ones, requires a new sense of enlightenment about our purpose here on earth. Nonetheless, even in the face of high technology invention and furthered scientific advances, the human relationship demands a simplified, ongoing dialogue filled with selflessness and mutual trust. The path to a happy and lasting Christian marriage, though not always a clear one, can be the most rewarding one, when you make it part of your mission to find it. Read further about the current condition of Christian marriage and its proposed solutions.

It's that time of year again. Time to make resolutions that will make the new year - and your future - better than last year. As you look at your list of resolutions for weight loss, better eating habits, better overall health, and getting control of your finances, among others, be sure to include resolutions that will strengthen your marriage. I recently picked up the book Lists to Live by for Every Married Couple, compiled by Alice Gray, Steve Stephens, and John Van Diest. This book contains

We recently moved into a smaller home in an effort to down-size and prepare our finances for my husband’s impending retirement. Our little house has a planter that skirts the entire length of the home, and it was originally filled with ugly ground cover. This last spring my husband tore out all the ugly ground cover and we replaced it with a vast assortment of flowers. That planter is now a stunning display of color as you drive up to our home. Everyone who visits mentions its beauty. It is thriving, flourishing, it is well tended- it is alive!

As Christmas approaches, I am reminded of the words of the song You’re the Only Jesus. You're the only Jesus that some will ever see And you're the only words of life, some will ever read So let them see in you the One in whom is all they'll ever need 'Cause you're the only Jesus, some will ever see There was a time when the biggest beef with Christmas was that

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? I Thessalonians 3:9 It seems that at Thanksgiving we tend to one of two extremes. Either we obsess about not showing our true thankfulness because we spend the day cooking, eating, watching football, playing football, talking with family members, and sleeping (well, at least that describes my Thanksgiving), or we make every effort to show our true thankfulness by

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18 I am surprised by the number of homes, even Christian homes, where strife and turmoil abound, where peace is in short supply, and where a "wrong deed" from one spouse is returned with a "wrong deed" by the other. Pretty soon the war has begun and after a while no one remembers what sparked the original flame. While it is easy to get caught up in the moment and react to seeming wrongs that have been done to us, 1 Peter 3:8,9 tells us "Finally,

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? Galatians 5:7 A neighbor recently asked me if I would like to be a part of the quilting group she was forming in our neighborhood. She had taught quilting before she moved into the neighborhood and thought it would be a good way to get back into quilting and to get to know some of the women better. I had never quilted before, though I have sewn a lot in the past, and jumped at the chance to create a beautiful new quilt that would reflect my personality.

Anyone who has ever read Ephesians 5, vs (15-33) has their favorite parts they like to cling to for one reason or another. Women tend to cling to verse 25 where our husbands are instructed to love us just as Christ love the Church and gave himself up for her. And men usually love the verse where God tells us to submit to our husbands as to the Lord.

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. Proverbs 15:30 I just love it when science confirms what we already know from God's word. Recently, Prevention magazine reported these two findings: An Appalachian State University study of 52 couples revealed that "[Couples] who liked to recall shared laughs were most satisfied with their relationships. 'When people laugh at the same thing, they validate each other's opinions,' says lead author Doriz Bazzini, PhD.

Don't waste another day of this precious life you've been given. God gave us the birds of the air, the breeze, the trees and more, for our enjoyment. Yes, even our spouse. Arguing all the time with your spouse, not doing what you know he would like just because you need to be in control is doing what some would say, cutting off your nose to spite your face. I feel very old saying this, but here it goes, life on this earth is far too short to waste fighting to prove yourself right all the time.