Robert has an admittedly sordid history with pornography. He has been in recovery for years, has set up appropriate accountability and has gone out of his way to rebuild his marriage. He has (in his words) “devoured” my book Cherish and has sought to apply every principle in every chapter. He knows he can never […]
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Due to a degenerative eye disease, I live with basically one eye. You wouldn’t know it looking at me, but an ophthalmologist explained to me that my left eye has reached the point where my brain doesn’t rely on it any more. What I see basically comes through my right eye. I write with […]
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In his book, My Name Is Hope, John Mark Comer contrasts “vending machine prayers” with “prayers in Jesus’ name.” When applied to marriage, the analogy is quite illuminating. John Mark writes, “Vending machine prayers sound like, ‘God, my marriage is a wreck. Fix my marriage. Make me happy with my spouse. “Prayers in Jesus’ name […]
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One of the best gifts you can give your spouse this Christmas isn’t just a book; it’s a renewal of a promise. Imagine your spouse opening up a Christmas present this year and seeing the book Cherish. But you’re watching, so you quickly explain, “The book isn’t my gift. The real gift is a renewal […]
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There is one thing that could save you thousands of dollars in marital counseling. It can turn a frustrating marriage into a delightful one. It can turn a barren marriage into a fruitful one. It can turn a hurtful marriage into an encouraging one. Indeed, if we will more earnestly pursue this one spiritual truth […]
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Your marriage isn’t about you. It’s not even about your marriage. Ultimately, your marriage is about proclaiming the power and glory of Jesus Christ. The problem for most of us is the bent of our lives. Christianity is an extreme religion, but we try to live it in the margins. Jesus said to love the […]
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I have a tendency to wake up ridiculously early, often even before four a.m. I’ll try, many times unsuccessfully, to go back to sleep. One morning I just went ahead and got up. An hour or so later, walking out of my office, I saw the master bedroom light turned on underneath the door. That […]
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While working on my book Cherish: The One Word That Changes Everything for Your Marriage, I interviewed a woman who told me about an amazing marital “exercise” she put into practice. She spent an entire year working on her husband’s Christmas present. What she did was write a journal that recorded something she was thankful […]
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I’ve been enjoying Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance and one thought in particular stuck out at me that is so relevant for marriage. Duckworth writes primarily about work and vocation in her book, but apply this thought in relational terms and you’ll see what I mean: “What ripens passion is […]
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In premarital counseling, I tell couples, “Your ability to continue cherishing each other, treasuring each other and feeling close to each other will be directly tied to your ability to handle conflict in a way that brings you together instead of tearing you apart.” It doesn’t matter how strong your infatuation is, if you can’t […]
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