Protect Your Marriage Against Online Infidelity
You’ve heard the stories. A wife was contacted on Facebook by an old flame and ended up leaving her husband. Another couple is in trouble because the husband has been chatting in adult forums. Friendly emails exchanged between friends of the opposite sex started out innocently, but developed into something that is now threatening their […]
The Consequences of Cohabitation
Marriage is becoming more like buying a car—people want a “test drive” before they sign on the dotted line. The reasons are varied. Some feel it’s not the right time for marriage; some think living together is the best insurance against divorce. Others claim economic reasons for cohabitation. Several months ago, I read an […]
4 Things to Do to Honor Your Parents
An advantage of age is perspective. As you grow and mature, you can look back and see with increased clarity the effort and love that your parents exhibited. What once may have been a contentious relationship between parent and child can grow into an irreplaceable friendship. You may even have said the same words […]
4 C’s That Can Spell Catastrophe in Your Marriage
I once had the opportunity to ask Dr. Michael J. Carmichael, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, to give me an overview of how the heart works. He explained, “The heart is primarily a muscle, which pumps blood through a network of blood vessels called arteries and veins. This flow is responsible for pressure in the vessels known as the blood pressure. If the pressure is too low, then the blood carrying oxygen and nutrients isn’t sufficiently distributed to the organs and, if sustained, the vital organs will fail and the person will die. If the blood pressure is too high, over time, it can cause excessive stress against the arterial walls, which leads to injury, rupture and resultant heart attack or stroke.”
The Real Story Behind Valentine’s Day
This Valentine’s Day you will probably either send or receive a valentine from someone. More than a billion are expected to be given away in the United States alone. But just like many of our holidays, there’s a lot more behind it than just cards and gifts. There’s a true-life story. It’s a story that teaches us a lot about love, sacrifice, and commitment—the true meaning of Valentine’s Day.
In the third century, the Roman Empire was ruled by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. He was nicknamed Claudius the Cruel because of his harsh leadership and his tendency for getting into wars and abusing his people. In fact, he was getting into so many wars during the third century that he was having a difficult time recruiting enough soldiers.
Claudius believed that recruitment for the army was down because Roman men did not want to leave their loves or families behind, so he canceled all marriages and engagements in Rome. Thousands of couples saw their hopes of matrimony dashed by the single act of a tyrant. And no one seemed interested in standing up to the emperor.
But a simple Christian priest named Valentine did come forward and stood up for love. He began to secretly marry soldiers before they went off to war, despite the emperor’s orders. In 269 A.D., Emperor Claudius found out about the secret ceremonies. He had Valentine thrown into prison and deemed that he would be put to death.
Here’s the rest of the real story behind Valentine’s Day and some ways to bring more love into your marriage.
Letter from the Future
When Zac Smith learned that he had terminal cancer, his life was shaken. He and his wife had a wonderful and loving relationship, healthy children and a job that made a difference. They had an exciting future ahead of them. The surprising diagnosis took all their tomorrows and turned them into borrowed time. In […]
10 Things Wives Want to Hear from their Husbands
Last month I wrote about the 10 things husbands want to hear from their wives. Now I thought it was time for me to reveal the 10 things wives want to hear from their husbands. So here they are… 1. “Thanks for all you do for our family.” Yes, you work hard. You might even […]
