5 Manners You Must Model for Your Kids
One of the hallmarks of this year’s Presidential campaign has been plain rudeness on both sides, from the primaries to the conventions. We also see that lack of basic courtesies and manners on television, online, social media, and in life. Manners have taken a back seat.
#118: Prickly Spouse? Prepare for the Porcupine Part 1 (Podcast)
In our 28 years of marriage, Susan and I have had our fair share of conflict. What causes marital conflict, you ask?
Well, a root cause is our selfishness. It’s frustrating because it seems like a constant struggle that will always be there no matter how hard we try.
How to Turn Your Pain into Something Positive
Can pain ever be good? That’s a fair question, but mostly an intellectual one to me, until recently. You see I’ve been blessed with good health and without much physical pain for most of my life. But a recent injury put me in a season of constant and intense back pain. For quite a while, I was getting just a few hours of sleep a night, sometimes feeling lost in an emotional fog.
How to Make Your Marriage “Work”
Like your job, marriage can be hard work at times. And like your job, it’s important to understand things like your mission, core values, and goals in marriage too.
Consider these six things you may embrace to succeed in the workplace, and think about how you might apply them in your marriage.
1. Know your mission.
The best businesses have a clear, big-picture aim that everyone rallies around. It’s what keeps them all moving in the same direction, even if they may have different roles to play. These aspirations should set a direction that unites and excites. Where is your marriage aiming? For Susan and me, marriage is a covenant, not a contract. It is ultimately a holy union between God, husband, and wife—one established to glorify God. We want to live and love one another in a way that honors and points people to Him.
#117: Celebrating Family and Fatherhood with Tony Dungy (Podcast)
It’s been almost 20 years, and it’s amazing what God has done with the organization of All Pro Dad. All Pro Dad is one program under Family First, the non-profit organization that provides parenting, marriage and relationship resources that help people love their family well, along with iMOM, the Family Minute, MarkMerrill.com and this podcast. I’m in the studio today with the co-founder of All Pro Dad and NFL Hall of Famer, Coach Tony Dungy.
4 Benefits to Holding Your Spouse’s Hand
I’ve always enjoyed seeing couples holding hands, especially older couples with some “miles” on their marriage. They just look so sweet. I love that look so often seen on their faces: satisfied, happy, just enjoying life. It makes me think “I want us to be like that someday.”
10 More Automatic Replies to Avoid with Your Kids
From the time our kids learn to talk, our relationship with them as parents will include thousands of questions, special requests, and arguments. Over time, it’s tempting to respond to them on verbal autopilot. But as I’ve blogged about before, we need to reject the temptation to talk to them with automatic replies. Here are 10 more automatic replies to avoid with our kids:
#116: How to Raise Your Child to be a Leader (Podcast)
A leader is simply someone who has followers-followers they influence. Susan and I have tried to raise all 5 of our children to be leaders. We’ve taught them it’s not just what you do, it’s who you are at the core.
7 Ways to Help Your Depressed Spouse
Maybe it’s a problem at work, difficulty in a relationship, or a health challenge, but chances are there will be times when your spouse is discouraged and down in the dumps. Their depression impacts your marriage.
