February 14th is meant to be a day dedicated to celebrating romantic love, friendship, and admiration. Yet we all know this day is typically focused on romantic love, which can leave our single brothers and sisters feeling left out and lonely. Whether single by choice, by divorce, or through the death of a spouse, this day can be one of dread, as it can be a reminder of love yet to be or love that once was. One thing to remember is that Valentine’s Day can also be stressful for those in a relationship. Many complain that this holiday ensues unnecessary stress and unrealistic expectations. If you’re married or in…

Maybe you knew before you got married that his mother didn’t approve, or perhaps something changed over time. Either way, his mother not approving of you can cause immense heartache and strain on your marriage. While I’ve written this with married women in mind, these principles apply in a dating relationship, during an engagement, or really, to any strained relationship. So, what should you do if his mother doesn’t approve of you? 1. Take It to God It’s possible for your mother-in-law to disapprove of you and still treat you with extreme love and kindness, but sadly I think that’s rare. Most disapproval is played out in harshness, a lack…

Some shout from the rooftops that they are in marriage counseling and, because of their good experience, encourage all married couples to follow suit. Others take a more private approach and prefer to keep their season of counseling to themselves. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, please be assured that seeking and receiving biblical marriage counseling is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. In heaven, we will perfectly live out our role as the bride of Christ. But sadly, on earth, our marriages are tainted by sin and are undoubtedly imperfect. Seeking help to make your marriage as strong and God-honoring as possible is a sign of strength,…

After years of counseling women who struggle with pornography, I can tell you first hand this sin is NOT exclusive to men! If you’re someone who doesn’t struggle with this particular sin, you might have a hard time understanding the motivation behind it. After all, we’re told that women are disgusted by pornography.  Perhaps you have a woman in your life who does struggle with this sexual sin and you’ve found yourself asking, “Why do women turn to pornography?” I can’t answer for every woman out there, but I can share the reasons I’ve been given from women I’ve met with.  If you’re a woman who does struggle with pornography,…

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and wonderment. For many, however, the holidays are lonely, stressful, and depressing. Even while finding joy in the Lord, deep feelings of loss can overshadow the hope and thanksgiving we express this time of year. The absence of a loved one can leave a person feeling alone in a crowded room. Celebrating with blood relatives or church family, while wonderful, doesn’t fill the empty seat of the person that is missing. The feeling of loss can take its toll at any time, but it often feels more prevalent this time of year. If you are facing the holidays alone, please know…

In our 23 years of marriage, my husband and I have had many opportunities to celebrate. We’ve also had many opportunities to walk with one another through grief. We’ve grieved over the death of loved ones, the loss of jobs, unwanted medical diagnoses, the effects of our own sin, and the effects of others’ sin. The list could keep going. Helping your spouse grieve is a privilege because it’s an opportunity to love, support, comfort, and rely on the Lord in a very specific way. But I would also say, helping your spouse grieve is a burden of love, because grief is hard, it’s exhausting, it takes time, and can…

As we enter into the holiday season, it’s easy to look at those around us who seem to have it all together and be reminded of what’s lacking in our own lives. This can make it difficult to find joy and to have a spirit of thanksgiving. For many, the holidays are a dark season of depression and self-loathing. Think of those with no family to celebrate with, the homeless, the incarcerated, or the shut-ins. There are countless reasons why someone might find the holidays to be more depressing than exciting, and any of these reasons can easily lead to a critical spirit, depression, and in the most severe cases,…

We enter into marriage expecting to see change, growth, and maturity. We hope to spend our lives growing closer to God and to each other. However, change comes drastically and unexpectedly for many, causing one spouse to feel like a stranger to the other. Below we’ll explore some reasons why this can happen. While this is not an exhaustive list, I pray it will help in navigating these situations. If you or someone you know is living this reality, you are not alone. 1. Unrepentant Sin One common reason for a spouse to feel like a stranger is they have unrepentant sin in their life. Let’s say your spouse has fallen into…

After eight decades of tracking the religious practices of Americans, the most recent Gallup poll shows that less than half our country belongs to a church of any kind. This is heart-wrenching, to say the least. While there are many reasons for this decline in church membership, I’m going to focus on the growing trend among older teens and young adults to stop gathering for corporate worship, to start redefining their faith, or to deconstruct their faith altogether. This trend is not only heartbreaking but should cause us all to ask ourselves some serious questions. Why is this happening? What could we, as the church, be doing differently? What could we, as…

1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. We know the enemy wants our children; he wants to pull them away from us, from their faith, and from the one true God. We also know that Satan is crafty, and he tries to pull our children away in a variety of ways: by temptation, distractions, deception, etc. Thankfully, we serve a God that invites us to pray, to talk with Him about the longings of our hearts. He has also given us His Word, full of wisdom and promises that can guide us in our prayers. When we…