Better Ways to Communicate with Your Spouse

“Mayday! Mayday!”

You recognize that distress call, don’t you? Even children have a rough idea of what it means. And the fact that they do reveals something important about effective communication.

The “mayday” distress code was designed to be simple and easy to understand. It was created in 1923 by Frederick Mockford, an airport radio officer in London, after his boss challenged him to devise a distress code that would easily be understood by pilots and ground staff in an emergency. Because much of the air traffic at the time was between London and Paris, Mockford proposed the expression “mayday.” It was easy to say, and it sounded like the French term for “help me.” “Mayday” communicates so well that it’s still used all over the world.

Simplicity and clarity – two ingredients that are essential to good communication. A point many couples forget, which is why disagreements about dinner plans often morph into arguments about the car, the kids, or money.

To communicate more effectively with your spouse, find ways to communicate your point of view as clearly as possible. Narrow your focus to one problem, so other issues and irritations won’t sidetrack you.

And don’t forget this: Effective communication is as much about how you listen and respond as it is about what you say.

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Better Ways to Communicate with Your Spouse,” author and pastor Rob Flood and his wife Gina are with us to help you end misunderstandings in your marriage and enjoy healthy communication with your spouse.

They share five tools every couple needs for good communication:

In life, we understand the importance of being polite to others. But we often overlook that necessity in our marriage.

If you could use some help better communicating with your spouse, join us on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or take us with you on our free phone app. By learning specific tools and committing to work on their relationships with God, your marriage can find healing and hope.

While you’re here, why not take a few moments to try our free Marriage Assessment online tool? It will help you quickly determine what’s working well in your relationship and identify areas where you may need some improvement.

I’d also like to invite you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Rob and Gina’s book With These Words: Five Communication Tools for Marriage and Life as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. To make your pledge, or for more information, visit our website or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

Before I close, I want to mention Focus on the Family’s See Life 2021. Focus is combining the convenience of an online experience with the power of an in-person live event. This engaging pro-life initiative premiered across Focus on the Family’s websites and social media channels on Friday, July 16^th. Each Friday, another episode of See Life 2021 is debuting, offering powerful testimonies from women and men whose lives have been impacted by abortion and practical information about the pro-life movement for families. Then, on Saturday, August 28^th, See Life 2021 will culminate with a LIVE celebration of life at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas-Fort Worth. We’d love to see you there! For details, visit FocusontheFamily.com/seelife.