marriage Archives

Coronavirus Pandemic Chaos Offers Couples Seeking Divorce a Second Chance

If it’s true that every cloud has a silver lining, is it possible that virus-related disruptions in divorce filings and court proceedings could possibly buy seemingly incompatible couples more time to work out their differences and save their marriages?

I think so.

Since the virulent pathogen began wreaking havoc in mid-March, courts and local municipalities that process divorce have been upended. From canceled hearings to shuttered county courthouses, it’s become a lot more difficult for couples to untangle or sever the proverbial marital knot.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: divorce, marriage May 26, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Creative Date Ideas for You and Your Spouse

When was
the last time you and your spouse enjoyed a date night? Has it been a while?

I get it.
You’re busy. You’re tired. Once your children came along, your priorities shifted,
your schedule became less flexible, and your budget got a lot tighter. Before
you knew it, time together as a couple flew right out the window.

Finding
time for each other doesn’t get any easier as your children get older. You have
to schedule an evening, hire a babysitter, and find something interesting to
do.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage May 4, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Reconnecting as a Couple During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Hopefully,
the silver lining for you around the coronavirus pandemic has been the
opportunity to spend more time together as a couple.

Then
again, maybe being around each other 24/7 has increased your disagreements and created
new topics to argue about.

There’s no
doubt that living in close quarters for a long time can reveal areas of your
marriage that could use some work. But it also creates an opportunity to put Luke
10:27 into practice.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: Coronavirus, marriage April 29, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If You Died, What Would Your Spouse Find on Your Phone?

This is a sad story – with a sweet and poignant twist.

As most of us slept peacefully on Tuesday night, Jon Coelho of Danbury, Connecticut, passed away from cardiac arrest, a condition attributed to the coronavirus.

He was just 32 years-old and left behind his wife, Katie, and 2 small children.

There’s a common saying that death always comes like a thief in the night, and never more so than when a younger person unexpectedly meets the end of their earthly life.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, marriage April 24, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

4 Things You Can Learn About Marriage from Tonight’s NFL Draft

Unlike recent NFL Drafts from such famed locales as New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, this year’s “virtual” iteration promises to be a more subdued affair. In the era of the coronavirus, there will be no traditional high fives or hugs – and no real stage with strobe lights and confetti.

Tonight’s annual extravaganza will be coming from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement – a space usually reserved for family time R&R.

Most analysts are expecting the Cincinnati Bengals to select Joe Burrow, last year’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Louisiana State University, with the first overall selection.

Except for hardcore fans, there’s usually only moderate interest outside the first or second round – but in thinking about the dynamics and drama surrounding the annual festivities, it’s struck me there’s some applicable marriage lessons to be found in the dynamics of the draft and sport itself.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage April 23, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Loving and Serving Your Spouse During the Pandemic

Most of us
have spent a lot more time at home than we would have imagined possible a few
weeks ago. The good news is that we’ve gotten plenty of extra time in close
quarters to spend with our spouse.

The bad
news … is that we’ve gotten plenty of extra time in close quarters to spend
with our spouse!

When
people are thrown together in stressful situations, the good and the bad
eventually bubble to the surface.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: love, marriage April 20, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Helping Your Marriage Survive the Coronavirus

We’re
several weeks into the coronavirus outbreak, and by now you’ve memorized a
dozen methods for keeping your body’s immune system strong.

But what are
you doing to keep your marriage strong?

When we’re
stressed, we strike out at the people closest to us, namely our spouse and children.
That’s especially true when you’re cooped up together under quarantine. Good
marriages can be strained, and bad marriages can be stressed to their breaking
point.

A couple’s
differences can either serve as triggers for conflict or as points of tension that
can strengthen the relationship.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, marriage April 16, 2020 by Megan Klackner

Reducing Conflict in Your Marriage

Is it possible to enjoy an argument-free marriage?

Author Fawn Weaver says that you can.

Now, before you dismiss her vision for marital bliss
too quickly, give her a chance to explain. She’ll tell you plainly that building
an argument-free marriage takes some grit. Ironically, couples don’t find
harmony by striving for peace at all costs. They don’t avoid serious
conversations or sweep important issues under the rug, either.

You eliminate arguments through effective
communication that gets to the truth of a matter and that offers genuine
solutions.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, marriage March 27, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Tips for building a Healthy Family

Home improvement is more popular than ever.

Well, for a lot of you, anyway. I have to be honest. Home renovation scares the daylights out of me. To say I don’t have an aptitude for it is an understatement.

A few years ago, Jean and I had a contractor come to our home to assess some water damage. Water got inside one of our window wells after the cover peeled away. The guy looked things over and said, “This is a simple fix.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, marriage, parenting March 23, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Understanding the Two Different Sides of Love

Skyscrapers are amazing feats of engineering. They have to be strong enough to resist the forces that come against them, like gravity and wind. That’s why skyscrapers are built with steel.

They also need to be flexible enough to withstand the forces that come against them … like gravity and wind. That’s why architects design skyscrapers with a certain amount of sway.

Strength and softness. The two sides of a superstructure. The two sides of love as well.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, marriage, relationships March 17, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura