Daly Focus Blog
Brian and Cherie Lowe paid off $127,482.30 in debt in just over four years. They know that number to the penny because, as they’ll tell you, when you put in the work and the sacrifice to pay off a dollar amount that high, you remember it to the penny. How did they do it?
Financial foreplay.
Yep, you read that correctly. That’s a term Brian and Cherie use to explain how intricately connected finances are with marital intimacy.
Ron and Opal Erickson call themselves “musicianaires.” Ron is an accomplished steel guitarist, and Opal an accomplished vocalist. They’ve made beautiful music together for over 40 years.
They’ve also walked through the fires of a marriage that seemed irreparably broken. Through God’s grace and wisdom, they survived adultery, rejection, and betrayal and created a new marriage forged in trust, love, and grace.
God has done a remarkable work in their marriage, and we are so excited to share their story with our listeners on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Restoring Hope to Your Marriage.” Listen on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.
A door-to-door salesman from a local cable company stopped by Dave and Ashley Willis’ house and gave them his best pitch. At first, his offer sounded amazing. He promised his company would take good care of Dave and Ashley by giving them the best package at the best price.
The deal went south when Dave asked the salesman, “So how long is this package and price valid for?”
“Twelve months,” the salesman said.
“What happens after that?” Dave asked.
When you ask couples which household issues influence the success of a marriage, things like kids and finances usually rise to the top. But did you know that chores rank third on that list?!
How can something as simple as housework fuel conflict in a marriage? Rather easily it turns out. As we all know, life gets busy. Not long after the “I do’s,” couples tend to get focused on (or maybe I should say, “distracted by”) the household tasks they care about, while forgetting the burdens their spouse is carrying.
The Bible begins with marriage and ends with marriage.
That ought to tell us something about the importance God places on it. He’s infused it with profound meaning, both as a cultural institution and as one of the most significant relationships we can experience. It’s the bedrock of God’s design for families.
So where does that leave singles?
Throughout the Bible we’re reminded that God created us for community. No one is meant to be alone.
“He walked in, and I knew something was horribly wrong. I thought someone had died. I didn’t know it was our marriage.”
That comment from Mona Shriver about the moment she learned her husband Gary was committing adultery, reflects a sentiment felt by almost a third of couples. One or both partners admits to involvement in extramarital affairs, and life as they know it dies.
Gary and Mona Shriver are here with us from California to talk about the emotional devastation they went through as a result of an affair.
King Artaxerxes commissioned Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah and his men set to work with trowels in one hand and swords in the other (4:17) defending against enemies on all sides.
In many ways, married couples face similar opposition. They’re building their homes with jobs, hard work, and children in one hand and the sword of the Word of God in the other, defending their families against a culture that’s increasingly hostile to them.
According to a recent report from the United States Census Bureau, most people believe it’s “socially desirable” for the husband to earn more than his wife.
In fact, in the event that a wife does earn more than her husband, researchers discovered that couples tend to downplay or under report the financial difference.
Why?
Obviously, there’s a lot of history, tradition and even controversy surrounding this topic. For instance, the issue of pay equity is hotly debated and often comes up in the midst of political campaigns.
It’s estimated that 80% of women are lonely in their marriages.
Many wives who struggle with loneliness believe it is impossible to change their marriages. Their relationships are plagued by disappointment, anger, or monotony. Why? The answer often lies in unmet expectations.
When we’re dating, it’s tempting to seek complete fulfillment from the person we love. But once we’re married, we find that our spouse simply isn’t able to fulfill our every need. This can lead to a host of issues.
Week ending July 20th:
I Don’t Want a Divorce (by Dr. David Clarke)
30 Days to Taming Your Tongue (by Deborah Smith Pegues)
The 10 Best Decisions Every Parent Can Make (by Bill Farrel)
Ken Davis: Good News (by Ken Davis)
Parenting Your Powerful Child (by Kevin Leman)
Raising Kingdom Kids (by Tony Evans)
Job – Bible Study Book: A Story of Unlikely Joy (by Lisa Harper)
Red-Hot Monogamy (by Bill Farrel)
Kingdom Marriage (by Tony Evans)
Unoffendable (by Brant Hansen)
Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives (by Jean Thomason)
Growing Kids with Character (by Hettie Brittz)
God & Country (by Andy Stanley)
Through the Eyes of a Lion (by Levi Lusko)
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
