Understanding the Hot Buttons in Your Marriage

Have you ever felt like disagreements with your spouse end up covering the same ground over and over again?

The reason is that marital conflict is rarely only about the specific issue itself. There’s an iceberg of insecurity, negative assumptions, and hot buttons beneath the surface that are also at work. Hidden issues from your past can sabotage your marriage today.

Dr. Bob Paul and his wife, Jenni, are with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Understanding the Hot Buttons in Your Marriage” to describe what they consider to be a married person’s guide to a “fair fight.”

Dr. Paul serves as the Vice President of the Focus on the Family Marriage Institute and is the primary architect of Focus on the Family’s highly successful Hope Restored marriage intensives.We’re proud of this program. It’s spiritual and marital boot camp. And it works. We routinely survey Intensive participants about their experience and responses show that roughly 80 percent are still married two years later.

Jenni Paul is an accomplished artist with a master’s degree in Intercultural Ministries from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.

Bob and Jenni are sharing about a pattern of conflict that is common to every couple. The details will be different, but the cycle that underlies the conflict is essentially the same for everybody. They’ll share practical ideas to help you resolve your conflict, even dissecting one of their arguments point-by-point, so you can hear what they were feeling, yet not actually saying.

This program is part of our “Best of” programs for 2022, airing throughout the month of December. Listen on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or take us with you on our free phone app.

While you’re online, 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.

Dr. Bob Paul and Dr. Greg Smalley have co-authored the book 9 Lies That Will Destroy Your Marriage: And the Truths That Will Save It and Set It Free, which is available for a gift of any amount. And when you help Focus on the Family today with a gift, your donation will be DOUBLED for twice the impact in helping others through this ministry. My thanks to generous donors who have made that possible. For more information on how to be involved, call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459), or click here.

Before I close, if you’re on the brink of divorce, I want to remind you that the Hope Restored marriage intensives can go a long way toward facilitating healing between you and your spouse and bringing restoration to your relationship. The intensives take place in three locations: Branson, MO; Greenville, MI; and the WinShape Retreat Center in Rome, GA. The number for Hope Restored is 1-866-875-2915, or visit online.