Susan G Mathis on a premarital journey

Consider the journey of the Pilgrims from England to America in the 1600s. They heard God’s call to go to a new land. They made plans. They sold most of what they had and made great sacrifices in… Read More

Dating Through the Years

As the years go by and your marriage deepens and matures, be careful not to get apathetic about your relationship.  Remember what a great adventure your marriage has been—and still can be. While it’s easy to take each… Read More

God Talking

Talking about God is not just for Sundays; it’s for every hour of the day. Deuteronomy 6: 5-7 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength…. Read More

Growing Together Spiritually

As this new year gets underway, it may be a good time to revisit your spiritual needs—individually and as a couple—and discuss how can each of you can help meet those needs. As we grow and mature, our… Read More

Be-Attitudes for the New Year

Emotions, stress, expectations, and frustrations can easily find their way into the blending family life, so it’s important for you as a couple to try and address probable stressors ahead of time. Because our attitudes have a lot… Read More

Building Traditions That Bond

For blending families, there are a lot of “but we always did it this way” challenges that come during the Christmas season, whether it’s about food, gift giving, visiting and traveling, or even decorating. Younger children may adapt… Read More

When Christmases Clash

The Christmas season can reveal differences between the two of you that didn’t even know you had, and this time of year can even exacerbate the differences you already know you have. When you’re aware of your holiday… Read More

Talking About the Holidays

Lots of emotions, obligations, and sometimes unreasonable expectations come with the holidays, and when it comes to understanding those things, mind reading doesn’t often work too well during this time of year…or anytime, for that matter. So it’s critical… Read More

A High View of Blending Family Life

When there are kids in the home, it’s often critical for you as a couple to take a long-term view of family life. Yes, in the short term, you’ll probably be sacrificing many of your wants and desires—and… Read More

A Valentine’s Gift That Keeps on Giving

In our living room there is a symbol we used in our wedding ceremony. It’s a three-strand cord of red, white, and gold. For us, it symbolizes that the commitment we made to marriage wasn’t just between the… Read More