The Surprising Starting Point for Happy Marriages

The enemy of marital happiness is contention. We fight and misunderstand each other. We develop resentments. We can become estranged.

So, the intuitively obvious recommendation is to get people to talk in fair ways about their differences … Read more

Jesus, the Samaritan Woman, and Your Marriage

When Jesus chose to whom He would make the first official declaration of His divinity, it was to the Samaritan woman by Jacob’s well. What a surprise! His choice defied expectations for several reasons.

She was a … Read more

The Key to Happy Marriages

At one time or another, most married people have felt stuck. They cared about their partner and found many blessings in their marriages, but something wasn’t working right and the harder they tried to deal with it, … Read more

Misunderstanding God’s Eternal Placement Program

God has designed an intriguing eternal placement program for all of us.

When I started college, I was sure that I should be an electrical engineer. I loved all my little projects including building a crystal radio, … Read more

Welcoming God’s Remodeling

Many years ago, Nancy and I bought an old house. It smelled bad. The interior walls were covered with coal dust. The lawn was mostly dead. The draperies were sad and tired. The carpets were worse. As … Read more

Dealing with Differences in Marriage

We humans are odd creations! We all think we’re rational and sensible, yet at the same time, it’s pretty clear to us that most other people are held hostage by bad logic and imperfect objectives. We wish … Read more

What’s Your Joy Level?

It is easy to get swallowed up in bad news. There are abundant opportunities to be gloomy. Ingrown toenails. Lack of rain. National contention. Family challenges. Inflation. Egg shortages. There is plenty to worry and fret about. … Read more

Have You Experienced the Mighty Change?

The brother of Jared—that amazing disciple who pierced the veil with his faith—acknowledged, “Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art … Read more

Seeing the Forest in the Trees: The Sacred Invitation of the Temple

Several years ago, I knew a man who said that he had mastered the temple endowment. I was intrigued. He claimed that he could sit down and sleep for an entire session with only minor interruptions. That … Read more

Bringing Compassion to Parenting

Since I consider the book Between Parent and Child by Haim Ginott to be a masterwork of empathetic, yet disciplined child raising, I was delighted when Haim’s widow, Alice Ginott, gave me her approval to update and … Read more