When someone uses the term intimacy, they are usually referring to a sense of closeness in a relationship.  You may have heard your mentee couple say they want more intimacy in their marriage.  That’s great, but to some this same word can have different meanings.  For example, a husband and wife may both agree that they would like to have more intimacy in their marriage, but they may be coming at it from completely different perspectives.  He may be looking for affection, whi...

 The staff at Marriage Mentors holds firmly to the conviction that all of our relationships are a by-product of our relationship with God. Your relationship with God and your relationship with others will always be interconnected. We can’t love others properly without an intimate relationship with God, and we can’t be intimately connected with God if we’re not willing to live out His will in our relationships with others.

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” – Philippians 2:13 “It means so much to me that you planned our dinner tonight!” I heard these words from Lynne as we were on our way home after stopping at her favorite Thai food restaurant. She had experienced a really tough day in the office and I knew the last thing she needed was to figure out what we were going to do for dinner. This verbal exchange might not seem like any big deal, but truth is when small bless...

Last week we discussed how couples can slowly allow their commitment to the marriage relationship to drift away. This week we’ll look at a few ways you can help your mentee couple begin to strengthen their commitment to the marriage. Psychologist Caryl Rusbult developed a theoretical model of commitment that we believe can help by providing direction as you guide your mentee couple back to a deep commitment in their marriage.

Dr. Donald Harvey’s concept of “commitment drift” in marriage is much like the physical aspect of exercise. If we don’t exercise, muscles will atrophy.

You may have heard this story before. A chicken and a pig were walking down the road together. They passed a sign for a local diner advertising its breakfast special: “Ham and Eggs – $2.95!” The chicken said, “That’s our whole contribution to society: breakfast food!” The pig replied, “For you, it may be a contribution.

If you are like a lot of well intentioned individuals, by this time next week you will already be breaking many of your New Year’s resolutions.  Cmon, you know it’s true.  Some people will be going to the gym for the first time since last January and others will be starting new diets, vowing to eat healthier in 2012.  That’s what we do.  This week we wanted to give you a little food for thought as you begin a new year.  Forget about your mentees for a moment and think ab...

This time of year gathering with family takes center stage as the focus of holiday plans. Some families have become experts at sweeping all the familial issues under the rug for a few days in order to enjoy the season. For others, family get-togethers become intense reminders of ongoing issues and unforgiveness.

Last week we talked about how some family traditions can hold us back from God’s best for our lives when those habits stand in opposition to the Word of God. This week we want to look at the importance of passing on Biblical traditions and the mandate we have from God to do so. To clarify, we are not talking about religious traditions we have instituted that make us feel good about our righteousness, or that we do simply because it seems right.

Traditions Pt 1 This time of year it’s easy to find ourselves focused on holiday traditions. The dust has barely settled after Thanksgiving and Christmas is already just around the corner. For many this is an exciting time of year filled with fond memories, for others there isn’t a more stressful season.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is in Genesis 32.  This is the story that most Bibles describe with the heading "Jacob wrestles with God".  The reason I enjoy this passage is because there is so much in there to learn and there is also a lot I don't really understand.  How does Jacob wrestle with God if God is Spirit?  Who was this man?  Was he an angel?  Why was Jacob so adamant about getting a blessing?  Why did he want to know the man's name?  ...

FILLING THE BUCKET My youngest daughter is in first grade and her teacher has implemented a tool called “the bucket” to help her students form positive habits when interacting with one another. If a child says or does something that is not positive they are told that their actions are “emptying the bucket” of the other person involved and when the action is positive they are said to be “filling the bucket”. We now use this with her at home and when she does or says something positive we make a b...

I Do... You probably thought I was going to write a little something about newly married couples, but I just used the title “I Do” to reel you in like an expert fisherman. (although I’m not very good at fishing and don’t fish very often) Have you ever found yourself sitting alone after a fight with your spouse thinking about some of things you both said to each other, wondering if an outsider would think you are even sane after observing your recent exchange?

Get Specific As I was reading my Bible this morning I had a thought. And that random thought turned into a challenge for you this week. :) So here it goes...and I warned you it was random, but try to follow.