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  As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to share some simple truths I learned about the power of gratitude in marriage. Think of gratitude like sunlight. Sunlight doesn’t force anything to grow but simply creates the environment where growth becomes possible. As you know from the last two weeks of me blogging on the topic “Love is a Choice”, choosing gratitude is one of the fastest ways to return to unity because it shifts your focus from the problem to the partnership . One of the most powerful truths about gratitude is this: You cannot stay in a negative emotional posture while actively giving thanks. Did you know that research shows that gratitude reduces anxiety, increases emotional resilience, and improves relationship satisfaction. Couples who practice thankfulness feel safer, more valued, and more connected. Most fundamental best practices are based on foundational biblical principles. I personally think about 1 Thessalonians 5:18: In everything give thanks; ...

During hard seasons, couples often lose their sense of physical closeness. Physical intimacy is still possible during periods of difficulty. Intimacy is not about performance, it’s about choosing to be present despite disagreement,  disappointment, or frustration. Life may stretch your marriage thin. But love chosen has the power to rebuild what hardship tries to break. Physical intimacy may not return overnight but will certainly return through tenderness, forgiveness, prayer, presence, and unity. Remember, you don’t have to feel close to choose closeness. Even if you don’t feel desire, always protect your connection with your spouse whether you feel in love or not.  Actions don't have to be big but should be genuine. Even small action matter. Focus on emotional safety, kindness, and tenderness. Physical intimacy returns strongest when each of you to feel secure in your relationship  regardless of what is going on. Practical Step: Establish “pressure-free closeness time”...

Sometimes life gets so loud, stressful, or heavy that couple intimacy gets caught in the crossfire. Intimacy often fades because life pressures pull couples' hearts into survival mode. The truth is that conflict, trauma, financial strain, health scares, or emotional exhaustion can shake intimacy even in the strongest marriages. And it’s not because the love is gone but because life can be so stressful and heavy that intimacy gets caught in the crossfire. For a healthy marriage , it is important to restore intimacy . Choose to rebuild intimacy . Think of intimacy like a garden. Storms may flatten the flowers, but storms don’t destroy roots. With the right care, what once looked fragile can grow back stronger, deeper, and more connected than before. Rebuild slowly, intentionally, and beautifully for a great harvest. Here’s something every couple should know - stress impacts intimacy. Not because anything is “wrong,” but because the body is designed to prioritize survival over connec...

Every couple argues. Even the most loving, faithful, God-centered marriages have moments when conflict occurs and sparks fly - and not the romantic kind of sparks. Couples who endure are not the ones who avoid arguing. Couples who endure are the ones who refuse to stop choosing each other. James and I often tell couples in counseling that love is not a one-time “I do.” It’s a lifetime of “I still do,” spoken in a thousand small ways — through forgiveness, patience, laughter, and loyalty. Your commitment is eternal. When you keep choosing love, feelings follow and connection deepens because love practiced becomes love felt . “Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14 When couples choose to live as partners on the same team, everything shifts. start seeing each other as opponents instead of , even small disagreements can turn into major battles. But when we remember that we’re  Love isn’t about avoiding conflict but about handling conflict together. Choosing love i...