Lately, my calendar has gone rogue on me. It is beyond bossy. And it clearly thinks it runs the show. Do you ever feel that way? That you are at the mercy of a jam-packed calendar (which really is just a visual reminder of the chaos you feel internally)? You’re juggling married life and, if you are like many people,…
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HSN: First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes…Mangoes by Liz Bartling
My husband and I had a traditional Catholic wedding back in 1994. Our wedding day was picturesque; the fall weather in Atlanta was gorgeous, the ceremony was beautiful, and the reception was buzzing with extended family and friends. And yes, the day even included to my husband’s delight (NOT), the “Hokey Pokey.” I married my best friend and soul mate….
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HSN: Why Is Sex So Important to Your Spouse? by Dustin Riechmann
When is the last time you asked your spouse what sex really means to them? While there are exceptions to every rule, there’s a good chance a husband and wife will have different feelings about sex and what makes it important to them. In fact, it seems that our feelings toward sex are largely related to…well, our sexuality. Generally speaking,…
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HSN: Keeping the Empty Nest Warm by Lisa Hendey
We married under the shadow of the Golden Dome in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of May 31, 1986, a year after graduating from Notre Dame. Those early years were lean, yet precious, filled with Greg’s graduation from medical school and mine with a Master’s degree earned part-time while working for Vanderbilt University. We ate a lot of rice-a-roni…
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HSN: Date Night Idea Review
Week two and we’re half way through Hot Summer Nights! This week we looked at things like keeping Christ in your marriage, being part of a cross-cultural marriage, dealing with spouses who *aren’t* mind readers, intimacy, and keeping the bedroom exciting once the minivan arrives. What a week! As we’ve talked, in addition to learning more about marriage as a…
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HSN: Keeping the Fires Burning after Kids and Minivans by James
Photo Courtesy of Salon.com Today, July 13, is K’s and my 11th wedding anniversary. Romance is easy when you’re young and newly married, but family life may have left you feeling more like co-workers and less like lovers. So here’s some tips to keep the fires burning in your marriage even after kids and minivans. * Make time for each…
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HSN: Intimacy and Authenticy by Bill Nichols
The foundation for an open, trusting, loving, and growing relationship I had heard of this married couple, both 60 years old, who were celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary. During their party, a fairy appeared to congratulate them and grant them each one wish. The wife said that she wanted to travel around the world. The fairy waved her wand and…
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HSN: What do you mean, my husband isn’t a mind reader?!? by Sarah Reinhard
Ten years and three kids later, my big take-away from married life is that my husband is not, in fact, a mind reader. This should have come as no surprise to me. In my formative years, I observed successful marriages and divorces. In my late teens, I decided that marriage was outdated and worthless. In my late 20s, I converted…
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HSN: Marriage & Faith by Noreen Johnson
I’m going to be blunt here. Before you became engaged to your fiancé, did you ask God about it first? Did you prayerfully seek His input on your decision? Was it your choice? Or His choice too? If your marriage is without a Christian faith, it is doomed from the start. Or if your Christian faith becomes lukewarm, the marriage…
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Book Club: When God Intervenes
The story of When God Intervenes by Dabney Hedegard is an amazing story of one woman’s 10-year journey through disease and complications – and the personal role God played in bringing her back from the edge of death each time. Dabney was diagnosed with cancer just after finding out she was pregnant, and this is her story of the challenges, decisions, and…
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HSN: One Woman’s Journey in a Cross Cultural Marriage
I was born and raised in Southern California, and I have lived in Southern California my entire life – I still live in Southern California. The man I fell in love with and married was born and raised on a farm in Kenya. He came half way around the world, to Southern California for graduate school. We met, fell in love, and got married. Now I am…
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HSN: Displaying Christ’s Glory in your Marriage by Melinda Murphy
Have you ever had one of those mind-boggling moments when you realize that your view of something is way smaller than it should be? Like the moment you realize stars aren’t just little lights in the sky and the universe is much more vast and amazing than you could have ever imagined? A few years ago, I had one of…
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HSN: Date Night Idea Review
I can’t believe we’re already through our FIRST WEEK of Hot Summer Nights! It’s going so fast, and we’ve had some great articles on things like the stages of marriage that we naturally progress through, the church as Christ’s bridegroom, and the value of attending a Marriage Encounter Weekend. As we’ve talked, in addition to learning more about marriage as…
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HSN: The Gift of a Marriage Encounter Weekend: Love One Another as I Have Loved You -John 13:34 by Kevin & Patty Vogelsang
One hot July night in Phoenix in 1984, we got married. We thought our passion would be as hot as that night forever. It certainly was for a while. But, like all marriages, we got pre-occupied with our jobs, with the activities of our children, and with trying to meet our own obligations to our families and friends. We thought…
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HSN: The Mystery of Marriage by Scott Means
The Answer to This Mystery Makes for an Amazing Marriage The Bible is full of fantastic metaphors that illuminate our relationship with God. We are His sons and daughters, heirs to all that He has. We are the body of Christ, with each part playing an essential role. We are the house of God and a royal priesthood. We are…
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