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: 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 In my late teens, I decided that marriage was outdated and worthless.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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HSN: 10 (Stay at Home) Date Night Ideas by Heather Bowen
NOTE: Some of the things we want you, our readers, to walk away with at the end of the month are not only wonderful inspiration and new thoughts from the many articles you will read that may apply directly to your marriage, but some fun and tangible ideas for spending (and making) quality time with your spouse. Today’s article brings…
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HSN: Preparing for the True Marriage by Mary Pearson
Around this time last year I was just a fiancée, counting down the 5 remaining months until I’d finally get to call Tyler Pearson my husband. Like many brides-to-be in the months leading up to the wedding, I was in the midst of planning. Perhaps not so much like those other brides, I was also nearing the end of my…
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HSN: Do You Want More Love and Intimacy in Your Marriage? by Mary Jimenez
If someone asked you to define love and intimacy, what would you say? There are many different definitions that could be used to describe these powerful words. A group of professionals surveyed young children on the definition of love and here is what a few of them had to say (source unknown): “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend…
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HSN: Stages of Marriage by Sheila Garcia
When Bob and I got married 37 years ago, we expected to have one marriage that would last a lifetime. That hasn’t exactly happened. No, we’re not divorced. But the marriage we lived in our 20’s and 30’s no longer fits at midlife, after two children, career upheavals, and the ordinary joys and struggles of married life. In other words, we’ve had to create…
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Get Ready for some Hot Summer Nights!!!
This month, spend a few minutes on something that really matters: Your Marriage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marriage. It’s one of the greatest gifts we’ve been given, yet – sometimes – one of the things we take most for granted. This July, spend 30 days with us as we bring you a different article each day focused on real life marriages, passion, love,…
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