“The challenge and joy of love languages is not in demanding someone else learn to speak my language or manipulating them until they learn to do so. It is in learning how to speak other languages, to receive love in new ways. As long as I am satisfied with only the language I prefer, I miss out on the joy of those other four languages … Continue reading Challies: Beyond 5 Love Languages
The lie says: If you find romantic love, then your life will be safe and fulfilling. So much so that marriage becomes a type of salvation, and romantic love takes on almost redemptive expectations. So what would you say to Christians, either singles or newlyweds, who are in danger of losing awe in God by becoming preoccupied with romantic love? The first thing I … Continue reading Desiring God: Romantic Love is a Wonderful gift and a Terrible God
In our culture, February means roses, chocolates, and all the traditional symbols of romantic love. After nearly five years of marriage to my wonderful husband, I have enjoyed receiving love letters, holding hands over candlelit dinners, and taking nighttime walks under the stars with my sweetheart. However, I have also learned that there is more to making and maintaining a healthy, thriving relationship than these kinds of romantic gestures. The world (and its businesses) may tout their own ideology regarding love and marriage, but I know of no better place to find true principles and sound wisdom than in the word of God.
While every book of the Bible has taught me something about strengthening my marriage and loving my husband, the Song of Solomon is one book in particular that has offered me a wealth of insight on the love between a man and his wife. My husband and I have read this book together and often talked over the main lessons we have gleaned from this beautiful, inspired poem—insights that have also been confirmed by our own experiences. Since February is traditionally a month in which love and romance are emphasized, I thought I’d share four lessons from Solomon’s song that I’ve found particularly helpful in my own life. Continue reading “Four Lessons from Solomon’s Song”
I went to a wedding recently. The bride was aglow with joy as she walked down the isle. The groom waited for her by the altar rale with an anxious anticipation of someone he desired very much. They wanted to bind themselves together by a thousand turns of an unbreakable rope. They wanted to leap together into an abyss of commitment. The pews inhaled and … Continue reading The Enduring Appeal of Marriage
The News Story – Want a happy marriage? Say ‘I love you’ ten times a week A recent survey of 1,000 Americans on what makes for a happy marriage yielded some fairly predictable results. Couples said that spending quality time together was key, as was “being able to have fun and having three shared interests and taking two holidays a year together.” Couples also believed that … Continue reading Simple things make a happy marriage