Make your conversations more productive with these tips.
It’s nothing new to disagree with the ones you love, whether it’s about current events, religion, guns, racism, politics, football or something else. In fact, chances are pretty good that you completely disagree on certain topics with someone you care deeply about. The disagreements may be so intense you wonder how you can actually co-exist. …
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/disagree-priscilla-du-preez-ZxMASvRPEn4-unsplash-1-e1596214094110.jpg205500Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-07-01 06:07:272022-03-18 12:43:35What to Do When You Disagree With the Ones You Love
Start strong – save together for your wedding and your marriage.
Prioritizing your marriage over your wedding is a beautiful place to grow from. While you dream of, save for and plan the wedding day, it can be magical without hurting you financially. You’ll have some of the same conversations you had while planning your wedding when you talk about preparing for marriage. Those “money-saving” talks for…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/man-and-woman-kissing-on-grass-field-3534497-scaled-e1596214549769.jpg233500First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2020-06-26 23:17:352022-03-03 14:27:04Money-Saving Tips for Planning Your Own Wedding
It's a big deal for you and your spouse to be on the same page.
As a young girl, I grew up in a neighborhood that was primarily boys. So, I played football, kickball, basketball and baseball with the guys. Throughout high school and college, I always felt comfortable around guys. They were like big brothers to me. I remember one incident when I was going on a date in…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/people-holding-mugs-1524335-scaled-e1596214792211.jpg200500Gena Ellishttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngGena Ellis2020-06-23 14:46:312021-11-23 09:39:00How Opposite-Sex Friendships Change After You Get Married
Marriage is the best! But it’s not perfect. If you’re engaged, I think it’s only fair someone breaks the news to you. There are some definite misconceptions about marriage you should know before you say, “I do.” Having recently been in your shoes (about a year ago now), I’m glad to have figured this out!…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/noah-d-h-o9wM2j4Tf3Y-unsplash-scaled-e1596214989100.jpg251450First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2020-06-22 09:45:532021-01-08 14:34:225 Common Misconceptions You Should Know About Marriage Before You Say “I Do”
Knowing these things can help you enjoy your engagement season.
Being engaged is like being in limbo. You’re excited to be engaged but more excited to be married. It’s a season of anticipation and possibly a lot of frustration if you aren’t careful. My husband Tyler and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. I can confidently say that being married is way better than…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/man-and-woman-holding-hands-together-888923-1-e1596224682571.jpg275500First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2020-06-11 10:44:462022-11-28 12:53:593 Things I Wish I Had Done Differently While I Was Engaged
This engagement season is something you’ve looked forward to. Being able to tell your family and friends that someone loves you so much that they want to spend their life by your side. In this season of excitement, planning begins and you ask each other questions about what you want your life together to look…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/alex-avalos-sv9ZdVnbzAc-unsplash.jpg36482432First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2020-06-04 12:52:402022-11-28 12:51:54What to Do When Your Fiancé Doesn’t Want to Set a Wedding Date
It may not be the argument, but how you handle it, that matters.
Even after being married for 30 years, I vividly remember our first argument after we got married. It was intense and to be honest, it scared me. In my mind, I thought, “Wait, we are happy and we love each other, but happy couples don’t argue, do they?”I wish I knew then what I know now: Happy couples do argue.
Let’s be honest—boundaries can be hard to talk about for everyone. “Can we talk about boundaries with opposite-sex friends?” or “We need to talk about boundaries with social media.” Both of those topics can easily be construed as passive-aggressive suspicion or even a flat-out accusation. So, let’s change that. Let’s take a look at why…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/henri-pham-CLSRxisaf7E-unsplash-1.jpg14012646John Daumhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJohn Daum2020-01-28 11:52:122021-10-28 11:04:40Help! My Spouse HATES to Talk About Boundaries!
What people are thinking about about marriage may surprise you. At the 2019 NARME Summit in Nashville, Dr. Scott Stanley shared what people are thinking about marriage using the latest marriage and cohabitation research. If you’ve heard that married couples have a 50% chance of eventually divorcing, did you know that this statistic pertains specifically…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FTF_2019Website_Mockup-Image-019.jpg13652048Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-01-12 10:00:052021-08-17 11:54:06What People Are Thinking About Marriage
When asked, “What do couples fight about?” most people usually say money, sex, kids and in-laws straight out of the gates. In romantic relationships, couples can have all kinds of major and minor disagreements that impact the quality of their relationship. If you’re wondering what the research says about what couples are most likely to fight about, you’ll be interested in the results of a 2019 study by psychologists Guilherme Lopes, Todd Shakelford, David Buss and Mohaned Abed. They co…
Cheating. Pretty much universally denounced as the worst thing you could do in a relationship (maybe just a tiny bit behind murdering your partner). We can all agree that cheating is wrong and definitely nobody wants someone to cheat on them, but… “But what?” you ask. But let’s be honest, so much of the media…
Let’s be real, there aren’t too many people in this world that would choose to actually be lonely. We as human beings thrive off our interactions and connections with other people. We are usually our best selves when we have people who care about us in our lives. Sometimes, we’re afraid of being lonely. We…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/milan-popovic-FHvpa4-Fpu8-unsplash.jpg13652048First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-12-03 11:16:302022-03-04 12:53:22Is Being in a Toxic Relationship Better Than Being Alone?
After you say “I do,” there’s a lot that changes and there are new things to get used to when it comes to friends and family. Add the holidays to a new marriage, and it’s easy to feel incredibly overwhelmed. It quickly becomes obvious that friends and family influence your relationship. As a married couple,…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/people-gathered-inside-house-sitting-on-sofa-1054974.jpg20481536First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-11-18 14:54:592021-04-13 09:11:495 Ways Friends and Family Influence Your Relationship
What do you do when your friend is in a toxic relationship? Can you spot it? But what about you? Do you know when you’re in a toxic relationship? Most people want to be in healthy and satisfying partnerships, but sometimes we settle for less just so we can feel wanted, appreciated, or loved. We…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/the-hk-photo-company-6GQ7V2l5iPA-unsplash.jpg13652048First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-11-18 14:36:422020-09-30 15:24:27Am I In A Toxic Relationship?
“I have a dilemma.” An old co-worker mused as we headed back to the office after a quick lunch date, reconnecting after I had recently changed jobs. “Oh yeah? What’s that?” I asked, but the tone of his voice already raised a red flag in the form of my quickening pulse and intuition that his…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/christin-hume-610U5teI5B4-unsplash-2.jpg13652048First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-11-18 12:47:052020-09-30 15:13:38Am I Having an Emotional Affair?
Will Counseling Work For Me? Will beekeeping? Homeopathic remedies? Fixing your own transmission? Doing the same thing over and over again work for you? I dunno. You are unique. Going to a professional counselor might not work for you, but there are some very compelling reasons to give it a try. The better question might…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/youssef-naddam-iJ2IG8ckCpA-unsplash.jpg24483264John Daumhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJohn Daum2019-11-13 16:12:362020-09-30 15:01:28Will Counseling Work For Me?
Buying a house is one of the most stressful things that you can go through as human beings. Especially if you’re newlyweds! Yes, it’s even more stressful than planning a wedding. Not only do you have to decide on a house together, but once you do that, there’s also a *TON* of legal jargon, paperwork, and timely…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/nathan-fertig-FBXuXp57eM0-unsplash.jpg13652048Caroline Henryhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngCaroline Henry2019-10-16 09:22:362021-12-21 10:25:47How to Buy Your First House Without Going Crazy
Why should you date? Wow! That’s an incredibly personal question that has different answers depending on many different factors. Are you divorced? In your 20s fresh out of school and never married? In your 30s and hoping to be married? Looking for someone to have loads of fun with? Answer This Question First… “Why do…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/couple-environment-girl-1391480.jpg20481360Reggie Madisonhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngReggie Madison2019-10-10 10:28:402020-08-13 11:15:53Should You Be Dating?
Make sure you're on the same page before the big day.
Being engaged is a season of anticipation! You feel all kinds of excitement, right? You can’t wait! Before the wedding arrives, that and the honeymoon are all you can think about! (Plus, you can’t wait for all those wedding questions to stop!)
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/SarahWeddingCrop-2-e1597331811776.jpg164400First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-10-10 10:21:272022-03-04 13:05:077 Things You Need to Know Before The Wedding
If you want to try to have a good relationship with them, this is for you.
In-laws are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. They might blow through boundaries. Your in-laws might meddle in your marriage. You might even be having a hard time living with your in-laws. Possibly, they’re totally toxic. This isn’t about any of those things. Sometimes, your in-laws are just difficult…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/haley-phelps-twoahjAsoO4-unsplash.jpg13652048First Things Firsthttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-10-09 11:49:332022-05-24 16:06:19What to Do When You Don’t Really Like Your In-Laws
What to Do When You Disagree With the Ones You Love
It’s nothing new to disagree with the ones you love, whether it’s about current events, religion, guns, racism, politics, football or something else. In fact, chances are pretty good that you completely disagree on certain topics with someone you care deeply about. The disagreements may be so intense you wonder how you can actually co-exist. …
Money-Saving Tips for Planning Your Own Wedding
Prioritizing your marriage over your wedding is a beautiful place to grow from. While you dream of, save for and plan the wedding day, it can be magical without hurting you financially. You’ll have some of the same conversations you had while planning your wedding when you talk about preparing for marriage. Those “money-saving” talks for…
How Opposite-Sex Friendships Change After You Get Married
As a young girl, I grew up in a neighborhood that was primarily boys. So, I played football, kickball, basketball and baseball with the guys. Throughout high school and college, I always felt comfortable around guys. They were like big brothers to me. I remember one incident when I was going on a date in…
5 Common Misconceptions You Should Know About Marriage Before You Say “I Do”
Marriage is the best! But it’s not perfect. If you’re engaged, I think it’s only fair someone breaks the news to you. There are some definite misconceptions about marriage you should know before you say, “I do.” Having recently been in your shoes (about a year ago now), I’m glad to have figured this out!…
3 Things I Wish I Had Done Differently While I Was Engaged
Being engaged is like being in limbo. You’re excited to be engaged but more excited to be married. It’s a season of anticipation and possibly a lot of frustration if you aren’t careful. My husband Tyler and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. I can confidently say that being married is way better than…
What to Do When Your Fiancé Doesn’t Want to Set a Wedding Date
This engagement season is something you’ve looked forward to. Being able to tell your family and friends that someone loves you so much that they want to spend their life by your side. In this season of excitement, planning begins and you ask each other questions about what you want your life together to look…
Do Happy Couples Argue?
Even after being married for 30 years, I vividly remember our first argument after we got married. It was intense and to be honest, it scared me. In my mind, I thought, “Wait, we are happy and we love each other, but happy couples don’t argue, do they?”I wish I knew then what I know now: Happy couples do argue.
Help! My Spouse HATES to Talk About Boundaries!
Let’s be honest—boundaries can be hard to talk about for everyone. “Can we talk about boundaries with opposite-sex friends?” or “We need to talk about boundaries with social media.” Both of those topics can easily be construed as passive-aggressive suspicion or even a flat-out accusation. So, let’s change that. Let’s take a look at why…
What People Are Thinking About Marriage
What people are thinking about about marriage may surprise you. At the 2019 NARME Summit in Nashville, Dr. Scott Stanley shared what people are thinking about marriage using the latest marriage and cohabitation research. If you’ve heard that married couples have a 50% chance of eventually divorcing, did you know that this statistic pertains specifically…
Why Do Couples Fight?
When asked, “What do couples fight about?” most people usually say money, sex, kids and in-laws straight out of the gates. In romantic relationships, couples can have all kinds of major and minor disagreements that impact the quality of their relationship. If you’re wondering what the research says about what couples are most likely to fight about, you’ll be interested in the results of a 2019 study by psychologists Guilherme Lopes, Todd Shakelford, David Buss and Mohaned Abed. They co…
What Actually Counts As Cheating?
Cheating. Pretty much universally denounced as the worst thing you could do in a relationship (maybe just a tiny bit behind murdering your partner). We can all agree that cheating is wrong and definitely nobody wants someone to cheat on them, but… “But what?” you ask. But let’s be honest, so much of the media…
Is Being in a Toxic Relationship Better Than Being Alone?
Let’s be real, there aren’t too many people in this world that would choose to actually be lonely. We as human beings thrive off our interactions and connections with other people. We are usually our best selves when we have people who care about us in our lives. Sometimes, we’re afraid of being lonely. We…
5 Ways Friends and Family Influence Your Relationship
After you say “I do,” there’s a lot that changes and there are new things to get used to when it comes to friends and family. Add the holidays to a new marriage, and it’s easy to feel incredibly overwhelmed. It quickly becomes obvious that friends and family influence your relationship. As a married couple,…
Am I In A Toxic Relationship?
What do you do when your friend is in a toxic relationship? Can you spot it? But what about you? Do you know when you’re in a toxic relationship? Most people want to be in healthy and satisfying partnerships, but sometimes we settle for less just so we can feel wanted, appreciated, or loved. We…
Am I Having an Emotional Affair?
“I have a dilemma.” An old co-worker mused as we headed back to the office after a quick lunch date, reconnecting after I had recently changed jobs. “Oh yeah? What’s that?” I asked, but the tone of his voice already raised a red flag in the form of my quickening pulse and intuition that his…
Will Counseling Work For Me?
Will Counseling Work For Me? Will beekeeping? Homeopathic remedies? Fixing your own transmission? Doing the same thing over and over again work for you? I dunno. You are unique. Going to a professional counselor might not work for you, but there are some very compelling reasons to give it a try. The better question might…
How to Buy Your First House Without Going Crazy
Buying a house is one of the most stressful things that you can go through as human beings. Especially if you’re newlyweds! Yes, it’s even more stressful than planning a wedding. Not only do you have to decide on a house together, but once you do that, there’s also a *TON* of legal jargon, paperwork, and timely…
Should You Be Dating?
Why should you date? Wow! That’s an incredibly personal question that has different answers depending on many different factors. Are you divorced? In your 20s fresh out of school and never married? In your 30s and hoping to be married? Looking for someone to have loads of fun with? Answer This Question First… “Why do…
7 Things You Need to Know Before The Wedding
Being engaged is a season of anticipation! You feel all kinds of excitement, right? You can’t wait! Before the wedding arrives, that and the honeymoon are all you can think about! (Plus, you can’t wait for all those wedding questions to stop!)
What to Do When You Don’t Really Like Your In-Laws
In-laws are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. They might blow through boundaries. Your in-laws might meddle in your marriage. You might even be having a hard time living with your in-laws. Possibly, they’re totally toxic. This isn’t about any of those things. Sometimes, your in-laws are just difficult…
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