Gratitude: Plant Now, Reap Later
As we look forward to the new year, lots of us are making resolutions, setting goals, planning for the coming months. Most of our colleagues in the marriage education
A Smarter Way to Love
Falling in love is easy. Staying in love requires a conscious decision and focused investment. Loving the Smart way is easy when you know how. Our romance was a
A very grand Advent
It’s Advent again – the season of waiting. This year, our waiting takes on a special focus – we are awaiting the arrival of our first grandchild. Actually, Francine
Trigger warning: there’s a landmine below
Over the previous columns we have been exploring how our formation from our family of origin can continue to impact us and our marriage negatively. In this article we
The easy way or God’s way?
In this column we continue our exploration of the different ways that our formation, especially from our family of origin, can detrimentally play out in our marriage. We’ve already
Incompatible Expectations
I wasn’t Expecting that! Over the last few columns we’ve been exploring how our formation in our family of origin continues to play out throughout our marriages. There are
It Takes One to Tango
Many people believe that a good relationship requires equal effort from both husband and wife. And so, if your spouse is unwilling to change or invest more in the
What’s in a name?
More than you might think When Adam was commissioned by God to name all the animals (Gen 2: 19-20), it established an important idea in Judeo-Christian tradition; being able
Like Parent, Like Child
The young couple sitting opposite us had been married only a few years. They were experiencing some health challenges, but this is not what brought them to us; they
Leaving and cleaving for the sake of our marriage
Last week, Francine was a guest on Vision Radio for marriage week. One of the callers shared how his and his wife’s early ‘family of origin’ formation had caused
When history repeats, choose freedom
We remember sitting with a young couple who were locked in combat. She was prone to reactive outbursts and he was mystified as to what he was doing to
The Passion Principle
One of the great delights of running marriage enrichment retreats for couples, is hearing all the amazing love stories. From beginning to end, every one of them has mystery,
Natural Fertility is Just an App Away
Last month was the 50th anniversary of Humanae Vitae - one of the more controversial Vatican documents in recent history. This letter, addressed to all Catholics, reaffirmed the Church's
Listening for true understanding
In our previous column, we made the point that marriage is like a contact sport, and that the ‘game’ is more fun, and certainly safer, when we both understand
Three Rules for Engagement
In our marriage seminars, we often say ‘Marriage is a contact sport’. But unlike other sports, in this game, the contestants are on the same team, or at least