BLOG: By Jamie & Joy Willis - In our 26 years of marriage, we have found that one of the best practices for kindling romance is developing rhythms of intentional time together - daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.

BLOG: By Dylan & Ariana Evans - In our marriage we’ve found that nothing shuts down romance faster than letting small everyday frustrations go unchecked: The pile of dirty dishes. The phone at the dinner table. The shoes left in the doorway—again. But if we are proactive about these grievances, we can actually make conflict serve us.

BLOG: By Don & Elizabeth Ormsbee - It is not hard to focus on all that is wrong in our world and even in our marriage. Rather than focusing on all that is wrong, we are intentional to choose to notice what goes RIGHT in our marriage.

BLOG: By Dr. Tyler & Catie Smiley - Sometimes in our marriage romance happens naturally (even spontaneously), but sometimes when we are “not feeling it,” it takes effort. As we consider what has worked for us, what has sparked romance, one idea rises to the top: a constant pursuit of each other.

BLOG: By Scott & Dawn Smith - This summer, we’re taking a break from our podcast to release 6 new blogs at Forever Marriage. We’ve asked a handful of Lakewood’s pastors and their wives to share some of their best practices of how they Rekindle Romance in their marriages.

Download this PDF of the "One Anothers of Scripture." Listen to Season 4 Episode 1, of the FM Podcast to hear more!

BLOG: Do you want to FINISH WELL? If so, you will have to learn to start saying “no.” Every “good” thing may not be a “God” thing for you. Have you ever thought that by saying “yes” to every “good” thing that comes your way, you may be taking a “God” thing away from someone else?

BLOG: Preparations must be considered if we intend to finish well. If we intend to finish the race of life victorious, then we have to think about what’s needed, what adjustments must be made and whose counsel and coaching will be helpful. We have to think about which practices need to “go”, which need to “stay” and which need to be developed into a habit.

BLOG: Crushings are painful seasons of suffering and they leave a tender spot in our souls. That tenderness of soul helps us remember God’s faithfulness to walk us through them and make it all useful somehow.

BLOG: For most young people starting in their first job, retirement and finishing life literally feels like a lifetime away. Yet, it’s never too soon to begin planning for that lifetime.

BLOG: In recent months in my and Dawn’s life, due to personal and professional experiences, we’ve given a good bit of thought and attention to finishing well in life, and especially in preparation for death.

BLOG: 10 years ago today we got engaged! It feels like yesterday, although a lot of life has happened in those short years. Here are our 10 Pieces of Advice for Newly Engaged Couples!

BLOG: For the vast majority of married couples, conflict in marriage is inevitable. It’s not a matter of if conflict will happen, it’s a matter of when conflict will happen. And sadly, for many couples, conflict in marriage is just plain hard to navigate well. So, what’s a couple to do?

BLOG: Do you want to be faithful to the end of your days? Do you want to finish well? Do you want to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? If so, how do you and I do that?

BLOG: Much of what we think and believe about marriage and how life works are learned from our family of origin. In this article, the Smiths explain some of the most common viewpoints couples bring into marriage from their families of origin.

BLOG: One of the first virtues Dawn and I have noticed that tends to slip away (almost unnoticed) from many marriages is the simple act of kindness.

BLOG: Proverbs 7, 8 & 9 reveals the wisdom of a father passed down to his son. Later in Proverbs 31, we see the wisdom of a mother passed down to her son. Solomon uses personification to paint a picture of the sharp contrast between wisdom and foolishness, and the graphic results of choosing the wrong path. Let’s observe some comparisons between the Woman of Folly and the Woman of Wisdom.

BLOG POST: Boys do not become men overnight. They may look a lot like it on the outside, but the insides are still swinging on monkeybars. So...how can you tell when a man is finished being a boy?

BLOG POST: God is not withholding good from us by asking us to wait until marriage to have sex, He is holding something infinitely better for us if we will.

BLOG: You should “test drive” a car before purchasing it. It’s the wise thing to do. But I can’t, in good conscience, suggest you do the same with your relationship. A marital “test drive” is not recommended. You and your relationship are far too valuable to risk it.

BLOG: What do you see when you look in the mirror? What do the images in your mind tell you to think about yourself as you look in the mirror? Do those images tell you you are beautiful? Do those images tell you you are handsome? Or, do those images in your mind tell the mirror you’re “less than”, unattractive, unwanted, fat, or ugly or something worse?

BLOG: God has never given any of us the right/responsibility to change someone. As a matter of fact, you can’t change people. You can try, but we promise you, you'll become very frustrated.

Much like the effort required to keep the flame going in a fireplace in the cold of winter, to keep the flame of intimacy in marriage going requires an equal (if not greater) amount of attention, effort and time.

BLOG: As we’ve worked with couples over the past three decades, we’ve observed there are at least 5 key components that contribute to relational safety between a husband and wife.

BLOG: Dawn and I believe that we should fiercely protect our marriage. Here are 8 “hedges of protection” we have placed around ourselves to protect the fidelity of our marriage.

BLOG POST: What should a couple do if there is sexual sin in their marital relationship? In this blog post, we list 10 necessary practices for restoration after sexual sin has been exposed.

BLOG POST: Husbands, your wife is to be treasured. Let your manner with her be the way of understanding. Treat her with respect and see her the way God sees her. God created her to be a life-giving vessel. She pours out her life as Christ pours His life into hers. Your part as her husband is to protect, love, and cherish her as she goes about her life-giving ways.

BLOG POST: Do you ever find yourself saying to your partner, "You're not listening to me!"? If so, have you ever thought why you say that? Obviously, it may be a valid statement. It may be true your partner is not a good listener. But, let me ask you, are you?

BLOG POST: This is love. Undeserved. Unearned. Unmerited. Unconditional. This is God’s love for us. We don’t deserve it. We didn’t earn it. We could do nothing to merit it. It has been given to us while we were still sinners.

BLOG POST: You see, there is something supernaturally different about the word of God. It will cut you. It will pierce you. It will most likely create some form of discomfort for you. It will challenge you. It will expose the deepest parts of you. It may even change you.

BLOG POST: I love living in community with other believers. I can’t imagine doing life any other way. The truth is, I actually believe I’m a better disciple of Christ, a better man, a better husband and father because I have other people around me routinely spurring me on to love and good deeds. Would you say the same? Would you say your walk with Christ is more intimate because of the people you routinely do life with?

BLOG POST: What sets you free often sets someone else free. Have you ever confessed something to someone only to have them confess that they, too, share the same struggle? The keys to your freedom will often be the keys to someone else’s freedom.

BLOG POST: In conflict, are you able to say “I was wrong” as well as “I am sorry” when you are at fault? If not, why not?

BLOG POST: Before speaking, ask yourself the following: Is what I'm about to say True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? and Kind?

DATE IDEAS: Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, the air is fresh - Spring is here! As we enter into a new season, take this opportunity to invest in your marriage by planning a few fun dates!

PODCAST: God cares deeply about the institution of marriage. He ordained it. It was his idea. He loves marriage...but also at the same time God loves the individuals in the marriage. The individual suffering and hardship that can so oftentimes accompany relational conflict... God loves those individual people just as much as he loves the institution of marriage. So what does God's word say about divorce?

BLOG POST: Conflict is inevitable. In your relationships, it’s not a matter of if it will happen. It’s a matter of when it will happen. We don’t say that to be fatalistic. We say that because we are realistic. In life, marriage, and relationships – conflict is inevitable....

BLOG POST: Honor is about two things: to esteem and to fulfill. To esteem our spouse is to regard them as super valuable, none above them, to appreciate them as a prize or a treasure. To fulfill simply means to carry out as pledged. Honor seems to come naturally during our dating relationship. Something happens after we cross the portals of married life...

BLOG POST: Your life, in its present state, is designed to give you the results you’re presently getting. If you don’t like the outcomes you’re getting, then the system must be changed. Again, your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you’re getting.

DATE IDEAS: Winter has officially begun and we are just days away from Christmas! New Years will quickly follow and Valentine’s Day is just right around the corner. The winter season provides great opportunities for some fun and festive date nights!

BLOG POST: In marriage, we are provided with ample opportunities to humble ourselves before our spouse. Let us walk in this way of Christ as we seek to honor Him and be transformed into His likeness. 

DATE IDEAS: FALL is officially here! What a perfect time to pull away from the demands of a full schedule in order to spend time with your spouse. Check out our list of Fall Date Ideas!

BLOG POST: There is a problem for some with sex. For many married couples, the problem is not a physical problem. It’s not even a problem with technique. It is often a mental problem. You see, the most important sex organ is the brain.

BLOG POST: Understand this. Peace has to be pursued. It rarely comes easy. It has to be fought for. At times peace will elude you.

BLOG POST: We want to help by allowing our readers a chance to submit an anonymous question regarding marriage for our marriage counselors to answer! In the coming days, we will be posting answers to your questions on our blog page. Stay tuned!

BLOG POST: The vast majority of problems people face today are the result of unresolved personal and spiritual conflicts from yesterday. Make peace with your past. It’s the only way to have a preferable future.

BLOG POST: Is there someone you’ve lost the ability to be kind to? Is your heart hardened towards someone? Is there someone you need to forgive? Have you had a fall-out with a friend or coworker?

BLOG POST: Paul writes, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” In other words, “Love should not be two faced.” One of the greatest tensions created in relationships, especially in marriage, is when there is duplicity.

DATE IDEAS: Summer is HERE and we have a great list of date ideas for you and your spouse! Take this opportunity to have fun together and invest in your marriage! You won't regret it.

BLOG POST: You and I must be careful of our decisions and choices. Our decisions and choices shape us. They reveal us. They show what we value and believe. Our decisions and choices today can forever alter our life tomorrow.

BLOG POST: If you and I are ever to grow in our relations with others as God intends, it’s crucial that we choose our friends wisely. They will determine our future – for good or for bad. Show me your friends today, and I’ll show you your future two years from now.

BLOG POST: The Lord is for me. He’s not against me. He doesn’t have it in for me. He’s not a cosmic killjoy. God knows what’s best for me. And, He wants what’s best for me.

BLOG POST: If you’re in a relationship and you’re looking for good in your mate, I can promise you, you will generally find good. Likewise, if you’re looking for something wrong in your mate, you can rest assured you will probably find that as well. The key to lasting, loving relationships is to seek the good in one another.

BLOG POST: You’ve heard it said, “You are what you eat.” There’s also another reality. You are what you think. Think about it. What have you been thinking lately? How have those thoughts affected you?

BLOG POST: Outside of our salvation, our wives are one of the most precious gifts the Lord gives us. Have we been taking this gift for granted? Do we marvel at the "good thing" the Lord has granted us? How can we better love and lead our wives spiritually?

BLOG POST: Fruitfulness in life most often comes out of our greatest affliction and misery. God uses the pruning that comes from these afflictions to bring forth growth and fruitful work in our life.

DATE IDEAS: Excited about the beautiful spring weather ahead? Us too! Here are a few date ideas for you and your spouse to enjoy as we enter into the spring season.

BLOG POST: You and I are works in progress. God is not finished with us yet. But, God will finish what He started. Our lives in Christ are designed by God to be in a steady growth pattern towards maturity and perfection. But, growth in Christ is measured by progress and not perfection.

BLOG POST: Marriage is a series of choices. These choices are linked together over time to create our marital destiny. Therefore, to get the marriage you want - the BEST marriage - you must do the next right thing.

VIDEO: We are so excited to have Scott & Dawn Smith as our featured speakers this year at the Forever Marriage Conference!