Marriage is our passion. When Mark and I went through our marriage crisis now almost 10 years ago, we weren’t sure what the outcome would be. Trust had been broken. Tensions were high. (You can find the full story here.) But as we’ve experienced healing and now...
Mark and I have the opportunity to host marriage intensives in our home, and it is truly one of our favorite aspects of the ministry we do. Today I want to share with you why that is. Our marriage intensives are a 3-day marriage retreat spent at our home here in...
Mark: Have you ever felt like your spouse is slow at making decisions? Or have you ever been on the other side feeling like your voice isn’t being heard when a decision is being made? Do you ever sit down to have a discussion and end up arguing over whose...
We have a line of trees along the west side of our country home. The previous owners wisely planted the trees to provide a hedge of protection against the winds that gust across the cornfields of central Illinois. Those trees serve as a visual picture of another hedge...
Welcome to our third bonus episode of the No More Perfect Podcast! I like to surprise you with a little extra, bite-size podcast goodness every once in a while that’s quick to listen to and helpful for your life. Just to say thank you! Today we want to share a...
Last week on the blog, Mark shared a little bit about his journey of surrender. So this week for #MarriageMonday, I wanted to share about a journey of compassion I’ve been on over the years. Colossians 3:12–13 says, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and...
This week on the blog, we thought we’d answer a question recently sent to us via email about surrender. No matter who you are or what stage of life you’re in, true surrender is something we all need to understand! Dear Mark and Jill, When you guys share...
When was the last time you took a break, just the two of you? It’s easy to put it off. It’s easy for other things to feel more important. But this week for #MarriageMonday, we wanted to share a few thoughts on why your marriage needs a vacation. Jill: Mark...
“We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. Our inward joy does not have to reflect our outward circumstances. The pursuit of joy is a matter of choice.” – Mary Southerland I recently shared that quote on Facebook and had someone reply, “But...
38 years ago, we said “I do.” It was a hot summer day. I wore my mother’s wedding dress and the tux Mark wore was made of wool (what were we thinking?). We knew so little about marriage. Every anniversary we celebrate is huge because they are hard-won celebrations. I...
Too often married couples are like ships passing in the night. Life is busy and while we may be functioning well logistically, it’s likely that we’re missing out on our hearts connecting in a meaningful way. That doesn’t just happen. Connection has to be created....
It’s vacation season, isn’t it? My feed has been full of ocean pictures and sandy beaches lately! And while all that ocean scenery is beautiful, can you imagine if you built your family a house right on the beach? Not along the beach, but right on the sand itself. ...
Welcome to our second bonus episode of the No More Perfect Podcast! I like to surprise you with a little extra, bite-size podcast goodness every once and a while that’s quick to listen to and helpful for your life. Just to say thank you! And today we’re...
Jill: Welcome back to #MarriageMonday! Today, we are taking a look at the power of our words. Our words are powerful, and that power can be used both positively and destructively. When Mark and I think of our marriage before crisis and our marriage after crisis, we’ve...
Mark: Saturday night Jill and I watched the movie Call of the Wild with Harrison Ford. We were both surprised that the animals in the movie weren’t real but rather CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Jill asked me about ten minutes in if I was enjoying it. I...
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