Jill: Years ago, Mark and I made a decision to not exchange physical gifts at Christmas. Instead we try to give our marriage time, energy, and focus in some way. Mark: So what are you getting your marriage for Christmas? Seems like a silly question, doesn’t it?...
Mark: Jill and I are in Orlando, Florida today because I had the privilege of officiating the wedding of some dear friends of ours last night. While we were there we had a little bit of fun in the photo booth at the reception! Jill: As Mark was doing the ceremony he...
Mark: “I’m just tired and I want to be done.” I’ve heard that from two long-married, currently separated couples in the last month. I understand those feelings. I was there seven years ago, too. Jill: That’s really how the slow fades...
Mark: One of the ways Jill and I are different has to do with surprises. I love surprises. Jill….not so much. Jill: If you’ve taken our free No More Perfect Marriages E-Challenge, you’ll take a quiz that helps you determine if you’re...
Mark: Jill had a unique opportunity for a girlfriend trip to Florida this past week so we spent the week apart. When one of us travels, we’ve found it very important to have a plan for staying connected. Jill: As a recovering avoider, I have to work to think...
Mark: It happens every time we travel. I throw clothes in a suitcase and walk out the door. For Jill it’s not that easy. She has a list she wants to do before we leave: water the flowers, run the vacuum, fold the laundry, and sometimes pay a few bills. That difference...
Mark: I remember when I first became a Christian, I heard about the concept of “dying to self.” It was often used to describe those times when we wrestle with God between doing things our way versus doing things His way. It was “dying to self” that motivated me to...
Mark: When Jill and I wrote No More Perfect Marriages we identified what we call the Seven Slow Fades where our hearts slowly and unknowingly pull away from each other. We also identified the Eight God-Tools that stop the fades in their tracks. Jill: The past two...
Jill: This weekend I had the privilege of spending time with some fabulous ladies in Ft. Branch, Indiana. I LOVE being able to bring encouragement and hope through women’s conferences and events. Mark: Because we were in the neighborhood, we decided to head over...
Mark: Yesterday Jill and I left our youngest at college in downtown Chicago for his last semester. It’s hard to believe he’s finishing up and getting ready to fully move into adulthood. As we were driving home from Chicago–a two-hour drive for...
Mark: Last week was a week of rest for Jill and I. We spent time enjoying Lake Michigan along with Jill’s parents. It was one of the most restful weeks I’ve had in a long time. Jill: It was a four hour drive to Holland, Michigan and a five hour drive home...
Mark: We do it all the time. Jill: We see things through our own experiences, history, temperament, personality, and family of upbringing perspective and we determine what someone else means with their words or body language. Mark: The only problem is that the meaning...
Mark: Jill and I have the privilege of doing quite a bit of marriage mentoring. While many of those conversations pave the way to powerful breakthroughs, sometimes those conversations are tough ones and words can fly carelessly. Jill: The Bible says that our tongue...
Mark: 2 Corinthians 1:4 tells us that, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” When we go through tough times, God often redeems the pain by allowing us to share hope and help to others going through something similar. Jill:...
Mark: On Saturday, we had the privilege of spending the morning with over 80 couples at our No More Perfect Marriages Morning Out in Normal, IL. It was a great morning of working on our marriages together! Jill: When we do our seminars, we teach a session and then we...
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