Our thoughts are powerful. I remember the thoughts that caused me to leave my marriage twelve years ago. Those same thoughts fueled the affair I ended up having. And I’m reminded of those messages every time I spend time with a guy in crisis, because what...
I don’t really keep this a secret, but gift-giving isn’t my favorite when it comes to the holidays. Crazy, right? Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing the joy on my kids and grandkids faces when they open up something they’ve wanted and are surprised by it. I...
Dear parent who made a mistake, There’s been something on my mind lately that I’d like to share with you. I don’t know how “big” or “small” the mistake was. I don’t know how deep the roots go on the issue. We could be...
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: When marriage gets stale (and it does for all of us!), there’s a temptation to check out. We reason that if it feels like our spouse doesn’t care, then we won’t care. Or we tell ourselves that we’re the only one trying and we’re...
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. ...
This week on #MarriageMonday, we’re following-up on our post last month all about the power of our words. But this time, we’re talking about the one scenario where words really aren’t the most important thing! Jill: Ask any marriage expert about the...
