Dear Friends,

Do you and your spouse pray together? Want to get started in a new daily routine for the new year? We’ve compiled a list of important reasons why you and your spouse should be incorporating daily prayer into your marriage, right now.
Want to know more? Enjoy Dr. Les and Leslie Parrott's post.

1. PRAYER CONNECTS US ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL.
Praying together is a great way for you and your spouse to connect on a spiritual level. Communicating about prayer and deciding where you want to focus your prayers is also a way the two of you can work to prioritize the issues you’re most concerned about solving.
Marriage is about our multifaceted connection to one another. Being connected on a physical and emotional level is a wonderful part of marriage. But adding that spiritual component, if you haven’t already, takes your relationship to an entirely new level.

2. PRAYER HELPS US TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE.
When we pray, we’re more likely to focus on what we’re thankful for. Thanking God for our blessings helps us to focus on all the good things we have in life. Gratitude can make us happier and healthier, so it’s a practice we should all be incorporating into our daily lives, as well as our prayer routines.
Couples that practice gratitude can also work together to cultivate contentment in their everyday lives. Gratitude helps to combat the very human urge to “keep up with the Joneses”, and instead gives us the tools we need to recognize what we have and be grateful for it.

3. PRAYER GIVES US HOPE IN DIFFICULT TIMES.
When times are hard, going to God in prayer can help give us hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Life can be difficult, and sometimes, it’s hard to see the end of a tough situation. Prayer sustains us and gets us through those uncertain times, helping us to cultivate faith that everything will work together for good.

4. PRAYER HELPS US RECOGNIZE AND RELEASE WHAT WE CAN’T CONTROL.
Daily prayer helps us to recognize and release the things in our lives that we can’t control. Releasing what we can’t control, in turn, helps us to focus on the things that we can improve and take charge of. All of us humans struggle with the desire to understand what’s going on around us and predict what will happen next. But life doesn’t work that way.
Trusting God with our lives, even when we crave knowing what comes next, helps us surrender to a power greater than ourselves. Praying together keeps this truth in perspective, and allows us to help one another trust that God has our best interest at heart.

5. PRAYER CULTIVATES PEACE.
Prayer helps us cultivate peace like nothing else. Putting our faith and trust in God–together–can lead us to an inner calm that sustains us through good times and bad. If you and your spouse want to bring more peace into your lives–in your marriage and in your own hearts as individuals–then praying together every day is an absolute must.

Need help creating your daily prayer routine?
To get started praying together every day, creating a routine is critical. Journaling, reading scripture, or following along in a daily devotional are all great options for starting your prayer journey together.
If you’d like a long-term roadmap to more prayer as a couple, take a look at our One Year Love Talk Devotional. It contains 365 days’ worth of wisdom and insights for applying biblical principles to your marriage. Each day, its daily readings focus on God’s love for us, and how to love each other better. Check it out here.

I encourage you to contact Pastor John  for additional marriage or family support.
May God bless you and your family! 

Dear Friends,
Let's face it, confronting others is often difficult! And these Covid times are not helping.... rather they are often providing more challenging situations. So how do you confront others in a way that is helpful vs hurtful to the relationship?
This series (from Focus on the Family) is designed to help you approach awkward or challenging situations in a way that protects relationships or leads to healing and reconciliation.  Enjoy :) 
Episode 1 - Confrontation: Coming Together Face to FaceEpisode 2 - The Four Core Styles of CommunicationEpisode 3: Three Biblical Principles to RememberEpisode 4: Six Strategies for Effective ConfrontationEpisode 5: Forgiveness: Where Does the Strength Come From?

We hope you enjoyed this series....  For more interesting videos and resources, please check out these additional series, videos or specific resources for Marriages,  Parenting and Life Challenges from Focus on the Family.

I encourage you to contact Pastor John  for additional marriage or family support.
May God bless you and your family! 
-Shawnda

Dear Friends,

Daily life is hectic, and it’s a little too easy to forget to live joyfully in the midst of busyness. In marriage as in the rest of life, cultivating joy is essential. Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to make sure we’re giving time and effort to joy.
If you’re looking for ways to renew joy in your own marriage, we’ve gathered some quick tips on how to do so. Read on to find out how from Dr. Les and Leslie Parrott!

1. BE INTIMATE.When we’re busy and stressed, intimacy is often one of the first things we push to the side. Instead of letting the daily grind drive you apart, be intentional about sharing intimate moments throughout your day. Any time you and your spouse get a moment to share intimacy, even if it’s just in a look or a simple touch, take that opportunity. You’ll be surprised just how much of an effect these positive interactions will have on your relationship.

2. SAVOR SMALL JOYS.Being joyful in marriage is often about paying attention to the simple pleasures of life. What seemingly small things make you both happy? Is there a way you can bring more of that into your daily life? Think about the small joys that make you happy and find a way to wrap more of those things into your day.

3. CREATE JOYFUL MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST.Intentionally create joyful memories together that will carry you through both good times and bad. These can be a combination of big and small joys. It could be as simple as a sweet handwritten note in the midst of a busy day, or as elaborate as a date night out or a weekend getaway. Be fully present with one another, and decide beforehand that you want to make beautiful memories to share for years to come.

4. EXCHANGE SURPRISE GIFTS SPONTANEOUSLY.Gift-giving is a way many people love to communicate and receive affection. Giving a gift to your spouse is a beautiful way to cultivate joy. It lets them know you’re thinking of them and want to make them smile. Don’t limit your gifts or tokens to holidays and designated special occasions. Time can get away from us too easily. So make it a point to give gifts to one another at random and unexpected times, just to say, “I love you.”

5. BREAK UP YOUR ROUTINE.Sometimes our routine itself can get so mundane and consuming that we forget to find joy in the day-to-day. So try breaking up your regular routine, if it’s possible for you. Can you and your spouse deviate slightly from your normal habits in order to inject a little excitement into your day? Talk it out and evaluate whether there’s a way to bring additional joy into your ordinary activities.

6. REMEMBER TO PLAY.Play is essential for good health and good relationships. We wholeheartedly encourage the couples we counsel to find ways to play together. Making play an essential part of your life will encourage you to create joy at every opportunity. Whether you enjoy board games, sports, getting outside with your pets, or other activities, find what works for you and go with it. And if you’re not sure what kinds of play work for you, start exploring!

7. BE ALERT FOR NEW SOURCES OF JOY.Keep your eyes open for new sources of joy. You might find new activities you love to share, make new friends, or even a daily habit like journaling that helps you chronicle your gratitude. Whatever the case, stay aware of opportunities for joy in the world around you, and you will be more likely to find and incorporate them into your life.

Sometimes, we lose our grip on joy because we’re packing our schedules too tightly, leaving little room for enjoyment. If you and your spouse need help managing your time so you have room for joy, then Your Time-Starved Marriage is a good start. You can pick up a copy here.

Click here to check out many marriage video clips from Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. 

As always, I encourage you to Pastor John  for additional marriage or family support.
May God bless you and your family!
Shawnda