In her guest post "
Does Your Marriage Have a Mission Statement?"on
Michael Hyatt's blog this morning,
Dr. Ann Park graciously observed,
"Many of us enter into marriage somewhat blindly."
I commented: somewhat? My husband and I had an exceptionally clear vision for our marriage when we tied the knot between our junior and senior years of college! Then we lost our rose-colored glasses. The reality of two arrogant children trying to work out a marriage was not a pretty sight!
In his Simple Marriage Manifesto, Dr. Corey Allan says, "a marriage works more on the people involved than the people involved work on the marriage." This was certainly true for us.
I wish, for the sake of our children, that we’d had greater maturity, accountability, and sense of mission. We learned the hard way that approaching marriage as anything other than a ministry quickly devolves into two love-starved beggers quarreling over crumbs.
We are grateful for God's grace...and 23+ years of growing up together!
So much virtual marriage mentoring is now available at the click of a mouse button. Life may not offer do-overs, but we're determined to do better from now on!
A few more of our favorites:
1.
Dr. Corey Allan shares such practical wisdom. We've read his free eBook
A Simple Marriage Manifesto several times.
Love his idea that we don't work on our marriage so much as our marriage works on us!
2.
The Generous Wife has short do-able action tips: one thing I can focus on (vs. a whole program to overhaul myself!) "
Don't Let it Bite You" is a recent favorite. (Check out
The Generous Husband, too!)
3.
Hot, Holy, & Humorous tackles "taboo" topics with refreshing honesty. ("
Drive-Thru Sex: the Quickie" is not only a great discussion-starter but a metaphorical masterpiece!)
4. I've been a fan of
Sheila Wray Gregoire for several years. I started forwarding her
29 Days to Great Sex series to my husband, who quickly became a convert: "She must discuss all this with her husband, because it sounds like she's gotten inside a man's mind!"
5. Twice a month over at
Chrysalis, e-Mom leads out in the
Marriage Monday meme. Timely topics & variety of viewpoints!
6. Just got introduced to
Not My Own Life and the idea of "
Make Out Monday" (which I'm sure Daniel will gladly commit to, based on name alone!"
7. Check out the
10 Day Challenge at
One Flesh Marriage as well as the
story of their Ephesians 5 marriage journey.
8. At
Intimacy in Marriage, Julie offers understanding and information "to married couples hungry for someone to speak authentically into their journey."
9. Be sure to check out two books by my dear friend and mentor
Kathi Lipp:
The Husband Project and
The Marriage Project! Try her
5-day Flirt Challenge: it's loads of fun and it works!
10. I blog on
marriage a few times each month. "
Where I Stay so I Won't Stray" and "
Submission vs. ?" are my most popular for 2012.
3. Hot, Holy, & Humorous tackles "taboo" topics with refreshing honesty. ("Drive-Thru Sex: the Quickie" is not only a great discussion-starter but a metaphorical masterpiece!)
